WHO SHOULD ATTEND ABX?

IDEAL PARTICIPANTS INCLUDE:

• College and university presidents

• Board chairs and trustees

• Chief financial officers

• Senior leaders engaged in governance 
and institutional strategy

The ABX Leadership Summit is designed for leaders responsible for the strategic direction and financial sustainability of their institutions.

CONFERENCE AGENDA

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2026

Afternoon - Summit Registration and ABX council meetings

Evening - Reception and time to explore historic Old Town Alexandria

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2026

A full day of conversations and working sessions exploring:

• Governance during institutional disruption

• Capital strategies and financial sustainability

• Winning strategies and addressing structural deficits

• Supporting the president through business model transformation

• AI and emerging technologies

• Board strategy and institutional transformation

• Case studies from institutions navigating complex changes

Detailed agenda and times will be sent to conference registrants.

NOTE: ABX Member institutions receive complimentary access to the conference. Non-members are also invited to register.

A NEW ERA OF GOVERNANCE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

The Alliance for Board Excellence will convene at the ABX Leadership Summit. This gathering brings together a select group of industry leaders to navigate the most significant challenges facing higher education today.

COME ENJOY OLD TOWN ALEXANDRIA

OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

BARBARA
GELLMAN-
DANLEY

PRESIDENT

Higher Learning Commission

PAUL
LEBLANC

PRESIDENT EMERITUS

Southern New Hampshire University

VICTOR HU

MANAGING PARTNER
AND CO-FOUNDER

Lumos Capital Group

RICK
BEYER

CHAIRMAN

Core Education PBC

REGISTRATION DETAILS

ABX Members

The conference registration fee is complimentary with your institution's ABX Membership.
Click here or use the Register Now button below to confirm your attendance. Seating is limited.

Nonmembers

Registration priority is given to member institutions; however, we want to make this conference experience available to non-members (space permitting). Please submit your request to attend by clicking the button below. There is no fee due at the time of filling out the interest form.

If space is available, we will contact you on a first-come, first-served basis and invite you to complete the payment portion of registration. 
Registration fee for non-members to attend the ABX Leadership Summit is $1,500. However, our foundation offers grants that may offset this fee completely.

Learn more about the ABX Membership, which includes conference attendance here.

WHY ABX EXISTS

HIGHER EDUCATION IS IN A PERIOD OF UNPRECEDENTED DISRUPTION

Declining enrollments, structural deficits, technological transformation, and declining consumer confidence are forcing institutions to rethink how they operate and how they are governed. 



Presidents are often caught between the burden of legacy systems and the urgency of building institutions that can thrive in the future. At the same time, governing boards are being asked to move beyond traditional oversight and become active strategic partners in institutional transformation. 



A new fiduciary and governance standard is also emerging. Boards must govern at the pace of the market and support presidents in navigating complex strategic decisions that will shape the future of their institutions. 



Yet many presidents and boards are navigating these challenges without a trusted community of peers to share strategies, examine new governance models, and learn from institutions actively pursuing change. 



The Alliance for Board eXcellence (ABX) was created to fill that gap. 



ABX brings together presidents, trustees, and senior leaders to exchange ideas, explore a new governance playbook, and strengthen the partnership between boards and institutional leadership in a time of profound change.