Captivating speakers and a slate of can’t-miss sessions are waiting for you.
Mainstage Speakers
Get ready to be inspired by thought leaders who are transforming higher education and student affairs. These featured speakers bring a wealth of experience, insight, and bold ideas to the stage—challenging us to think differently, lead courageously, and act with purpose.
John Comerford, Ph.D.
President, Otterbein University
Opening Keynote
John Comerford is a residence hall director who has been promoted too many times. As an undergraduate at Western Illinois University, he majored in co-curricular activities and had a mentor tell him he could get paid to stay in college forever. He quickly accepted and earned a Master’s in Student Personnel Administration from the University of Central Missouri (John being old, it was actually called Central Missouri State at the time). His career peaked as a hall director at Ball State University. Fooled into believing administrative work was fun, John then became director of housing at Missouri Western State College (now University…John also changes schools’ names).
Thinking living off campus for the first time in 12 years was wise, John gave up his meal plan and became VP for Student Affairs at Westminster College in Missouri. The president there then charmed him into becoming VP for Institutional Advancement. Knowing how to raise money led headhunters to call, so he became president of Blackburn College and then Otterbein University. Wishing he was still a hall director, John made the most of a bad situation and decided to try to fix higher education’s focus on elitism and prestige. He led Blackburn and Otterbein to make tuition free for Pell-eligible students, increasing enrollment and diversity.
He’s now also president of the Coalition for the Common Good, an initiative focused on serving adult learners nationally through Antioch University and a network of private universities. But, no one invites him to hall programs anymore, he has not gotten a door dec in 20 years, and his bulletin board skills are getting rusty.
Chandra Myrick, Ph.D.
University of Tennessee – Knoxville
Opening Keynote Moderator
Chandra Myrick has built her career through her strategic and passionate efforts focused on maximizing the student experience and supporting other staff members. She has been a guiding force for the ACUHO-I Leadership Academy and an active member of the Research and Professional Standards committees. Most recently, Myrick was honored with the Dissertation of the Year Award for her work entitled “I’m Speaking: Narratives of Black Women Serving in Senior Housing Officer Roles at Predominantly White Institutions.” In her ex officio role Myrick will identify new areas of knowledge and partnership opportunities that benefit stakeholders and ensure ACUHO-I centers student success in its work.
Bryan Alexander, Ph.D.
Georgetown University
Sunday General Session
Bryan Alexander is an award–winning, internationally known futurist, researcher, writer, speaker, consultant, and teacher, working in the field of higher education’s future. Bryan speaks widely and publishes frequently, with articles appearing in venues including The Atlantic Monthly, Inside Higher Ed. He has been interviewed by and featured in the New York Times, the Washington Post, MSNBC, the Wall Street Journal, US News and World Report, National Public Radio (2017, 2020, 2020, 2020, 2020), the Chronicle of Higher Education (2016, 2020), the Atlantic Monthly, Reuters, Times Higher Education, the National Association of College and University Business Officers, Pew Research, Campus Technology, The Hustle, Minnesota Public Radio, USA Today, and the Connected Learning Alliance.
Bryan’s book Academia Next: The Futures of Higher Education (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2020), won an Association of Professional Futurists award. His latest book, Universities on Fire: Higher Education in the Age of Climate Crisis, appeared in 2023. He is currently working on Peak Higher Ed: How to Survive the Emerging Academic Crisis, under contract with Johns Hopkins. His other books include Gearing Up For Learning Beyond K-12 and The New Digital Storytelling (second edition).
Bryan is currently a senior scholar at Georgetown University and teaches graduate seminars in their Learning, Design, and Technology program.
Megan W. Gerhardt, Ph.D.
Miami University
Monday General Session
Megan W. Gerhardt, Ph.D. is a professor of management and leadership at the Farmer School of Business at Miami University, where she also serves as Robert D. Johnson Director of Leadership Development. Megan speaks and consults with top organizations around the world on ways to leverage generational diversity in the workplace. In addition to her academic research, she is author of the book Gentelligence: A Revolutionary Approach to Leading an Intergenerational Workforce. Her Gentelligence work has been showcased as Harvard Business Review’s Big Idea in March 2022 and was also chosen as one of Harvard Business Review’s Top 10 Must Reads for 2024. Megan’s work on leveraging generational diversity has also been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, NBC News, The Washington Post, and CNN, among others. All of Dr. Gerhardt’s work (www.profgerhardt.com) focuses on leveraging unique differences to achieve impact and extraordinary levels of performance.
SPRINT Sessions
The SPRINT Sessions — six short, personal, and inspiring stories — will close out this year’s Campus Home. LIVE! When you hear these moving tales from your professional colleagues, you’ll understand how they have quickly become one of the most popular aspects of the conference experience.
Megan Becker, Ed.D.
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).
Dr. Megan Becker serves as the Executive Director of Residential Life and Housing at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Her favorite thing about working at VCU is working in a diverse, evolving, and challenging work environment where she can promote student development. Megan previously worked at Western Illinois University. She earned a Bachelor’s degree from The University of New Hampshire, a Master’s degree from Western Illinois University, as well as her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from VCU. She volunteers with the National CMV Foundation and the VCU Family Navigator Program when not at work. In addition, she loves photography, amateur interior design, and spending time on the lake with her family.
Vinnie Birkenmeyer
Pace University (Pleasantville)
Vinnie Birkenmeyer (He/Him) is the Director of Residential for Pace University’s Pleasantville campus in New York, as well as an adjunct professor in Political Science and accomplished training facilitator. Vinnie is deeply committed to the work of the campus housing profession, serving in multiple roles within ACUHO-I, the ACUHO-I Foundation, and NEACUHO. He is passionate about many areas of our work including social justice, strengths-based leadership, the intersection of public policy in campus housing, implementing residential curriculum, and mentoring emerging leaders in our field. Outside of work, Vinnie is an avid traveler, reader, and tennis player. Him and his husband Gabriel are new dog dads to their puppy Milo.
Aja C. Holmes, Ph.D.
University of San Francisco
Aja C. Holmes, Ph.D., is the Assistant Dean of Students, Director of Community Living at University of San Francisco. She did her undergraduate and masters at Illinois State University and her doctorate at Iowa State University. Aja has been in the field of student affairs for over 20 years. Her functional area is Housing and Residential Life. Her area of expertise is supervision skill development among student affairs professionals. Aja is a founding member and past editorial board member of the Journal of Critical Thought and Praxis (JCTP) and has served on the editorial board for the Journal Committed to Social Change on Race and Ethnicity. Aja served as a content expert and faculty for National Housing Training Institute (NHTI). She is on the governing board of American College Student Educators International (ACPA), an active member of National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) and Western Association of College and University Housing Officers (WACUHO).
Bes Liebenberg
University of Pretoria
Bes Liebenberg is a seasoned student affairs professional with over 17 years of leadership in higher education. As Manager of Student Support and Leadership Development at the University of Pretoria, she champions student wellbeing through counselling, support services, and leadership development. A respected voice in the global student housing community, she has served as Globalisation Director on the ACUHO-I Executive Board and currently represents South Africa as an ACUHO-I Ambassador. Her longstanding contributions to the ACUHO-I Southern Africa Chapter include leadership roles in the Roelf Visser Student Housing Training Institute. Bes is also the visionary behind impactful initiatives such as the Global Housing Training Institute, the Global Initiatives Network, and the South African Women in Housing Symposium. Her leadership in organizing international conferences and training programs has fostered collaboration, capacity-building, and inclusive professional development across borders. In 2024, she was inducted into the ACUHO-I Parthenon Society, the association’s highest honor, recognizing her lifelong commitment to student development and the global advancement of the profession.
Darnell L. Pierce
Dorm Room Movers
Darnell L. Pierce is the Vice President of Partner Accounts at Dorm Room Movers, where he leads national strategy around partner engagement and client success. Before joining Dorm Room Movers, Darnell spent nearly 20 years in the Residence Life & Housing profession, including serving as an Assistant Dean of Students. A proud Army veteran, Darnell brings a deeply rooted commitment to service, leadership, and student support. He is also a proud RELI (Regional Entry Level Institute) alumnus, having participated as a student in 2012 and returning as a faculty member in both 2016 and 2024. Outside of work, Darnell enjoys tennis, running, fitness, and the world of drag pageantry. He’s also the proud dog dad to the world’s most well-behaved Chihuahua, Nova.
Deb Schmidt-Rogers
Northwestern University
Deb is the Senior Director for the Office of Residential Experience at Northwestern University, where she leads the Residential and Academic Experience and Residential Community and Support teams in enhancing student life through the Residential Experience Framework. With a focus on fostering belonging, Deb oversees residence hall initiatives including community development, student engagement, crisis response, and conduct processes. She previously served as Interim Director of Residential Community and Support at Northwestern and has held leadership roles at Loyola University Chicago, DePaul University, and institutions in the Washington, DC area. A lifelong housing professional, Deb is a past president of ACUHO-I and has engaged with student housing globally, including in Australia, South Africa, Italy, and the UK. She holds a B.S. in Biology and an M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology from Loyola University Chicago.