Risk without fear. Lead beyond limits.
The toughest leadership moments rarely come with a clear path forward. Spark brings together hundreds of Greater Cleveland leaders to gain a reframed perspective on risk, practical strategies for making decisions under pressure, and the resilience to rise after setbacks.
Explore what it really means to lead with courage, navigate ambiguity, build trust with those around you, and turn bold ideas into action. Walk away with a sharper decision-making mindset, concrete tools for leading through uncertainty, and grit to recover when risk doesn’t go as planned.
EVENT DETAILS
🗓️ Thursday, August 27, 2026
🕒 7:30 a.m. – Noon
📍 Cleveland State University Student Center
(2121 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44115)
💵 $99 Early-bird price (through July 31)
AGENDA
Click on each of the tabs below to see session descriptions and presenters.
- 7;30 a.m. Networking & hot breakfast
Connect with leaders from across the community while enjoying a full hot breakfast buffet.
- 8:00 Opening Keynote
Take the Shot … vision, courage, and risk
Allison Howard
President of Business Operations for WNBA CLEBold leadership demands action in the face of uncertainty, not after it clears. Explore the intersection of vision, courage, and risk, and what it really takes to bet on yourself, your team, and your city when the outcome isn’t guaranteed.
- 9:15 a.m. Breakout sessions on thinking boldly and breaking down barriers
The Leader in Your Way is You
Speaker coming soon!
Fear, self-doubt, and internal barriers are often more limiting than any external challenge. Learn how to recognize these limiters, reframe what it means to be ready, and build the self-awareness to move forward, even when fear says otherwise.
The Consensus Trap
Tom Gill (LC 2021, CEF 2010, CLI 2009)
President, Urban Community SchoolDavid Abbott (ALI 2018, LC 1989)
Not every room needs to agree before progress can happen. Learn how to navigate pushback from external forces, read when consensus builds momentum, and recognize when it quietly kills it.
Intent Isn’t Enough
Speaker coming soon!
Trust isn’t built on good intentions, it’s built on what people actually see and experience. Discover how accountability, honest contribution, and perception shape team culture, often in ways leaders don’t expect.
- 10:15 a.m. Breakout sessions on accelerating ideas into action
Risk Smarter
Diana Rosa (LC 2022, LC 2021)
Rosa Consulting, LLCThere’s a meaningful difference between bold risk and reckless risk. Explore how data-driven criteria can sharpen strategic decisions and help leaders move with confidence rather than just courage.
Lead Without Certainty
Sara Ismail-Beigi Bartlett (CBB 2021)
Owner, MOD Network LLCEffective leaders don’t wait for all the answers, they create direction in the middle of ambiguity. Explore how to communicate with conviction, embrace uncertainty as part of the process, and keep teams moving when the path isn’t fully clear.
Imagine. Inspire. Innovate.
Mandy Miller
Business Leader, Level20Bold ideas only go as far as the people willing to rally behind them. Learn how to frame ambitious visions in ways that inspire action at every level and walk away with practical tools to turn imagination into real innovation.
- 11:15 a.m. Closing keynote
Fail Forward, Rise Stronger
Dr. Christine Alexander-Rager (LC 2027)
President and Chief Executive Officer, The MetroHealth SystemSandra Morgan
Mayor, City of East ClevelandModerated by:
Becky Ruppert McMahon (LC 2018, CBB 2008)
President & Chief Executive Officer, Cleveland Leadership CenterEvery bold move carries the possibility of failure. Dig into what it looks like to fall, the resilience required to rise after, and the clarity, grit, and purpose leaders gain through it all.
Thank you, Spark 2026 workshop sponsors:
Invest in Cleveland’s leadership through a Spark Sponsorship. See available opportunities and contact Joan Palumbo (440-315-1037) to secure your spot.