Host of Navigating Leadership Now

Dr. Zac Goldman has been the creator and host of Navigating Leadership Now since 2022. Zac works full-time for the University of Louisville’s College of Business (COB) as a faculty member in the Management and Entrepreneurship Department. He serves as the COB’s founding Online MBA Program Director, Director of Online Teaching and Learning, and Director of the Managerial Analytics Certificate. He teaches leadership and communication courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and also facilitates numerous executive education classes for the University of Louisville. Born and raised in Southern Indiana, Dr. Goldman returned to Louisville (the birthplace of his father) after earning his PhD from West Virginia University and working for many years as a faculty member in Illinois. In his free time, Zac loves spending time with his wife and three kids, golfing, and supporting UofL athletic teams.

Host of Featured Lunch Conversation with Devone Holt
11:25 AM - 12:00 PM

Dr. Ryan Quinn is the Department Chair for Management and Entrepreneurship, the Academic Director of the Center for Positive Leadership, and Associate Professor at the College of Business. His areas of teaching include leadership, organizational behavior, and negotiations, and change management. His research focuses on topics such as leadership, psychological states, courage, learning from success, and high-impact conversations. Outside of the university, Ryan has consulted for Fortune 500 companies, private firms, and start-up businesses.

Ryan has a B.S. in statistics from Brigham Young University, a Ph.D. in Management and Organizations from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and has studied international business and corporate strategy in Hitotsubashi University in Japan. Ryan has also been heavily involved in the Positive Organizational Scholarship movement, focusing many of his research questions on understanding what makes organizations and the people within them flourish, excel, and exceed expectations.
He co-authored two editions of the book, Lift: The Fundamental State of Leadership with his father, Robert E. Quinn. Ryan lives in Crestwood, Kentucky with his wife, Amy, and they have four children, Mason, Katie, Andrew, and Chloe.

Cultivating Relationships Across Ideological Divides
9:15 AM - 9:50 AM

Jecorey Arthur is a teacher, musician, and activist from the West End of Louisville, KY. As a teacher, he has served students of all ages in diverse settings that include schools, libraries, community centers, parks, prisons, detention centers, and Boys & Girls Clubs. As a musician he has performed around the world as percussionist and vocalist. As an activist he has worked on campaigns for arts education, fair wages, tenant rights, and federal reparations. In 2020, Arthur became Louisville's youngest city councilman, passing over 100 pieces of legislation to address homelessness, poverty, discrimination, and violence. You can follow him at @jecoreyarthur.

Using Business to Unify and Empower Communities;
10:00 AM - 10:35 AM

Lyndon Pryor is the President and CEO. President and CEO of the Louisville Urban League, a historic civil rights organization part of the National Urban League movement. He leads a team of dynamic individuals who are working to transform Louisville into a more equitable community for Black people and other marginalized populations through intentional work in Jobs, Justice, Education, Health, Housing, and Black Business.

Prior to his current role, Pryor spent eight years with the organization in various capacities, including as the Chief Engagement Officer, where he helped to spearhead special projects like A Path Forward for Louisville, oversaw all communications areas for the organization, and enhanced the smooth and efficient integration of services to maximize the potential outcomes for every League participant. Mr. Pryor also created and led the League's community health program, “It starts with me!” and helped to build and grow Louisville's network of community health workers. Since then, he has helped to establish policy positions, internal data systems, and key infrastructure support for the League's work.

Before arriving in Louisville, Lyndon was a Student Development Specialist at Texas A&M University, where he worked to assist students in their personal growth and build their professional competencies and leadership skills. Mr. Pryor provided critical leadership, supporting students by creating programs that effectively merge academic and practical experiences. Mr. Pryor is a proud former student of Texas A&M University, where he received his B.S. in Political Science. He also received his M.A. in Education and Human Development from GWU.

He is a husband, father, and an avid believer in the potential of all, and that communal knowledge enhances individual growth.

Communicating Benefits of Investing in Disadvantaged Areas.
10:45 AM - 11:20 AM

Beth Munnich is an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Louisville. Her research focuses on developing and evaluating strategies for improving health and reducing healthcare spending by more efficiently and effectively utilizing healthcare resources. Professor Munnich teaching undergraduate and M.B.A. level courses in economics and statistics, regularly publishes papers in peer-reviewed economics and health journals, and has presented her research at numerous conferences and seminars. In 2024, she was selected as a UofL Ascending Star Research Fellow, and received the College of Business Faculty Excellence Award.

Munnich holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Economics from the University of Notre Dame, a Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago, and a B.A. in Urban Studies from Vassar College.

Inspiring Others to Participate in Challenging but Worthwhile Causes.
11:25 AM - 12:00 PM

Adria Johnson embodies hope, integrity, humanity and has focused her career on lifting some of society’s most vulnerable populations and being of service to others. She is a dedicated and well-respected servant leader with almost three decades of hands-on experience in both the public and private sectors. Ms. Johnson’s proven ability to lead efforts toward reform and work collaboratively across a wide range of stakeholders have served her well not only in her current position of President and Chief Executive Officer for Metro United Way, but also in prior roles held in Kentucky State Government and Louisville Metro Government.

Her leadership has been instrumental in bringing about expanded service provision in many areas including neighborhood revitalization supports, preventive services for children and youth at risk of abuse or neglect, comprehensive services for children and youth with greater behavioral and developmental needs, employment opportunities for youth aging out of foster care, and development of workforce opportunities for social services disciplines.

In addition, Ms. Johnson stood at the forefront and led and supported efforts aimed at addressing racial disparities and equity concerns found within the populations served in child welfare. Prior to joining Metro United Way, Ms. Johnson served as Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Community Based Services. Before serving in state government, Ms. Johnson held key roles in Louisville Metro Government ranging from Capital Planning Analyst in the Office of Management and Budget to Acting Director of the Department of Community Services and Revitalization. Ms. Johnson’s strong fiscal experience was gained in various roles held in the private sector earlier in her career at Humana, LG&E and Brown and Williamson Tobacco Corporation.

She has been recognized as one of Louisville’s most admired CEOs by Business-First as well included in 2024’s Power 50 list as one of the most influential leaders in our community. In 2023, she was celebrated as a Daughter of Greatness by the Muhammad Ali Center.

Ms. Johnson completed her undergraduate studies at Ball State University and completed several post-graduate courses from the University of Louisville. She is also a published author, having published a book of poetry in 2004. She is a native of Louisville and has a daughter and three precious grandchildren. Ms. Johnson also had a son who tragically passed away in late 2022, but whose legacy continues to inspire and fuel her efforts.

Featured Lunch Conversation with Dr. Ryan Quinn
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM

Devone Holt is a multi-talented executive who combines nearly 30 years as an institutional brand manager, culture creator, strategic communicator and people convener. In 2024, Holt was named president and CEO of the Muhammad Ali Center. Before this appointment, Holt served as the Chief External Affairs Officer at Goodwill Industries of Kentucky. During this tenure, he led Goodwill through the largest development project in the organization’s nearly 100-year history. The Opportunity Campus, at 28th and Broadway, houses a 125,000 square-foot facility that serves as a one-stop shop for residents to access complementary resources to help enhance their lives.

Previously, Holt served as the National Director of Customer Engagement for ResCare Workforce Services and the Special Assistant to the Superintendent of Jefferson County Public School. In those roles, he functioned as the lead external affairs officer for both organizations and introduced a collection of innovative solutions to help maintain their respective status as the nation’s largest workforce services provider and America’s 28th largest school district.

His leadership efforts were recognized in a community study conducted by Leadership Louisville, which identified him as one of the city’s most “connected” citizens who has found success at “getting things done” as a “trusted leader.”

In 2024, Holt received an honorary doctorate degree from Simmons College of Kentucky for his decades of work in helping to revitalize inner city communities and the people who live in them. Devone is married to Lori Holt and they are parents of two future leaders: Alexandra and Aaron.

Developing a Culture that Values Justice and Forgiveness
1:25 PM - 2:00 PM

Dr. Cherie Dawson-Edwards serves as the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs at the University of Louisville. She is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice in the College of Arts & Sciences. She is a passionate educator who is an exemplar of a justice-oriented scholar who focuses on the intersection of public policy and criminal justice with a specific focus on race, schools, and juvenile justice. Throughout her career, she has worked tirelessly for institutional and community change, always striving to bring greater equity and inclusion to the policies and practices of organizations. She has worked with numerous school districts conducting professional development trainings and consulting on racial equity and restorative justice practices. Notably, Dr. Dawson-Edwards is an accomplished scholar with a variety of publications for scholarly audiences, policymakers, organizations, and the community.

Finding or Creating Resources in the Presence of Adversity.
2:10 PM - 2:45 PM

Rev. Dr. Daniel Corrie Shull is the Senior Pastor of the Burnett Avenue Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. Under his leadership, the congregation has experienced tremendous growth through the addition of hundreds of families into church membership, the creation of relevant ministries, the implementation of twenty-first-century technology, and the embracing of new and dynamic ways of engaging ministry for the purposes of life transformation.

In 2013, Pastor Shull led the Burnett Avenue congregation to purchase and renovate a new church campus which, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, offered four weekly worship services and a myriad of church and community activities. In addition to preaching and providing leadership to a thriving congregation, Dr. Shull is a proponent of public education. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Jefferson County Board of Education. He also serves on several boards for community organizations and institutions of higher education. Dr. Shull holds degrees from Fisk University, the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and the Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School.

Re-Igniting Hope in People Who Have Lost Hope.
3:00 PM - 3:35 PM

Darrell Griffith, known as “Dr. Dunkenstein,” is a celebrated figure in basketball and community service. A Louisville native, Griffith led Male High School to the 1975 state championships and was the 1976 high school basketball player of the year before joining the University of Louisville, where he led the Cardinals to their first NCAA title in 1980. As a U of L standout, he earned the prestigious John Wooden Award as the college basketball player of the year, was selected as one of the top five student-athletes in the nation in 1980, and was drafted 2nd overall by the Utah Jazz, where he played 11 NBA seasons and was named Rookie of the Year in 1981. Post-basketball, Griffith has been deeply involved in community efforts, serving on boards, including the West End School, Kentucky Colon Cancer Screening Program, and AMPED.

In 2014, the West End School named the Darrell Griffith Athletic Center in his honor. Griffith has received numerous accolades, including the Louisville Defender Newspaper’s Lifetime Outstanding Professional Achievement and Community Service Award in 2013, induction into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014, and the Bell Award for Outstanding Community Service in 2017. His jersey has been retired by Male High School, U of L, and the Utah Jazz. As Assistant VP of Community Engagement at the University of Louisville, Darrell Griffith drives initiatives that strengthen partnerships between the university and the local business community, enhancing educational opportunities, supporting local organizations, and fostering collaborative projects that benefit the overall community.