Purpose: In September 2022, UN Women Executive Director, Sima Bahous, made three ‘asks’ in her Opening Remarks a the HeForShe Summit. These were calls for men and boys across the world:
Recognise the root causes of gender inequality that are universal despite varying contexts
Challenge negative masculinities and showcase inclusive leadership and responsibility
Take responsibility for sharing platforms, to lead by example in elevating women’s and girls’ participation and leadership
The CHEAD Women in Leadership Symposium for 2026 draws on these three asks to foreground what allyship means and to explore what this means specifically within contemporary Higher Education Creative Discipline settings. We have two keynote speakers:
Professor Kathryn Mitchell, CBE DL: Vice Chancellor of University of Derby
Nikki Lanier: Nikki Lanier: CEO, Harper Slade Advisors
The symposium takes the form of two workshops, where participants of all genders will work together to build the foundations of a Working Paper on our allyship ‘asks’ for our sector: actions for ourselves, our communities of practice, our institutions, and the regulatory changes needed to support greater progress in advancing equity.
Schedule
11am Welcome and Introduction
11.15 Professor Kathryn Mitchell, CBE DL: Vice Chancellor of University of Derby
11.45 Breakout Groups
12.15 LUNCH
12.45 Nikki Lanier: Nikki Lanier: CEO, Harper Slade Advisors
13.15 Breakout Groups
14.15 Plenary/Round-up/Call to Action
14.45 - 15:00 Close
Speakers
Professor Kathryn Mitchell CBE DL became Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Derby in 2015, leading operations across Derby, Buxton, and Chesterfield serving 34,000 students. Under her leadership, the University achieved Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework. Nationally, she has shaped policy through reports such as Arriving at Thriving and Empowering Innovation. Kathryn’s academic career includes research at the University of Chicago, Rockefeller Institute, and Basel’s Friedrich Meischer Institute. In 2025, Kathryn joined the University of South Wales Board of Governors, was appointed Chair of the Higher Education Access and Participation Task and Finish Group for the Department for Education and became Chair of the Mobility Advisory Group for Universities UK International.
Dr Nikki Lanier is an internationally recognised leadership strategist, cultural economist and future-of-work expert whose work explores the intersection of leadership, equity, organisational culture and economic inclusion. With more than 25 years’ experience spanning law, human resources, government, higher education and financial services, she brings a distinctive perspective to how leaders and institutions can respond to demographic change and build workplaces in which diverse talent can thrive.
Her commitment to equity is both professional and deeply rooted in her upbringing. A former Senior Vice President with the Federal Reserve Bank and three-time Chief Human Resources Officer across the public and private sectors, Dr Lanier has led complex organisational transformation, advised senior leaders and boards, and managed large-scale workforces and operations. She is the founder and CEO of Harper Slade, an advisory firm helping organisations prepare for the multicultural future of work by connecting workforce equity with organisational resilience, leadership effectiveness and economic prosperity.
Dr Lanier is particularly interested in the role women can play in shaping more equitable institutions and communities. Through her leadership, speaking and advisory work, she challenges organisations to move beyond performative approaches to inclusion and instead consider how systems, organisational beliefs and leadership practices influence who has access to opportunity, influence and advancement.
Her work and commentary have featured across Forbes, Bloomberg TV, CNBC, USA Today, Essence, Ebony Media, PBS and Yahoo Finance. She holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law and a bachelor's degree in Journalism from Hampton University and has undertaken specialist study in collective bargaining at Cornell University.
At the heart of her work is a compelling leadership question: how do we build institutions today that are genuinely prepared for the people, talent and communities they will serve tomorrow?