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Market volatility, political pressure and economic uncertainty are contributing to greater financial stress for institutions. In this environment, presidents must be united with their board of governors and surrounded by a cabinet they can trust. If these relationships are misaligned, the entire institution will suffer.
Co-hosted by Inside Higher Ed Editor in Chief Sara Custer and Paul Friga, clinical professor of strategy and entrepreneurship at the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as well as senior consultant at the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB), this webcast will focus on governance in challenging circumstances, and how leaders should be managing up and managing down.
Attendees will learn about role distinctions, how alignment breaks – and how it is repaired – and who has what decision rights in the executive structure. The webcast will also feature first-hand examples of what high-functioning board-cabinet relationships look like in practice.
Can't attend the webcast? You should still register -- all registrants will receive a recording of the webcast and a copy of the presentation slides.
Wednesday, June 24, 2026 | 2 p.m. E.T.
Insider Premium Leadership and Strategy Webcast: Maintaining Board and Cabinet Alignment in Turbulent Times
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Senior higher education leaders and decision-makers, including:
- Presidents
- Chancellors
- Provosts
- CFOs
- Board members
ABOUT THE SERIES
This session is the third in a three-part leadership and strategy webcast series focused on the key challenges facing higher education leaders today. Powered by Insider Premium, the series offers actionable advice on financial sustainability, mergers, acquisitions and partnerships, and board-cabinet alignment in turbulent times.
The first session is open to all registrants, while the other two sessions are exclusive to Insider Premium subscribers.
PANELISTS
Paul N. Friga
Clinical Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Senior Consultant at AGB
Paul N. Friga, Ph.D., is a leading strategist and thought leader in higher education with 35 years of experience as a professor, researcher and consultant at UNC Chapel Hill and Indiana University. A clinical professor of strategy and entrepreneurship at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, he also serves as a senior consultant for the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB), specializing in strategy, mergers, acquisitions and partnerships. His previous roles as a consultant with PwC (where he earned CPA and CMA designations) and McKinsey (including higher education projects) broadened his expertise. Friga co-founded ABC Insights—now part of HelioCampus—to improve university efficiency and effectiveness. He has authored 20+ articles and two best-selling books (The McKinsey Mind and The McKinsey Engagement) and hosted numerous webcasts for Inside Higher Ed and other trade publications. Friga holds an MBA and Ph.D. from UNC Chapel Hill and a double degree in management and accounting (magna cum laude) from Saint Francis University.
Sara Custer
Editor in Chief at Inside Higher Ed
Sara Custer became Inside Higher Ed's editor in chief in March 2024. Before joining Inside Higher Ed, she was editor of Times Higher Education's (THE) Campus, a collection of daily resources designed for higher education faculty and staff members to learn, share and connect with colleagues at universities and colleges worldwide. Prior to that, she shaped THE’s online presence as its digital editor, helping to launch THE’s newsletter strategy and overseeing daily, weekly and monthly publications. From 2012 to 2017, she served as editor and senior reporter at The PIE News, covering the international education industry. Sara grew up in Cushing, Okla., and earned a B.A. in English literature from Loyola University Chicago and an M.A. in international journalism from City, University of London.
REGISTER FOR THE COMPLETE WEBCAST SERIES
Insider Premium Webcast | April 29
➤ Insider Premium Leadership and Strategy Webcast: A New Playbook for Financial Stress
The first session is open to all registrants, while the other two sessions are exclusive to Insider Premium subscribers