Pre-Conference Workshops

STEMM Professionals!
Training Sessions to Kick off Your ASPBP Conference Week!

Earn Credentials to Demonstrate Your Outreach Skills and Knowledge

  • Both courses are interactive, synchronous sessions that guide you through developing materials for your program.
  • Sessions run concurrently; select the one best for you!
  • ASPBP Endorsed Digital Credential Upon Completion of all Course Requirements.
  • Presented to you through a collaboration of ASPBP and Empowerment Levers.
  • Both workshop options are offered on Monday, October 5, 2026, from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM EDT

Deadline for Pre-Conference Workshop Registration: September 30

Click on the "+" to read about your two options! 

Learn a detailed approach to program development that focuses on defining outcomes, identifying your audience, aligning with standards, and anticipating program risks. The framework is agnostic to technical field and student level.

Grad students, faculty, program staff, and individual contributors welcome.
Information will be presented in the context of new project development and alignment with the broader program framework.

Discover techniques to get the greatest administrative support; develop strategic partnerships across campus to leverage grant writing and your scholarship opportunities; and share tips to increase scholarly contributions based on your program outcomes.

Program leaders and directors welcome. 
Information will be presented in the context of programs based at colleges or universities, yet adaptable to other settings.

Meet Your Facilitators!

Susan Ipri-Brown
Founder, Empowerment Levers

Susan Ipri-Brown is the principal consultant at Empowerment Levers, specializing in the strategic implementation of educational programs. A Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), she served as its 143rd President. At Hope College, Susan was the Associate Dean for Educational Outreach and an Associate Professor of Engineering Instruction, where she led the expansion of a camp program into a college-wide educational outreach office supported by numerous national education grants and broad stakeholder engagement.   She has also held positions with the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Office of Advanced Manufacturing, the Northwestern University Office of STEM Education Partnerships, several North Carolina school districts, Delphi Automotive Systems, and the Michigan Legislative Service Bureau. Susan earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering and is currently pursuing her Ed.D. 

Dr. Ipri-Brown will be facilitating "Leverage Scholarship and Practice: Build Leadership Relationships to Maximize both Scholarly and Program Impact"

Susan Ipri-Brown
Principal Content Consultant, Empowerment Levers

Alisha B. Diggs, PhD, is a scientific and educational consultant serving as the Principal Content Consultant for Empowerment Levers. A biomedical engineer, former professor, and former USPTO patent examiner, she specializes in translating complex technical research into rigorous, scalable frameworks for diverse stakeholders. Dr. Diggs leverages a deep interdisciplinary foundation to bridge the gap between advanced benchtop science and strategic program architecture. Her professional background includes designing comprehensive K-20 STEMM initiatives, engineering data-driven insights to establish institutional legitimacy for high-stakes pre-faculty development initiatives, and structuring robust research programs for emerging scholars. Dr. Diggs has earned degrees in Physics (B.S.), Materials Science (M.S.E), and Biomedical Engineering (M.S.E. and PhD).

Dr. Diggs will be facilitating "Amp Up Your Program! Develop a Strong Foundation for Program Development that Maximizes Student Impact"

Workshop FAQ

The fee for either workshop is $125 USD. You may only attend one of the two workshops. 

During the registration process, you will be asked if you would like to participate in either of the Pre-Conference Workshops. You will need to register for the full conference in order to participate. 

If you registered for the pre-conference sessions, further details will be provided in a separate email. Registering for the pre-conference session grants your permission for ASPBP to share your name and email address with Empowerment Levers, the instructor for the courses.