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ACAO Annual Meeting, CAO Professional Development Series & Networking Luncheon
Wednesday, February 25, 2026, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM EST
Category: Upcoming Events

Save the date for the 2026 CAO Assembly, Professional Development Series, and Networking Lunch! This single-day event will be held the day before the ACE Experience 2026 and will take place on Wednesday, February 25th at the ACE office located at 1 Dupont Circle, Washington, DC.

Please note that this event is open to both ACAO members and non-members.

Schedule

10am - 11am ET: CAO Assembly

11:15am - 12:15pm ET: CAO Professional Development Session 1 "Leading with Clarity: Essential Practices from The Chief Academic Officer’s Handbook 

12:15pm - 1:30pm ET: Networking Lunch

1:30pm - 3pm ET: CAO Professional Development Session 2 "AI in the CAO Toolkit: When to Trust It, How to Use It, and How to Lead With It"

Session Descriptions and Speakers

CAO Professional Development Session 1: "Leading with Clarity: Essential Practices from The Chief Academic Officer’s Handbook - This session brings together contributors to The Chief Academic Officer’s Handbook (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2025) for a practical, research-informed discussion designed specifically for provosts and chief academic officers. As the CAO role expands in scope, encompassing strategic planning, academic innovation, shared governance, crisis leadership, and student success, leaders need a grounded framework for navigating complexity with confidence. 

Drawing from their chapters in the Handbook, panelists will share essential competencies, common challenges, and actionable practices that support effective CAO leadership. Participants will leave with practical tools, insights, and reflective guidance that can be immediately applied to their own leadership practice. This session is ideal for new, aspiring, and seasoned chief academic officers seeking a refreshed and research-based approach to their work.

Session Speakers

Michael Carr

Michael Carr, PhD 

Robyn Parker

Robyn Parker, PhD 

Patricia Salkin

 Patricia Salkin, JD, PhD 

CAO Professional Development Session 2: "AI in the CAO Toolkit: When to Trust It, How to Use It, and How to Lead With It" - Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the work of higher education leaders, from decision-making and communication to strategic planning, predictive analytics, and daily task management. For provosts and chief academic officers, AI can serve as a “digital stethoscope”: a powerful tool that enhances insight, supports rapid assessment, and strengthens leadership judgment when used responsibly.

Inspired by recent thought leadership in Medscape titled "The Digital Stethoscope: How AI Is Changing Diagnosis" by Nelly Abulata, MD, PhD, MBA, this interactive roundtable and workshop will explore how CAOs can integrate AI into both their professional responsibilities and their personal productivity. 
  • When to trust AI: evaluating accuracy, detecting hallucinations, and establishing guardrails
  • How to use AI effectively: improving communication workflows, analyzing complex information, scenario planning, and supporting student-centered decision-making
  • How to explain AI to others: building faculty and staff confidence, encouraging responsible adoption, and leading conversations about governance and academic integrity

Participants will experiment with hands-on activities, share use cases, and learn accessible techniques they can immediately apply to their daily role as a CAO. Whether you’re an AI skeptic or an early adopter, this session provides a balanced, practical roadmap for leveraging AI to enhance leadership, clarity, and organizational resilience.

Session Speaker

Laura Caputo Headshot

 Laura Caputo, JD, AIMP

     Laura R. Caputo, JD, AIMP, is a Strategy and Operations Consultant who helps mission-driven organizations and business leaders improve performance, streamline operations, and embrace innovation responsibly. With a background as both an attorney and a nonprofit executive, she brings a unique perspective to solving complex challenges in highly regulated and rapidly evolving environments. 
     Throughout her career, Laura has served in senior leadership roles, including Chief of Staff and Executive Director, where she led major organizational transformations, improved financial sustainability, and launched international chapters across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. She is a recipient of the Frank Rudd Rising Star Award from the Florida Society of Association Executives and is known for her ability to translate complex concepts into clear, actionable strategies. 

     A certified Artificial Intelligence Management Professional (AIMP), Laura focuses on helping education and nonprofit leaders integrate AI into their daily workflows in practical, ethical, and sustainable ways that respect organizational values and stakeholder trust. Her work emphasizes using AI to enhance leadership judgment, strengthen communication, and create more capacity for meaningful, mission-aligned work without losing the human touch that defines great institutions.

The price to attend the Networking Lunch and CAO Professional Development Series is $35 for members and $125 for non-members. If you are planning to attend the ACE Experience 2026 beginning on Thursday, February 26th, note that ACAO members receive 15% off of the ACE Experience 2026 registration fee. The member code is available by signing into your member profile. 

Register for the ACAO Annual Meeting, Networking Lunch and CAO Series here.

Contact: [email protected]