In this episode of Candid Conversations on Leadership, Candice and Chris welcome Josh Henry, the newly appointed Assistant Director of Research Collaborative Services in the Office of the CIO at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. With a rich career that began in 1999 and spanned over two decades within the College of ACES, Josh shares an inspiring journey marked by personal growth, meaningful mentorship, and a deep commitment to supporting research through IT. Josh recounts how early experiences—from fixing printers in faculty offices to listening in on groundbreaking research conversations—fostered a profound connection to the university’s mission and ignited a passion for collaborative support in research.

Josh offers an insightful reflection on how leadership opportunities emerged from acts of curiosity and service rather than ambition. He discusses how mentors like Paul Hixson modeled a people-first approach that continues to shape his own leadership style—one grounded in empathy, trust, and a belief in empowering others. He emphasizes the importance of helping IT professionals see the broader impact of their work and encourages them to engage with the research community through events and lectures to foster this understanding. Josh also speaks candidly about moments when he felt overlooked, using those experiences to shape a leadership value centered on generously sharing credit.

Delving into his current role, Josh describes the exciting challenge of uniting a decentralized research IT community. He’s especially proud of emerging cross-campus collaborations that bring together technologists, librarians, and data experts to collectively elevate research support. Despite the current uncertainty in federal research funding, Josh sees a growing culture of empathy and mutual support among campus researchers and staff. His vision for the future includes more inclusive governance and sustained conversations that allow diverse voices to influence strategy and direction.

Beyond the professional, listeners get a glimpse into Josh’s personal routines and passions, including daily coffee with his wife, an insatiable love for books—particularly science fiction—and his surprising side gig as a certified National Weather Service storm spotter. As the conversation wraps, Josh encourages listeners to either seek or offer kindness in their professional communities, reinforcing the idea that leadership is as much about creating space for others as it is about taking initiative. This candid, heartfelt conversation is a testament to the quiet power of collaboration, curiosity, and care in shaping a meaningful career in IT leadership.

In this episode of Candid Conversations, Chris and Candice sit down with Tekita Bankhead, a global DEI strategist, writer, speaker, and educational consultant who currently serves as the Director of Access and Community at the Gies College of Business, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Tekita brings a multidimensional background in nursing, student affairs, mental health advocacy, and educational leadership to the conversation, sharing insights from her decade-long journey at Illinois and beyond. Her path into higher education was unplanned but deeply meaningful, revealing how moments of failure can lead to unexpected transformation and purpose.

Tekita recounts her pivot from nursing to higher education, sparked by a semester setback and the guidance of a mentor. This moment catalyzed a lifelong passion for helping others recognize and develop their leadership potential—especially those who may not traditionally see themselves as leaders. She discusses pivotal roles, such as her tenure at the Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center and the Counseling Center’s ACE IT program, that honed her skills in community building, large-scale programming, and crisis management during the pandemic. These experiences, coupled with her lived identity, have deeply shaped her people-centered, grace-first leadership philosophy.

Throughout the conversation, Tekita reflects on how her background in nursing and advocacy has fostered a trauma-informed, human-centered approach to leadership. She challenges conventional workplace norms, advocating for authenticity, trust-giving, and a redefinition of belonging as a default rather than something to be earned. Her metaphorical insights—like comparing DEI to elevators in a penthouse—help illuminate the universal benefits of inclusive design and the importance of access for all. She also dives into the complex dual role of education as both an oppressive and liberating force, calling for greater transparency, diverse narratives, and early exposure to multiple perspectives.

In more personal moments, Tekita opens up about her deep commitment to therapy, her spiritual grounding, and her creative passion for writing. She shares the origin of her initiative, The Pedestal Project, which uplifts Black women through writing and communal healing, born from a powerful counseling session that inspired her to reimagine self-worth. Her reflections on feedback, particularly learning to "speak less and listen more," serve as practical wisdom for emerging leaders. The episode closes with a resonant message inspired by Toni Morrison—that true freedom and power are best used to help liberate and empower others.

In this insightful episode of Candid Conversations on Leadership, hosts Candice and Chris welcome Jamelle Sharpe, Dean, Professor, and Guy Raymond Jones Faculty Scholar at the University of Illinois College of Law. Dean Sharpe shares a captivating account of his winding path to academic leadership, from his early days as an undergraduate student of literature, through the high-stakes world of investment banking at Morgan Stanley, to his distinguished career in legal academia. With wit, humility, and a deep sense of purpose, Dean Sharpe reflects on how each phase of his life shaped his views on leadership, collaboration, and public service.Dean Sharpe opens up about the transformative lessons he learned during his time on Wall Street—where 100-hour work weeks and lean teams fostered a culture of intense collaboration and accountability. He recalls powerful mentorship moments, including the mantra, “Nobody owns a monopoly on good ideas,” which has informed his leadership style ever since. His upbringing as a first-generation American from a West Indian family instilled in him a tireless work ethic and a deep sense of responsibility—values he now brings to the College of Law as its first African-American dean.The conversation takes a deep dive into his academic focus on federal administrative law, a field he passionately describes as central to human flourishing and societal collaboration. He explains how this often-overlooked area of law influences every aspect of American life, including higher education. Dean Sharpe also explores the current political climate’s impact on the federal administrative state and outlines how the College of Law is responding to challenges and opportunities in legal education, including the rise of legal technology and access to justice through potential non-JD legal practitioners.In the final segment, Dean Sharpe shares personal habits that keep him grounded, including a commitment to optimism and daily routines like making his bed. He even reveals a lifelong love of single-player RPG video games—culminating in his enthusiastic defense of Mass Effect 3 as the pinnacle of storytelling in gaming. He closes with powerful reflections on principled leadership, the courage to speak truth, and measuring success through the empowerment of others. Whether you're considering a career in law or simply want to become a better leader, this conversation is brimming with inspiration and practical wisdom.