Clifton Strengths Institute Summer Conference

Clifton Strengths Institute Summer Conference

Stretch Your Strengths Where Strengths Started

2023 Conference Speakers

Lawrence Chatters, Ph.D

Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Capacity, Thurgood Marshall College Fund

Input | Strategic | Achiever | Communication | Futuristic

Lawrence Chatters is a visionary leader and strategist dedicated to fostering institutional transformation and expanding opportunities through strategic partnerships.

He serves as the senior vice president of strategic initiatives and capacity at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, where he leads national efforts to strengthen the institutional capacity of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). In this role, he oversees strategic initiatives, grant administration, and transformative partnerships aimed at enhancing enrollment growth, student retention, financial sustainability, and faculty development. Through Project HBCU Capacity Building, Chatters works to create a stronger and more sustainable future for HBCUs nationwide.

Prior to joining Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Chatters served as the director of community partnerships and strategic initiatives at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where he played a key role in strengthening university-community collaborations, leading institutional initiatives and expanding student opportunities. He also made a significant impact in Nebraska Athletics as the executive associate athletic director for strategic initiatives, where he led student-athlete development programs and pioneered the Red Carpet Experience, a program that provided thousands of Husker fans with free access to athletic events.

Chatters holds a Ph.D. and a master's degree in counseling psychology from Nebraska.

Kathy Farrell

James Jr. and Susan Stuart Endowed Dean and Professor of Finance

Learner | Analytical | Responsibility | Intellection | Arranger

Dr. Kathy Farrell became the James Jr. and Susan Stuart Endowed Dean of the College of Business on December 1, 2017, after serving nearly one year as interim dean. As dean, Farrell led an inclusive strategic planning process to help guide the college with a new mission, guiding principles and strategic initiatives. Several mission-focused goals have been accomplished including donor support for six endowed faculty chairs, implementing the Seacrest Teaching Fellows program, launching the Nebraska Family Business Initiative and increasing free tutoring for business students. The college's connection with Nebraska's business community expanded with new online graduate programs to answer workforce demands and continuing education for professionals and custom programs through the Center for Executive and Professional Development. Currently, she spearheads strategic initiatives such as developing a new law and business major, aligning scholarships with enrollment goals, and creating a program to foster a culture of engagement and recognize highly-engaged students.

An experienced academic and business leader, Farrell served as associate dean for four years and chair of the Department of Finance for two years prior to serving as Dean. She also serves on the board of directors of Lincoln-based organizations Nelnet, Inc., Assurity, Inc. and Bryan Health.

After joining the College of Business in 1993, she began teaching corporate finance and banking for over 20 years. She received the Distinguished Teaching Award and the University Distinguished Teaching Award along with achieving tenure in 2001 and full professor in 2009.

Farrell’s research interests include executive compensation, executive turnover and succession and other corporate governance issues. Her publications have appeared in such journals as the Journal of Business, Journal of Accounting and Economics, Journal of Corporate Finance, Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, National Tax Journal, Journal of Banking and Finance, Journal of Financial Research and others.

Prior to earning her Ph.D. in finance from the University of Georgia, Farrell was an auditor for KPMG Peat Marwick in Baltimore and Atlanta and earned the designation of Certified Public Accountant (inactive). She received her bachelor's degree from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio.

Emily Lorenz, Ph.D

Survey Methodologist & Consultant, Gallup

Achiever | Learner | Positivity | Maximizer | Input

Emily Lorenz, Ph.D., is a survey methodologist and consultant at Gallup. She leads the research design and data collection strategy for Gallup’s ongoing quantitative and qualitative measurement of the U.S. workforce, and advises Gallup clients on how to quantify answers to their most pressing questions.

Ted Neitzke

CEO and Agency Administrator, Cooperative Educational Service Agency (CESA) 6, Mayor of Port Washington, Wisconsin

Strategic | Futuristic | Activator | Positivity | Learner

Ted Neitzke is a lifetime educator and has served at high levels of leadership in schools in the United States. He is known for his work with employee engagement, strategic planning and solutions for the workplace. His focus on strengths, collaboration and process has allowed for others to find success.

Neitzke is a nationally recognized motivational speaker and works with organizations to support their success. His leadership has supported international recognition in employee engagement, regional recognition in strategic excellence, and local recognition for service and nonprofit support.

He is the creator and host of The Smart Thinking Podcast, a weekly podcast filled with stories and processes to support leadership everywhere.

In addition to his professional obligations, Neitzke is also the mayor of Port Washington, Wisconsin. He has many titles but his favorites are: son, brother, husband, father and uncle.