12th Annual Leaders Building Leaders Conference 2026

Join us for our 12th Annual Leaders Building Leaders Conference.

We are excited about the outstanding experiences brought to the table by this year's Leaders Building Leaders (LBL) Conference speakers! Check out the fantastic line up below.

The LBL Conference is Friday, April 10th, 2026, with sessions at 9:00 am, 10:00 am, and 11:00 am in the Everett Dick Building on the third floor, followed by a keynote speaker at 12:30 pm in Everett Dick Building Amphitheater. Doors open at 8:15 am for registration.

We appreciate your registration; it helps us plan the classroom sizes needed for each presentation. Please register for just one speaker per session time.
You must register for lunch separately from registering for the keynote session. Lunch will be catered by Noodles & Company, please fill out the necessary options for dietary restrictions. A continental breakfast will also be provided in the morning.

Speaker: Marcus J. Morris- CEO, High Society Cheesecake, LLC

Title: From Near Closure to Fulll Exposure

Description: The move that nearly cost me everything became the decision that reshaped my business. When survival demanded innovation, we chose to create the curve instead of follow it. Almost a year later, we went viral, and I mean worldwide viral.

Bio: Hello, my name is Marcus Morris and I make cheesecake for a living. Although I didn’t start out that way, I eventually found a passion for business and creating with my hands. I was born and raised in Lincoln, NE, and graduated from Union College in 2006 with a BS in Psychology. While working at a drug and alcohol rehab center during college, I realized that before committing to professional counseling, I wanted to bring something to Lincoln it hadn’t seen before: cheesecake.

I have owned and operated High Society Cheesecake, LLC since 2006. What began as a local concept has grown into a nationwide operation. Our scoopable cheesecake went viral overnight on @highsocietycheesecake, helping start the curve and bringing worldwide exposure to the brand. Today, we produce 150–500 cheesecakes for private labels, manage our own nationwide shipping for major companies, and recently served over 700 slices at the 13th Annual Team Jack Foundation Gala. High Society Cheesecake has been featured in Cord Magazine, Best of the Midwest, March of Dimes Signature Chefs, and Campus Eats with the Big 10 Network.

I met my wife, Rachel Jahn, while attending Union College. We have been married since 2007 and have two children, Maya (4) and Monte (1).

Speaker: Brad Forbes- President at AdventSource

Title: Ready or Not Here Comes AI

Description: Like it or not Artificial Intelligence is here to stay. What does that mean to students, business owners, educators, and politicians? We'll talk about some of the issues facing all of us in the months and years ahead.

Bio: Brad Forbes has been the President of AdventSource since 1989. During that time AdventSource has grown from a Pathfinder Club focused mail order company to a multi-ministry, internet-based organization that serves Seventh-day Adventist churches and schools worldwide. The child of a pastor, Brad grew up a missionary kid in Malawi, Africa where his father was the Publishing Director for the Southeast Africa Union. This time in Malawi and traveling world-wide with his family had a significant impact on Brad's world view and ministry focus.

Upon return to the United States Brad attended Union College, now Union Adventist University, where

He graduated with a degree in Business Management that included a focus on computer programming and data structure.

In the 1990’s as the AdventSource ministry footprint was expanding Brad was asked to serve on multiple ministry committees where he serves as a resource, curriculum and marketing consultant. Locally Brad is a member of the College View Church where he has served as an elder responsible for children’s ministries and leader in the Primary Sabbath School.

Brad is married to Jennifer. They enjoy traveling, flower gardening and riding their tandem bicycle.

Speaker: Mandy Carlson- Director of Communications, Jefferson Center for Mental Health

Title: The Scenic Route: Embracing Uncertainty on the Leadership Journey

Description: From my early years, landing a leadership role was a goal I had in mind. No one warned me it wasn’t as simple as getting from point A to B, but instead, that life and career come with detours, roadblocks, and slow downs ahead. Even now in a leadership role, uncertainty is all around, but you can either run from it or embrace it—truly making the journey worthwhile. 

Bio: Mandy Carlson embraces the idea of journey before destination. Her passion has always focused around the power of stories and how they can change lives. After graduating from Union Adventist University in 2015, she moved to Colorado, where she stocked shelves at Target before moving into a donor engagement and event planning role at AdventHealth for four years, all while completing a Master of Healthcare Administration. Some uncertainty and one pandemic later (No spoilers allowed! To find out more, join her session), Mandy now connects her passion for creativity and storytelling with ensuring people have access to the mental health care they need. Outside of the office, Mandy loves reading and spending time with her husband, and reformed cat dad, Chad and their two cats, Kaladin and Sylphrena. She also takes advantage of any adventure, including running, hiking, and traveling around the world.  

Speaker: Erik Stenbakken, Real Estate Professional; Self-employed–operates four LLCs

Title: Goals Achieved! The Most Excellent Personal Goal-Setting Workshop You Will Ever Attend

Description:  Build a system that sets you up for success and helps you hit your goals -- even wild ones! Whether your goals are modest and near-term or massive and life-long, I'll share the principles and practices that make choosing and achieving your goals a reality..

Bio: Erik currently manages a real estate portfolio of vacation and long-term rentals. He's a licensed broker associate and has been investing in real estate since 2010. Vacation rentals are his specialty and their destinations span from the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee to the beach in Maui (think Airbnb whole-home properties). 

He had a 20+ year career as a photographer/ videographer serving commercial and editorial clients nationwide. His legacy website is stenbakken.com. Before that, he worked at Union Adventist University in the Marketing and Communications department as content creator. He is married to Dr Gelerie Stenbakken (UC class of ‘92) and together they have two children, a daughter living and working in Tennessee and a son who is a junior in high school. 

Stenbakken has a BS from Union College in Language Arts Education (UC ‘91) and an MA in English: Creative Writing from University of Central Florida..

Speaker: Stephanie Lind, Vice President for Partner Success and Strategy, DispatchHealth

Title: From Relationships to Results: Building a Growth Engine through Account Management

Description: This presentation explores how alignment among trusted partners transforms Account Management into a strategic advantage. It’s designed to spark curiosity about how a clear vision brings different strengths together, drives action, and turns big ideas into real, measurable impact.

Bio: Stephanie Lind is a strategic healthcare executive specializing in building and scaling new partnership ventures—designing growth engines from the ground up that align account management, clinical and financial impact, and expansion strategy into repeatable models that drive retention, revenue, and measurable ROI at scale. Her past roles include Executive Director of Population Health at AdventHealth, and Director of multiple programs at Florida Hospital, after beginning her career in sales & marketing. Stephanie received two undergraduate degrees from Union College and an MBA from Webster University. Her mission is to be a strategic visionary leader by integrating whole person health with business development practices that make a significant and lasting difference. She is married to her treasured travel companion, Jeff Lind, and is proud mom to Jaxson and Stella.

Speaker: Franka Lisia Sadler, Sr. Technical Design Manager – Women’s Division Lands' End

Title: From Quality Control to Senior Leadership: Building a Career in Apparel Product Development

Description: This session will explore career pathways within the fashion and apparel product development industry through the lens of a 30-year career journey. Students will gain insight into technical design, quality assurance, sourcing, merchandising, and leadership development. The presentation will provide practical guidance on cross-functional roles, industry evolution, and how to build long-term career growth in apparel and fashion.

Bio: Franka “Lisia” Sadler is a Senior Technical Design Manager at Lands’ End with more than 30 years of experience in apparel product development, quality assurance, and cross-functional leadership. She has worked across diverse retail models including big box, television retail, specialty catalogs such as Sundance, and heritage workwear brands including Carhartt. She began her career as a Quality Assurance Technician, building expertise in ISO standards, ASTM testing protocols, and factory compliance, a technical foundation that propelled her into Technical Design leadership.

Today, Lisia leads a team of technical designers, overseeing fit development, construction engineering, factory partnerships, and risk management strategies to ensure product excellence and brand consistency. Known for her collaborative leadership style, she partners closely with design, merchandising, sourcing, and supply chain teams to guide products from concept to customer. Throughout her career, she has navigated significant shifts in global manufacturing, digital product development, and sustainability initiatives.

In addition to her corporate leadership, Lisia is an entrepreneur and consultant. She launched her bridal brand, Francesca Kahleen, in 2020, which showcased at New York Fashion Week in 2021, and is the founder and creative director of Port of Spain, a resort wear and accessories brand inspired by her Trinidad and Tobago heritage. She also partners with emerging brands, helping launch Latona Golf in 2022 and currently developing an innovative compression garment targeted for market release in December 2026. Passionate about mentorship, she is dedicated to guiding the next generation of leaders in the fashion and apparel industry.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Melody A. Kramer

Title: Courageous Leadership in Tumultuous Times

Description: Having people follow you is simple. In 2019 a photograph of an egg got 33M likes on Instagram in 24 hours. Being a leader of conscience and conviction, one with integrity, a leader who makes meaningful, positive change in the world, that’s hard. Our current chaotic world needs genuine leaders, ones who have the perfect mix of courage and humbleness. Drawing on her decades of experience as a trial lawyer, entrepreneur, and a writer with purpose, Melody will share the principles for being an authentic leader in the midst of the chaos.

Bio: Melody A. Kramer is an award-winning and Amazon bestseller author, trial lawyer, and entrepreneur. Melody has earned a reputation as a fearless advocate for clients in courtrooms across the country and an innovative problem solver in keeping people out of court.

Melody obtained her B.A. in Music at Union College (now Union Adventist University), then graduated from the University of Nebraska, College of Law in 1993, earning the prestigious Order of Barristers. She began her legal career in eastern Nebraska handling criminal, juvenile, and civil cases, working as a Deputy Public Defender in Columbus, as a Special Prosecutor for Crimes Against Children on the Omaha Indian Reservation, and starting her own law practice in Lincoln.

In 1999, Melody moved to California and turned her focus to white collar criminal defense and complex business litigation. In Santa Barbara she worked alongside one of Michael Jackson’s attorneys, the attorney who later represented the man who killed CalPoly student Kristen Smart. In San Diego, Melody continued her law practice, handling primarily business litigation and a lengthy stint handling complex, multi-jurisdictional patent licensing and infringement litigation cases. She’s co-counseled on several high-profile election cases, including as amicus curiae on a US Supreme Court case. Melody also periodically co-counsels with Church State Council on religious discrimination cases.

While practicing in California, Melody founded FreelanceLaw.com, the first legal outsourcing network connecting freelance lawyers with law firms, and also co-founded the National Association of Freelance Legal Professionals as an adjunct organization to raise the profile of freelancing as a viable career choice for legal professionals. The two entities were merged and acquired by Montage Legal Group in January 2015.

Melody has co-authored two prosecution manuals for the Nebraska County Attorney’s Association. She also authored “Why Lawyers Suck! Hacking the Legal System, Part 1,” an expose on the real life of lawyers, how they are taught, the pressure-filled environment in which they work, and how that effects their interactions with the world. She is now working on the follow-up book “The Art of Managing Mercenaries: How to Hire, Fire, and Work Effectively With Your Lawyer.” She has also published “Green Leaves and Brownies,” a delightfully illustrated Dr. Seuss parody explaining cannabis law. She also writes the “Reclaiming Patriotism” blog.

Ms. Kramer has been nominated for Connected Women of Influence's "Woman of Influence Award" in 2016 and 2019, been published in The Well News and other magazines, and featured on Caravan to Midnight with John B. Wells, SGTReport with Sean Turnbull, Amazing Authors & Brilliant Books, She Means Business, Thrive LOUD with Lou Diamond, and other internet radio shows and podcasts. She has spoken at Stanford Law School, Nebraska State Bar Association, San Diego County Bar Association, National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators, Hera Hub, StartUp San Diego, Hera Labs (now renamed Stella), San Diego Entrepreneurs Exchange, and more.
Melody has recently relocated to the Washington, DC area where she continues to practice law and pursue her passion for writing.

Info: The Scenic Route: Embracing Uncertainty on the Leadership Journey. From my early years, landing a leadership role was a goal I had in mind. No one warned me it wasn’t as simple as getting from point A to B, but instead, that life and career come with detours, roadblocks, and slow downs ahead. Even now in a leadership role, uncertainty is all around, but you can either run from it or embrace it—truly making the journey worthwhile.

Info: The move that nearly cost me everything became the decision that reshaped my business. When survival demanded innovation, we chose to create the curve instead of follow it. Almost a year later, we went viral, and I mean worldwide viral

Info: Like it or not Artificial Intelligence is here to stay. What does that mean to students, business owners, educators, and politicians? We'll talk about some of the issues facing all of us in the months and years ahead.

Info: From Quality Control to Senior Leadership: Building a Career in Apparel Product Development.
This session will explore career pathways within the fashion and apparel product development industry through the lens of a 30-year career journey. Students will gain insight into technical design, quality assurance, sourcing, merchandising, and leadership development. The presentation will provide practical guidance on cross-functional roles, industry evolution, and how to build long-term career growth in apparel and fashion

Info: Goals Achieved! The Most Excellent Personal Goal-Setting Workshop You Will Ever Attend.
Build a system that sets you up for success and helps you hit your goals -- even wild ones! Whether your goals are modest and near-term or massive and life-

Info: From Relationships to Results: Building a Growth Engine through Account Management.
This presentation explores how alignment among trusted partners transforms Account Management into a strategic advantage. It’s designed to spark curiosity about how a clear vision brings different strengths together, drives action, and turns big ideas into real, measurable impact.

Info: Having people follow you is simple. In 2019 a photograph of an egg got 33M likes on Instagram in 24 hours. Being a leader of conscience and conviction, one with integrity, a leader who makes meaningful, positive change in the world, that’s hard. Our current chaotic world needs genuine leaders, ones who have the perfect mix of courage and humbleness. Drawing on her decades of experience as a trial lawyer, entrepreneur, and a writer with purpose, Melody will share the principles for being an authentic leader in the midst of the chaos.

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Host or Publisher Union College Business Division