For New Directors at Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters

Schedule

  • Six weekly, 90-minute virtual sessions

  • Tuesdays, April 14 - May 19, 2026

  • 12:00-1:30 p.m. Eastern

  • Optional bonus session at the FEA Annual Meeting in Louisville.

Program Details

RISE and FEA are partnering to offer a 6-week course for FEA member headquarters professionals in their first two years in a supervision-level position. The program will orient them to their role and the organization, clarify priorities and expectations, teach tactics for supporting their team, and develop their professional leadership approach. Participants apply lessons-learned through small group case studies and independent work assignments that build up to a road map for their position.

SESSIONS

EXCEL addresses six areas where first-time supervisors tend to benefit most from additional support:

  • Clarifying Expectations and Objectives

  • Understanding and Shaping Culture

  • Interacting Across Functions

  • Elevating Team Performance

  • Supervising Basics

  • Aligning Strategy and Priorities

The Experience  

Think of this as an applied course. Each session teaches a new concept or framework, applies it through a case study or exercise, and draws out lessons participants can apply in their own work. The program follows an institute format, with interconnected content that builds on itself. Participants have the opportunity to learn and build connections with colleagues across functions and organization types. As a result, many insights emerge not just from the content, but from the group dialogue.

Participants 

EXCEL for New Directors is designed specifically for professionals taking on their first supervisor-level position and within their first two years in the role.

This event is open to those employed by FEA member organizations.

Attendance is capped at 24 participants so we can provide a personalized experience.

REGISTRATION

Registration will open March 2. The cost is $525 per participant, which includes program attendance, guided work assignments, coaching sessions with faculty, all program materials, and supplemental resources before and after the program. Registration is only open to those employed by FEA member organizations.

Before you register, make sure you are prepared to:

  • Attend and participate fully in every session

  • Schedule time to complete work assignments between sessions

  • Share relevant organizational information

  • Collect the following information:

    • Participant's Name

    • Participant’s Current Role

    • Supervisor's Name

    • Headquarters

    • Title

    • Email Address for Participant and Supervisor

    • Mailing Address for EXCEL Summit Materials

    • Payment information

Register

Faculty

Dan Wrona is the CEO & Project Leader of RISE Partnerships, where he has worked with more than 300 campuses and 30 organizations over the past 22 years. He has also served as a university administrator, a national fraternity staff member, and as a co

Dan Wrona is the CEO & Project Leader of RISE Partnerships, where he has worked with hundreds of campuses and organizations over more than 25 years. He has served as a university administrator, a national fraternity staff member, and as a consultant on NIC staff. Dan combines lessons from his MBA and his obsession with systems theory, organizational leadership, and productivity hacks to guide professionals in how to produce better results from their work in fraternity/sorority life.

Melissa Kish currently serves as the Executive Director for Sigma Delta Tau Sorority. She has served as a chapter advisor, National volunteer and officer, Fraternity Headquarters Chief Operating Officer, NIC staff member and university administrator with experience spanning campus recreation, wellness, fraternity/ sorority life, and leadership programs. Melissa believes in helping professionals at all levels think smarter about the work they do. Her daily mantra is: As students are dealing with big challenges, those who work closest with them to be at the top of their game - because that is what the students deserve.

Christian Wiggins started his career with Harrah’s Entertainment where he built data driven customer experiences through human capital alignment and training. Following this role, he worked for Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity as Director of Alumni Engagement and later as the Chief Operating Officer. In his nine years as COO, he managed operations, expansion and growth, training and education, communications, technology, and lifelong member engagement.

Most recently Christian was the Chief Executive Officer of FarmHouse Fraternity where he provided strategic leadership and course-altering direction for a centennial organization of more than 30,000 members through a period of financial recovery, a global epidemic and damaging brand and legal issues for the association and industry. He facilitated a redesign of human capital, which better reflected environmental trends, the organization’s strategic needs and the evolving market for membership and higher education associations.

Christian is the Principal at Lumen Leadership Strategies, LLC, a firm primarily focused on the fraternal market, higher education and membership based organizations. Their services are focused in four core areas: executive coaching; review and foresight; speaking; and, customized leadership strategies.

Questions?

Contact Dan Wrona for more details about the event.