Williams Leadership Summit

"Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other."

—John F. Kennedy

In the Williams Honors College you have a responsibility to serve as a leader within the UA community. Your opportunities to develop and improve your leadership abilities begin with the 2023 Williams Leadership Summit.

The summit is designed for incoming students in a leadership learning community. You will engage with UA graduates that have established and rewarding career paths that will help guide you in designing your own leadership skills and setting the foundation for your time at UA and beyond.

KEYNOTE DETAILS

Each event will run from 10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. and includes a leadership exercise, video, and the keynote address.

  • Two of the five events offer an overnight option where you can attend the Leadership Summit the first day, then attend your New Student Orientation the next day.

Dates and speakers:

  • June 7 – day event | Cristina Pastore Registration Closed!

  • June 20-21 – overnight option | Tayler Gill  Registration Closed!

  • July 26-27 – overnight option | Matthew Deibel Registration Closed!

  • Aug 4 – day event | Matthew Deibel Registration Closed!

  • Aug 11 – day event | Greg Brown 

Attendance Required For All incoming Honors Freshmen

THe Leadership Summit and New Roo Orientation are two Separate Events! 

Please refer to your information from New Student Orientation regarding your New Roo Orientation Date.  For Questions, contact NSo at NSO@uakron.edu

Sign up here

MEET THE SPEAKERS

Cristina Pastore headshot

Cristina Pastore

Registration Closed!      June 7 (day event)

Transportation Planner and Traffic Engineer, Kimley-Horn

Cristina Pastore has been working as a transportation planner and traffic engineer at Kimley-Horn in Atlanta, Georgia for the past 17 years. As a consultant, she works with a wide range of clients including the Federal Highway Administration, the Georgia Department of Transportation, and local counties and cities. Working with this diverse cliental gives her the opportunity to develop multimodal transportation plans that consider mobility solutions decades in the future.

Cristina grew up in Youngstown, Ohio and graduated from The University of Akron in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. She went on to pursue dual Masters degrees from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Civil Engineering and City and Regional Planning with a focus in transportation.

During her time at UA, Cristina was heavily involved in activities across campus including serving as a student member of the University Board of Trustees, a student member of the University Honors Council, and President of Omicron Delta Kappa. She was also a member of the UA Dance Team and performed with the University’s Dance Company. Her leadership opportunities on campus, along with her year and a half engineering coop with GPD Group in downtown Akron, prepared her for her current professional and personal leadership roles today.

Taylor Gill's headshot

Tayler Gill

  Registration Closed!       June 20 (overnight option)

Civil Defense Attorney, Tucker Ellis, LLP

Tayler L. Gill, Esq. graduated summa cum laude from The University of Akron Williams Honors College in 2019. During her time at UA, she served as a Resident Assistant, Treasurer of Omicron Delta Kappa, the Co-Director of Inclusion of the Undergraduate Student Government, and a member of several other honors societies and student organizations. Tayler continued her education at Cleveland State University College of Law, graduating magna cum laude in 2022. During law school, Tayler received the Dean’s Learn Law. Live Justice Award and the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Award for her continued devotion to and work in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion. After passing the Ohio Bar Exam this past July, Tayler began her career as a civil defense attorney at Tucker Ellis, LLP in Cleveland, Ohio.

Matthew Deibel headshot

Matthew Deibel

      Registration closed         July 26 (overnight option)

&

Registration closed    August 4 (day event)

Senior Accountant, Ernst & Young

Matthew Deibel began his professional career in 2020 with Ernst and Young in the Cleveland, Ohio office. Matthew specializes in the audits of financial service organizations, specifically insurance companies, private equity companies, and hedge funds. As a Senior Accountant, he has the opportunity to coach interns, staff, and his team based in India that he manages. Matthew is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the state of Ohio.

Matthew grew up in nearby Mogadore, Ohio and is a 2016 graduate from Archbishop Hoban High School in Akron, OH. Matthew currently resides in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. During his free time, Matthew enjoys golfing, playing soccer, and spending time with friends and family.

Matthew graduated from The University of Akron with a Bachelor of Accounting and a minor in Risk Management and Insurance in May 2020. During his time as UA, Matthew was very involved on campus. He was a Buckingham and Orr Prestigious Honors Scholar and a part of the Emerging Leaders Program. Matthew served as the President of the University Ambassadors Program. Matthew narrated and acted in a UA commercial and was a Commencement Speaker during the 2020 Commencement Ceremony.

Greg Brown headshot

Greg Brown 

August 11 (day event)

Health Coach, Certified Personal Trainer, Multi-Business Owner

Gregory Brown, Akron, Ohio native graduated from The University of Akron B.S. Chemical Engineering with Polymer Specialization in 2020. During his time at the University of Akron, Greg participated in various undergraduate and graduate research projects; ranging in topics from polymer thin films & glasses to on demand energy production and clean energy system integration via fuel cells.

While at UA, Greg discovered a passion for entrepreneurship through Bounce innovation HUB, good mentorship, and grit. He was sales lead for start-up my healthy pet treats, where he discovered his flare for service forward, purpose driven business. Now, Health Coach, Certified Personal Trainer, Multi-Business Owner, Greg returns to tell how, you too, can Engineer a Life of your Dreams.