President & CEO, Softway and Culture+
Sparking Success Conference
The best business decisions are informed by a multitude of perspectives.
Sparking Success Conference
The Sparking Success conference offers a platform for raising awareness, promoting dialogue and cultivating skills related to belonging within the academic and business spheres.
Sparking Success Conference – 10th Anniversary
Location and Timing
Date: Friday, October 31, 2025
8:30 am – 1:30 pm, with reception to follow
McNair Hall, Rice University
This is a free event, but registration is required.
At Rice Business, we endeavor to create a rich learning environment that considers and appreciates a multitude of perspectives that lead to enhanced decision-making. We consider this mindset a critical leadership skill in today’s increasingly global and inclusive workplace.
The Sparking Success conference offers a platform for raising awareness, promoting dialogue and cultivating skills related to belonging within the academic and business spheres.
If interested in sponsorship, please contact Lina Y. Bell at 713-348-4731.
Sponsors
Agenda
*All events in Shell Auditorium – McNair Hall unless otherwise indicated.
| Time | Description |
|---|---|
| 8:15 am – 8:30 am | Registration - 1st Floor Rotunda, McNair Hall |
| 8:30 am | Welcome
Keynote Address – Love As a Change Strategy
|
| 9:45 am – 10:30 am | Houston Area Survey Insights
|
| 10:30 am – 10:40 am | Break |
| 10:45 am – 11:30 am | Industry Insider Perspectives
Moderator: Ingrid Robinson, CEO & President – Houston Minority Supplier Diversity Council (HMSDC) |
| 11:35 am – 12:30 pm | Breakout SessionsOption A – Leading Resilient Teams: Resources, Recovery and Thriving After Change
Option B – NeuroDiversity Matters – Room
|
| 12:35 pm – 1:30 pm | Breakout Sessions Option A – Leading with Confidence and Self-Care: Break Free from Fear of Failure, Perfectionism and Burnout – Room
Option B – TBA |
| 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm | Networking Reception - Gibbs Convocation Hall, Suite 200 |
Speakers
Principal Counsel, Cheniere Energy, Inc.
Associate Professor of Psychology – Organizational Behavior (by courtesy)
Associate Dean, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Rice University
Associate Dean, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Rice University
Sr. Associate Banker, J.P. Morgan Private Bank
(Rice MBA '24)
(Rice MBA '24)
Director, Softway and Culture+
Vice President, Softway and Culture+
Senior Associate Dean for Belonging and Engagement
Associate Clinical Professor of Marketing
Associate Clinical Professor of Marketing
Founder/CEO, EVERLEAD, LLC
President, Houston Minority Supplier Development Council (HMSDC)
(Rice MBA '10)
(Rice MBA '10)
Director, Kinder Institute for Urban Research
Professor of Sociology, Rice University
Professor of Sociology, Rice University
Co-Founder, President, CEO- Greater Houston LGBTQ Chamber
Neurodiversity Specialist, Leadership and Executive Coach
Past Conferences
Please explore the agendas from past conferences.
