Conference Offers Inspiring Leadership Lessons

Westmont has assembled an inspirational group of renowned speakers for its 10th annual LEAD Where You Stand Conference June 5-6 at the college’s Global Leadership Center. David Brooks, New York Times columnist and bestselling author, headlines an exceptional and diverse group of speakers that includes: Gayle D. Beebe, Westmont president and author of The Crucibles That Shape Us; Dr. Charity Dean, CEO and co-founder of the Public Health Company; Kim Battle-Walters Denu, provost and dean of faculty at Westmont; Marcus “Goodie” Goodloe, a Martin Luther King Jr. scholar; Matthew Luhn, award-winning writer and director formerly at Disney’s Pixar; and Jeff Schloss, T.B. Walker professor of natural and behavioral sciences.

Tickets to the event, which cost $399, may be purchased online at westmont.edu/lead. Each registrant will receive a complimentary copy of Beebe’s new book, The Crucibles That Shape Us.

“In the last decade, this event has quickly evolved into a beacon of inspiration and empowerment, attracting powerhouse speakers and participants who share transformative leadership principles,” Beebe says. “The caliber of speakers and attendees underscores our collective commitment to advancing excellence in leadership, transcending boundaries of industry and service.”

Brooks is the New York Times columnist and author of a number of New York Times bestsellers, including How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen; The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life; and The Road to Character.

Dean brings together the best expertise in public health disease control with tech innovation in the private sector to build capabilities for autonomous disease control in scalable software. 

Luhn has mastered the art, practice, and business applications of storytelling. He draws upon his 25-year career working on The Simpsons and formerly at Disney’s Pixar. 

Denu, who has worked in executive leadership in Christian higher education for more than 25 years, will address the topic of “Leading Across Differences: Utilizing Soft Power to Build Cohesion.”

Goodloe travels the country mentoring students, educators, business professionals, athletes, entertainers, and communities of faith about cultural and interpersonal relationships, leadership, character formation, and faith. 

Schloss often speaks to audiences about the intersection of biology and faith. His many academic publications include The Believing Primate: Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Reflections on the Origin of Religion.