5:00 PM - 8: 00 PM 

Opening Reception and Dinner

GFOA Office—203 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 2700, Chicago, IL 60601-1210
The group will meet in the lobby of the Hyatt Place Chicago/River North (where attendees are staying) at 4:30 pm to walk over to the GFOA office for the reception. The reception is at 5:00 pm, and dinner will be served at 6:00 pm.

Chris Morrill and Bob O’Neill will welcome the group at the reception.

All classes will be held at the GFOA Office, 203 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 2700, Chicago, IL 60601-1210

8:45 AM - 12:15 PM         
Characteristics of Great Organizations

Bob O’Neill will present on the “Local Government Imperative” to provide broader context of public sector leadership trends.

There will be a break at 10:30 AM.

12:15 PM - 1:15 PM         

Lunch

1:15 PM - 3:45 PM           

Leading with CliftonStrengths

George Miller from McKinley Advisors will engage participants in exploring their individual top 5 strengths and learning how to apply them to foster collaboration, lead more effectively, and support team success. Participants will also explore how increased self- and team awareness can improve leadership effectiveness.

3:45 PM - 4:00 PM           

Break

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM          

Case Study Groups and Assignments

A case study will be introduced, and groups will be given time to discuss.

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM           

Dinner at the GFOA Office

The bar will open at 6:00 PM; dinner will be served at 6:30 PM.

8:45 AM – 10:45 AM     

Create Inspiration and Engagement with Charisma: Communication Tactics All Finance Leaders Should Master

Being an effective government finance leader isn’t just about the numbers; it’s about leading people, conveying how government finance impacts society, and ensuring transparency and trust among community members. In this session, Dr. Ulrich Jensen, Associate Professor at Arizona State University, will explore a set of proven communication tactics that all leaders in government finance can use to create inspiration and engagement internally and externally in their organization.

10:45 AM – 11:00 AM

Break

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM  

Leading with Authentic Confidence

Ego, arrogance, and narcissism commonly describe ineffective leadership. Nobody likes a show-off, but it also doesn’t work to shrink into the shadows. Creator and Confidence Coach Ben Fauske will share the latest research & strategies and help you learn to find and lead and coach with Authentic Confidence.

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM     

Lunch and Group Photo

The group will go to a location to take a group photo and then have lunch.

1:30 PM – 2:15 PM       

Leading a Government Finance Workforce

Chris Morrill will share the latest research from Mission Square Research Institute and GFOA on public workforce challenges and then share ideas on how to attract and retain government finance talent.

2:15 PM – 2:30 PM       

Break

2:30 PM – 4:00 PM       

Decision Leadership: The Finance Officer as a Decision Architect

Shayne Kavanagh will discuss how budget officers are uniquely positioned to help public officials make better decisions. Budget officers can design decision processes in ways that produce better decisions. This is known as “decision architect.” To be a good decision architect, the budget officer needs to fulfill four broad responsibilities. We will discuss these four responsibilities and how to develop them

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM       

Student Panel from the University of Chicago

Justine Marlowe, a research professor in the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and the Director of the Center for Municipal Finance, will facilitate a panel discussion of University of Chicago current students, soon-to-be graduates, and recent graduates on the things that interest them in public service and what they are looking for in the first job out of college.

6:00 PM – 8:00 PM       

Dinner at the GFOA Office

The bar will open at 6:00 pm; dinner will be served at 6:30 pm.

8:45 AM – 9:45 AM       

Storytelling for Impact

This session by Lange International focuses on the skills to build a story that has impact, connecting beyond the rational, with a clear point, and compelling a new way of thinking or acting. It will discuss how to connect your story to what people care about, learn and practice a storytelling framework, understand and apply emotional connection through strong delivery skills, and techniques to add texture so that stories are more memorable and compel action.

9:45 AM – 10:45 AM      

Change Management Introduction for Government Finance Leaders

This session will introduce best practices for navigating organizational change in public sector environments. The session will include practical strategies to help participants lead through transitions, gain stakeholder buy-in and manage resistance within their teams and across their organizations.

10:45 AM – 11:00 AM    

Break

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM  

Financial Leadership for Resilience

Today’s local government finance leaders face an unprecedented array of external threats that test the limits of traditional financial management. From the growing impacts of physical climate risk and more volatile revenue streams to uncertainty around state and federal fiscal policy, cyberattacks, labor market disruptions, and rising costs of capital, the landscape of risk has fundamentally shifted. This session will cover practical tools and conceptual frameworks to assess these emerging exposures and develop strategies to build lasting financial resilience. Participants will explore how to evaluate these risks and how to integrate scenario planning, stress testing, and cross-sector collaboration into their financial leadership practices.

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM     

Lunch

1:30 PM – 4:30 PM       

Out of the Training Room/Off-site Experience

The group will go on the Chicago Architecture Tour on the Chicago River.

Wednesday Evening    

Dinner

Participants are on their own for dinner on Wednesday night.

8:45 AM – 12:15 PM        

Innovations in Organizations

Dr. Kim Nelson will discuss her research on the role of the finance professional in leading innovation.

10:15 AM - 10:30 AM         

Break

12:15 PM – 1:15 PM           

Lunch

1:15 PM – 3:00 PM            

Leadership Skills for the 21st Century

Bob O’Neill will discuss the characteristics of high-performing organizations.

3:00 PM – 3:15 PM          

Break

3:15 PM – 5:00 PM          

Fairfax County Case Study

Bob O’Neill and Chris Morrill will lead a discussion on the pre-assigned case study.

6:00 PM – 8:00 PM           

Off-site Dinner

GFOA will take participants for a group dinner—location to be determined.

8:45 AM – 9:45 AM        

Leadership Discussion

Bob O’Neill will lead a conversation with participants focusing on their action agenda, including personal leadership agenda, five tasks they wish to do for their organization, and how to continue leadership skill growth.

9:45 AM – 9:55 AM          

Quick Break (10 minute break)

9:55 AM – 11:00 AM            

Rethinking Public Engagement

Valerie Lemmie from the Kettering Foundation will discuss why we need to rethink public engagement and how to promote a culture of active citizenship.

11:00 AM - 11:30 AM      

Closing Remarks and Graduation Ceremony (Certificates)

Chris Morrill and Randall Towns will provide closing remarks and give certificates to participants.

11:30 AM                  

Boxed Lunch (to go)