The Coach Is In

Dr. Heidi Sherick        Director of Leadership DevelopmentMichigan Engineering

A series of authentic conversations for Michigan Engineering employees

The Coach Is In provides a welcoming space for staff to come together and learn from their colleagues.  Guests bring their authentic selves and their stories, sharing how they have gotten to this point in their careers and the lessons they have learned.  The format is a conversation to enrich the Michigan Engineering staff experience and inspire the community through storytelling of our shared experiences. 

Session Information

Listening for the Story….

Tuesday, April 30, 2024 

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Shubha Kashyap credits a valuable piece of career guidance that she received early on: the power of listening for the story as a means for building engagement and trust. This proved transformative in her work with students, and it's a lesson she holds close to this day. Storytelling stands out as a vital tool—not just for creating bonds and sparking interest, but also for strengthening connections. After attending this session, participants may start to notice how often stories weave into daily life and how they can positively impact working relationships.

Join Dr. Heidi Sherick and Dr. Shubha Kashyap as they discuss the positive influence of connections through storytelling.


Shubha G. Kashyap, PhD

NEXUS Director

Student Affairs and Faculty Relations


Completed Sessions

0 to 60 in 1.2 Semesters: Lessons from Starting a Department

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

The theme of "building the airplane as you fly it" will underpin the discussion as Kimberly Mann and Damen Provost share their experience of rapidly establishing a new department.  They will discuss the importance of establishing values, the art of negotiation, and the benefits of working as a team.  The talk will cover the challenges and triumphs in constructing the new Robotics Building, as well as exploring unexpected areas within the University of Michigan, shedding light on lesser-known facets of the Institution that set everyone up for success.

Join Dr. Heidi Sherick and guests Kimberly Mann, Robotics Institute Unit Administrator, and Damen Provost, Robotics Institute Managing Director, as they discuss how effective teamwork and living our values creates amazing outcomes.

Kimberly Mann

Robotics Institute Unit Administrator

Damen Provost

Robotics Institute Managing Director



Coach John Beilein

Former Michigan Men's Basketball Coach

**SPECIAL EVENT**

“Do the Next Right Thing”

Tuesday, December 5th, 2023 

11:30am - 12:30pm

Join us for this special Coach is In event as we listen and engage with legendary Michigan basketball Coach, John Beilein.  We will learn about his approach to developing program culture, explore his leadership philosophy, and understand ways he turns adversity into opportunity.  Coach Beilein is a leader known for promoting dedication, teamwork, and accountability while proving how much he cares about his people.  

You are invited to join us virtually or in-person at the Lurie Engineering Center to be part of this program.  Join Dr. Heidi Sherick while she and Coach Beilein discuss his journey and answer your questions about leadership and team development.


The Power of Engaged Staff for Student Success

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

From his humble beginnings in Michigan Engineering, specifically CAEN, 37 years ago to the present day, John Muckler has never strayed from his ultimate goals, which are centered around fostering student success and facilitating staff development to help propel careers forward.  His journey has encompassed John’s unwavering commitment to providing impactful learning opportunities and dedication in work environments, his genuine commitment to accommodating individuals in need, and his deep devotion to the College. 

Join Dr. Heidi Sherick and John Mucker, Director of IT Facilities and Operations CAEN & Director of Facilities for the Duderstadt, as they discuss the positive power of individuals and how staff can make a difference. 

John Muckler

Director of IT Facilities and Operations CAEN 

Director of Facilities for the Duderstadt

Magda Calvillo

Manager of Graduate Student Coaching and Community Engagement Manager in Computer Science and Engineering.

Create your Own Path

Wednesday, September 6th, 2023

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

There's a well-known saying about where the path of good intentions can lead us.  Instead, focus on your actions (not your best intentions).  What can you do today that will move you to a better place: a first, best, next step?  Keep making small changes and they will add up over time.

Join Dr. Heidi Sherick and Magda Calvillo for a conversation about building good habits, optimizing your work performance, and promoting a coaching culture.  Kick off your semester by investing time in this conversation and thinking about how you can create your own path - at work and in life.  Magda serves as the Manager of Graduate Student Coaching and Community Engagement in Computer Science and Engineering.  


Purpose, Positivity, and Propulsion 

Wednesday, April 5th, 2023

11:30am - 12:30pm.

Growing up, Dean Alec Gallimore dreamed of becoming an astronaut — a mindset that has helped him navigate some of the wicked problems he’s encountered throughout his career.


In this conversation with Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering Alec Gallimore, we’ll talk about his approach to leadership and how his past shaped his future. Join Alec and Heidi as they discuss Alec’s dream to be an astronaut, his passion for social justice and building a culture of inclusivity at Michigan, and the people who have had a positive impact on his life.


Dr. Alec Gallimore

Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering

Richard F. and Eleanor A. Towner Professor of Engineering; 

Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, Aerospace Engineering

Lisa Armstrong

EECS Department Administrator - ECE  
Michigan Engineering 

The “Can-Do” Attitude, Navigating Crises and Inspiring Others 

Monday, February 6th, 2023

11:00am - 12:00pm.

Versatility is key, so it’s easy to see why Lisa Armstrong has been described as The Swiss Army Knife of Administrative Leaders.  In addition to passionately inspiring staff members through staff development and engagement activities, Lisa also ensures that the department's culture and climate are being improved even during times of staff shortages and crisis situations.  We invite you to join us as Lisa shares her journey and lessons learned with Dr. Heidi Sherick in The Coach Is In. 

You Can't Read The Label If You're Inside The Bottle

Tuesday, December 6th, 2022

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Have you ever been so focused on your work that you look up one day and go "Woah! I've missed something big here!"? If so, you might be stuck inside a bottle of your own making without the ability to read the label. In this conversation with Kimberly Burton, Executive Director of Culture, Community and Equity, we'll talk about how to climb outside the bottle and why we all end up there in the first place. Join Kimberly and Heidi as they discuss Kimberly's wide-ranging career in philanthropy, non-profits, and, now, higher education, and how the simplest re-framing can create transformative results. 

Kimberly L. Burton

Executive Director
Culture, Community and Equity
Michigan Engineering

Jon Merrill, M.Ed

DEI Project Manager
Computer Science & Engineering
Michigan Engineering 

Cloudy with a Chance of Supervision

Thursday, September 29th, 2022

12:15 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.

Just like the weather, navigating supervision is a regular part of our day. Whether you are on the giving or receiving end (or both!), it takes time and energy. However, it can sometimes feel difficult to talk about openly, especially when we consider power dynamics. Join Dr. Heidi Sherick and Jon Merrill as they have an honest conversation regarding all things supervision. Jon is Computer Science and Engineering's DEI Project Manager and is especially passionate about how we can approach supervision in a way that centers identity and acknowledges power differentials. 

Plugging in to the Mission

Wednesday, April 6th, 2022

12 - 1 p.m.

Join Dr. Heidi Sherick, Director of Leadership Development, for a conversation with Bobby Kerns, Center Manager of the Michigan Center for Materials Characterization - (MC)². 

How is what I am doing serving our mission today? That question can't be answered without first learning how to hear what the mission is; a message which is often hidden in everyday communication. While it sounds simple on the surface by nature the mission is dynamic, requiring flexibility and constant checks. Come hear how the missions on Bobby's path to (MC)² have shaped how he approaches management. Also, learn why Bobby's favorite word is decision.

Photo of Bobby Kerns, Center Manager, Michigan Center for Materials Characterization, Michigan Engineering

Bobby Kerns

Center Manager, Michigan Center for Materials Characterization
Michigan Engineering

Photo of Michael and Melissa Lee. Michael is a facilities manager in the facilities management office, Melissa is an administrative assistant in the CARE Center. Both work in Michigan Engineering.

Michael and Melissa Lee

Facilities Manager
Facilities Management Office
Resource Planning & Management
Michigan Engineering

Administrative Assistant
CARE Center
Office of Student Affairs
Michigan Engineering

Lee’n on Me 

Tuesday, February 1st, 2022

12 p.m. - 1 p.m.

Come one, come all! Listen and learn from not one but two contributing and leading staff members of Michigan Engineering: Michael and Melissa Lee. What makes them unique? Their partnership, dedication to serve, and critical positions within the college. Melissa serves in a student-facing support role and Michael serves in a facility support role; roles in high demand with high pressure! Join us as we discover how they navigate and continually rise to the occasion in the face of adversity and uncertain times. 

No Grit, No Pearl

Wednesday, December 8th, 2021 

12 - 1 p.m.

Join Dr. Heidi Sherick for a conversation with Jeanne Pearl Murabito, Executive Director for Student Affairs.

Jeanne will share her personal and professional story and who and what helped shape her. 

Jeanne Murabito

Executive Director for Student Affairs
Office of Student Affairs

Photo of Jonathan Fay, Executive Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship, Michigan Engineering

Jonathan Fay

Executive Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship
Michigan Engineering

Balancing Innovation and Operations: Letting things evolve naturally 

Thursday, October 14th, 2021 

3 - 4 p.m.

Dr. Heidi Sherick will host Executive Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship, Jonathan Fay. 

There is a natural tension between being inventive and innovative and being operationally excellent and efficient.  Balancing these two can be challenging but very important to make sure that programs stay on the leading edge while serving the students and faculty the best we can with the resources we have.  Come hear some experiences where this balance was achieved and some examples where it wasn't.

How Did I End Up Here? My Directionally Correct Journey

Thursday, September 9th, 2021

9 - 10 a.m.

Join Dr. Heidi Sherick, Director of Leadership Development, for a conversation with Debbie Mero, Sr. Executive Director of Resource Planning and Management. Debbie will share her professional and personal journey along with her perspective on leadership and management.

Photo of Debbie Mero, Sr. Executive Director of Resource Planning and Management

Debbie Mero

Sr. Executive Director of Resource Planning and Management
Michigan Engineering



Photo of Heather Wagenschutz, Organizational Development Specialist, Michigan Engineering

Captain Rick Vanden Heuvel 

US Navy, retired
Director of Research Development
Michigan Engineering

Myths of Military Leadership

Thursday, February 25th, 2021

10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

There is a wide (mis)perception that military organizations can lead by edict and everybody follows because they have to.  While the military chain of command is respected and effective, leading an all-volunteer force into harm's way requires a healthy understanding of motivational theory and servant leadership, which can be applied to our academic environment.  

Join Dr. Heidi Sherick for a conversation with two of our many veteran CoE staff members, Captain Rick Vanden Heuvel (US Navy, retired, and current Director of Research Development) and Commander Chris Gordon (US Navy, retired, and current Director of the Wilson Student Team Project Center) about applying military leadership lessons to our work in the College of Engineering. 



Photo of Commander Chris Gordon, Retired US Navy, Current Director of the Wilson Student Team Project Center, Michigan Engineering

Commander Chris Gordon

US Navy, retired
Director of the Wilson Student Team Project Center
Michigan Engineering

Sound Judgement: Choosing a Learning Mindset  

Wednesday, February 3, 2021

2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

We are excited to get to know Heather Wagenschutz, the College of Engineering Organizational Development Specialist and newest member of the team. Join us as we explore applicable ways to choose the path of a learner mindset. This session will pull useful techniques from the book, Change Your Questions, Change Your Life by Marilee Adams that you can start applying today.

Heather Wagenschutz 

Organizational Development Specialist
Michigan Engineering

Photo of Martha "Marti" Moon, Facilities Manager, Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, Michigan Engineering

Martha “Marti” Moon

Facilities Manager
Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering
Michigan Engineering

Season of Gratitude: Born to Serve

Thursday, November 19, 2020

3 - 4 p.m.

Martha “Marti” Moon, Facilities Manager in the Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, is the longest serving staff member in the College of Engineering. She was hired as a self-proclaimed “Gal Friday” in 1966 and is still thriving as she started her 54th year in the College.  

Join Dr. Heidi Sherick, Director of Leadership Development, in a conversation with Marti around the topic of gratitude, dedication, and service. Registration is required.

Promoting Civil Discourse: The ability to disagree without being disagreeable

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Creating a space for dialogue, exchange of thoughts and different perspectives, and providing opportunities to connect, are at the core of “The Coach is In” series.  Please join us for this special panel as we focus on the topic of practicing collegiality and trustworthiness. We will engage with mutual respect through constructive dialogue that seeks to explore and understand diverse perspectives.  Panelists will explore what each of us can do to help move beyond the difficulties of differing opinions to facilitate meaningful and civil conversations.  

Panelists: Jennifer Judge Hensel, Executive Director, Communications & Marketing,  Pauline Khan, Director of Lecturer Development, Byron Roberts, Deputy Chief of Staff, Tina Truskowski, Director of Human Resources

Moderated by:  Dr. Heidi Sherick, Director of Leadership Development 

Photo of Jennifer Judge Hensel, Executive Director of Communications and Marketing, Michigan Engineering
Photo of Byron Roberts, Deputy Chief of Staff, Michigan Engineering
Photo of Pauline Khan, Director of Lecturer Development, Michigan Engineering
Photo of Tina Truskowski, Director of Human Resources, Michigan Engineering
Photo of Jon Kinsey, Chief of Staff, Michigan Engineering

Jon Kinsey

Chief of Staff
Michigan Engineering

An Hour with Jon Kinsey

September 2, 2020 

10 - 11 a.m.

Join the conversation with Dr. Heidi Sherick and Michigan Engineering's Chief of Staff, Jon Kinsey. 

He'll answer questions from staff about his unique view on leadership, managing teams and what it means to sustain excellence at the College of Engineering during an extraordinary time.

If You See Something, Do Something: A Path to Stopping Anti-Black Racism

Tuesday, August 25, 2020 

10 - 11 a.m.

As the title of her workshops suggests by invoking U.S. Representative John Lewis's famous quote, Dr. Debby Covington will share her thoughts on how staff can start to think about bystander intervention using an anti-racist approach.

Photo of Dr. Debby Covington, Director of Partnerships, Outreach and Retention, Office of Student Affairs, Michigan Engineering

Dr. Debby Covington

Director of Partnerships, Outreach and Retention
Office of Student Affairs
Michigan Engineering

Photo of Angie Farrehi, CARE Center Director, Michigan Engineering

Angie Farrehi

CARE Center Director
Michigan Engineering

AUTHENTIC, GENUINE, REAL: Let's Talk about Mental Health During Times of Crisis 

Thursday, August 20, 2020

3 - 4 p.m.

CARE Center Director, Angie Farrehi, will chat with Dr. Heidi Sherick, director of leadership development, about crisis management, phases of a disaster and the social ecology of disasters. They'll also discuss vulnerability and resilience. Attendees will learn about strategies for self-care during times of stress.

Facilitating the Learning Journey 

Monday, August 10, 2020

2 - 3 p.m.

Dr. Carmeda Stokes will join Dr. Heidi Sherick to share her tips on practical ways participants can enjoy the lifelong learning process and the benefits of investing in your personal and professional development through micro-mentoring and micro-coaching experiences. Registration is required.   

Photo of Dr. Carmeda Stokes, Strategic Initiatives Consultant Leadership Development & DEI, Organizational Learning

Dr. Carmeda Stokes

Strategic Initiatives Consultant Leadership Development & DEI
Organizational Learning

Photo of Peggy Sheagren, Director of Operations, University Human Resources

Peggy Sheagren

Director of Operations
University Human Resources 

Working by Design: Naming Our New Positive Habits and Rituals during Trying Times 

Wednesday, August 5, 2020 

1 - 2 p.m.

University Human Resources Director of Operations, Peggy Sheagren, will join Dr. Heidi Sherick in a conversation about how navigating nationwide crises have led her to moments of growth, as a friend, mother of two boys, and campus leader. 

Peggy will share thoughts on the new habits or rituals we've all developed out of necessity this year, and how - or what - to take with us into the future. 

Supportive Conversations in Times of Stress and Change 

Thursday, July 30, 2020

11 - 12 p.m.

A discussion with Dr. Kelcey Stratton

Join Dr. Heidi Sherick for an interactive forum with clinical psychologist and Michigan Medicine's Program Manager for Resiliency and Well-Being Services, Kelcey Stratton, about holding supportive conversations in these trying times. 

The forum will address how to have emotional discussions, recognize signs of stress in yourself, and understand the ways stress impacts you. 

Photo of Dr. Kelcey Stratton, Clinical psychologist and Michigan Medicine's Program Manager for Resiliency and Well-Being Services

Dr. Kelcey Stratton

Clinical psychologist and Michigan Medicine's Program Manager for Resiliency and Well-Being Services

Discussion of Unlocking Resources for Recovery, Renewal, and Resilience

Monday, July 20, 2020

10 - 12:30 p.m.

Following the Unlocking Resources for Recovery, Renewal, and Resilience webinar, presented by the Center for Positive Organizations at the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross School of Business and the Managerial and Organization Cognition (MOC) Division of the Academy of Management, we'll discuss the impact of concurrent national crises and how to continue investing in your work during uncertainty. 

You'll need to register separately for the Unlocking Resources for Recovery, Renewal, and Resilience event. Click on the Ross School image to sign up for the free webinar on Mon., July 20 from 10-11:30 a.m.



Who would you like to hear from?

Please let us know if you or someone you'd like to hear from, would like to join us on our next session.

We are always interested in hearing from staff.  If you have someone or a department you'd like to know more about, send us an email.  If you've got a story you'd love to share with our staff, please reach out.  We would love to hear from you!

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