Page 15 - Chair Academy's 26th Annual Conference Program

The 2017 Paul A. Elsner International Leadership Award Honorees

JOAN MCARTHUR-BLAIR

Dr. Joan McArthur-Blair, Co-President of Cockell McArthur-Blair Consulting is an
inspirational writer, speaker and facilitator. After more than 25 years of institutionally
based work as an educator, she returned to her loves of consulting, writing, speaking
and facilitating, and works with groups of all kinds to make a positive diference. Joan
specializes in the use of appreciative inquiry to foster leadership development,
strategic planning and innovative futures.

Joan has fulflled roles from faculty to president over her career and now co-leads a
highly successful consultancy. She cares deeply about learners, their access to higher
education and their success. As a consultant, she travels to wherever her clients are
and fosters education and leadership -- working to lift up the work of others, especially women in leadership roles.
She has sat on and/or chaired community arts boards, Executive Leadership Institutes and boards related to
education and sustainability.
She co-authored Appreciative Inquiry in Higher Education: a Transformative Force and is currently working on
Appreciative Resilience She has also published many articles on appreciative inquiry and leadership and her
poetry can be found on her website.
She has had the privilege of higher education, attaining a BA in English, an Instructor’s Diploma, a MEd and an
EdD. She has been humbled by the recognition of her work and especially warmed by receiving the Queen’s
Diamond Jubilee Medal.

RUFUS GLASPER

Rufus Glasper, Ph.D., is the President and CEO of the League for Innovation in the
Community College, an international nonproft organization with a mission to cultivate
innovation in the community college environment. The League hosts conferences and
institutes, develops print and digital resources, and leads projects and initiatives with
almost 500 member colleges, 100 corporate partners, and a host of other government
and nonproft agencies in a continuing efort to advance the community college feld
and make a positive diference for students and communities.

Dr. Glasper is also Chancellor Emeritus of the Maricopa Community Colleges, one
of the nation’s largest multi-college community college systems. He served as chancellor from 2003 through
February 2016, and previously held district leadership positions for almost two decades.

Dr. Glasper served from 2009-2012 as the Committee co-chair for the Lumina Foundation on Education “Getting
AHEAD” Initiative, a comprehensive and collaborative initiative by Arizona’s education institutions, business
community and state government to reshape Arizona’s post-secondary education system and enable more
residents to successfully attain a college degree. He also previously served as a member of the American
Council on Education Commission on Higher Education Attainment, convened by the six presidential level higher
education national associations to assess the need for improved college retention and attainment and to chart a
course for improvement. From March 2012 to March 2016, Dr. Glasper served on the Homeland Security
Academic Advisory Council, comprised of prominent university presidents and academic leaders charged with
advising the Secretary and senior leadership at the Department on several key issues.

The Chair Academy’s 26th Annual International Leadership Conference 13