EACE Leadership Empowerment

Lead Your Way: Finding and Executing Your Leadership Motto

Wednesday, March 12th 
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM 

Join us for an engaging virtual workshop designed to inspire and empower current and aspiring leaders in our field. In this interactive session, participants will hear from a panel of experienced professionals in different levels of leadership who will share their insights on what leadership means to them, their leadership style and motto, and how they have developed as a leader. Panelists will offer practical advice on building leadership skills, fostering meaningful connections, and navigating the field.

Following the panel discussion, participants will engage in a guided activity where they will craft their own personal leadership motto and approach as well as strategies to build your leadership skills. This exercise will help you articulate your values, define your leadership style, and set the foundation for continued growth in your professional journey. By the end of the workshop, you will walk away with a personalized motto that serves as a guiding principle for your future success as a leader. You will also have the opportunity to connect with an accountability partner(s) to help one another put this into action and learn from one another. Whether you're just starting your career or looking to enhance your leadership abilities, this workshop will equip you with the tools and inspiration to thrive.

Moderator

 Dr. Walter L. Tarver, III, Founder and CEO, T3 Group

Dr. Walter L. Tarver, III, has worked in higher education for almost 30 years. His most recent experience includes positions as Assistant Vice President for Student Success at Volunteer State Community College, Associate Vice Provost for Student Success at Middle Tennessee State University, and Assistant Vice President for Student Transitions, Access, and Retention at Stockton University. In these roles, he has supervised the following areas: Academic Achievement, Academic Advising, Access and Early Arrival Programs, Career Education and Development, Financial Aid, Military and Veteran Services, Orientation/Welcome Week Programs, Parent and Family Programs and Partnerships, Student Success, Supplemental Instruction, and Tutoring. Dr. Tarver’s career in higher education began in career services, where he spent a majority of his career. This includes 10 years as a director of a comprehensive, full-service career center. Throughout his career, he has also served as an adjunct instructor for various first year experience and business courses. Finally, Dr. Tarver is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer for the T3 Group, a consulting firm that provides personalized career consultation services and strategic organizational consulting.

Speakers

Mary Alice Barrows, Director of the Career Development Center, William Paterson University of New Jersey

Innovative and mission-driven higher education professional with 15+ years of experience in career education, employer relations, digital engagement, and data assessment. Proven experience providing strategic leadership based on national trends that promotes student success and post-graduation outcomes. Within EACE she has served or chaired on the Technology and Social Media committees as well as serving as a conference co-chair. Mary-Alice holds a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education & History  as well as a Master of Science in Higher Education Administration from Marywood University.

Noah Simon, Director, University at Albany

With 25 years’ experience providing career services in both academic and private sectors, Noah Simon currently serves as the Director of Career and Professional Development at the University at Albany. In this role he manages and oversees the office that provides the full gamut of career development services to undergraduate, graduate and alumni; serves as a University Faculty Expert to promote the activities of the Career and Professional Development office; maintains and cultivates relationships with employers and alumni to enhance opportunities for current and former students.

Prior to joining the University in late 2006, he spent seven years in the private sector providing career development and transition services to exiting employees, as well as the working spouses and partners of career transitioning employees from such firms as Microsoft, Amazon, Marathon Oil, Procter & Gamble and JP Morgan Chase.

Additionally, he has had the privilege of serving as the President of the Eastern Association of Colleges and Employers (EACE) as well as serving on the Board of Directors for the SUNY Career Development Organization (SUNYCDO). 

Joe Catrino, Inaugural Executive Director, Dartmouth Center for Career Design, Dartmouth College

Joe Catrino joins Dartmouth as the inaugural executive director of the Dartmouth Center for Career Design and will lead the transformation of the current Center for Professional Development. Joe brings his expertise in integrating design thinking into career services to support Dartmouth community members in preparing for wide-ranging career paths. Embracing a visionary approach about career design, he leads an expanding team of dedicated professionals who are committed to empowering students and others as they identify their key strengths, build professional skills, and explore career possibilities. In addition to supporting students, the Center will also grow alumni engagement to create continued opportunities for personal and professional development beyond Dartmouth.

Most recently, Joe served as executive director of Career & Life Design at Trinity College, where he launched a design ecosystem and innovative programs to help individuals apply design thinking principles to navigate their professional journeys. This includes career exploration, skill development, job transitions, and long-term career planning. As a thought leader in this field, Joe also taught a course called Designing Your Future Work and initiated new programs to equip participants with the mindset and tools to shape a fulfilling career path that aligns with their strengths, values, and aspirations. 

Joe is a passionate advocate for student success and lifelong career innovation, frequently presenting at national conferences on design thinking, personal branding, and the future of work. With more than 20 years of experience in higher education, Joe draws from experience in admissions and enrollment, marketing, career development, and teaching in his previous roles at Quinnipiac University and the University of Hartford. He is currently pursuing his PhD in instructional systems and workforce development from Mississippi State University. He holds an MBA from Quinnipiac University, an MA in communication from the University of Hartford, and a BA in history with a minor in communications and public relations from Marist College.

Nathan Elton, Executive Director, Postgraduate & Student Success Integration, University of Delaware

Nathan leads the Postgraduate & Student Success Integration portfolio in the Division of Student Life at the University of Delaware, which includes the Career Center, Orientation and Transition Programs and Student Services for Athletes. Before joining UD, he held career services and student development roles at Davidson College, Oberlin College & Conservatory, Villanova University, Penn State, and MIT. Nathan has served on and led boards and committees for the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the Eastern Association of Colleges & Employers, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware, and The Partnership, an affiliate of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce. 

Nathan grew up in Wilmington, Delaware and left the state to pursue a bachelor’s degree in business administration at The Ohio State University, with majors in Accounting and Marketing and a master's degree in counselor education from Penn State, with an emphasis on Student Affairs. He met his wife, Molly, on the first day of student affairs graduate assistant training at Penn State. They now live in Wilmington with their two children and two dogs.  

Kristin Eicholtz, Dean for Career Success, Moravian University 

Kristin Eicholtz currently serves as the Dean for the Center of Career Success at Moravian University in Bethlehem, PA. Previously, she spent 13 years as the Executive Director of the Career Development Center at DeSales University, where she expanded the center from a one-person office to a team of four professional staff and over 15 student employees.

Kristin earned her Master’s degree in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) and began her professional journey as a Career Advisor at Virginia Tech, where she worked from 2005 to 2010. In 2021, she was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award from IUP, which included a stipend she generously donated to the Counseling Center to support student mental health initiatives.

A passionate advocate for growth and development—for herself, her team, and her students—Kristin has been actively involved with NACE and EACE, serving on multiple committees and presenting at both webinars and conferences. For four consecutive years, she co-chaired the EACE Conference Programming Team and currently serves on the EACE Board of Directors as the Director of Membership Recruitment and Retention.

In addition to her professional work, Kristin is heavily involved with the Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). She co-chairs the Lehigh Valley Colleges and Sigma Nursing Out of the Darkness Walk, bringing the community together to raise awareness and funds for suicide prevention.

About the Leadership Empowerment Series

The 2025 Leadership Empowerment Series will include two separate webinars, Lead Your Way (March 12) and Leading with Confidence (April 9). You may choose to attend one or both webinars.

Registration 

EACE Members
One Session: $69
Both Sessions: $99

Non-Members
One Session: $99
Both Sessions: $149

Registration for this individual session or both parts of the series can be completed on the same form below.

Register