Future of Work Conference
Organized by Lehman College SCPS and CUNY Beyond
📆 Friday, November 13, 2026, 8:30am-7pm
📍 Lehman College main campus, Facutly Dining Room
🎓 Co-organizers: Lehman College School of Continuing & Professional Studies and CUNY Beyond
👀 Audience: Lehman/CUNY faculty and staff
💫 Overview
How do we prepare our institution, and the communities we serve, for a world of work that is changing faster than ever? On November 13, the School of Continuing and Professional Studies and CUNY Beyond, invite Lehman faculty and staff, along with colleagues across CUNY, to spend a day in conversation with leaders from industry about what is coming and what it asks of us.
The day opens with a keynote from a senior voice on how work is changing and what that means for higher education and New York City. Four panels follow, each pairing industry leaders with a faculty moderator to explore future of work in various sectors. We close with structured partnership discussions that turn the day's ideas into named next steps, followed by an evening reception.
Organized jointly by SCPS and CUNY Beyond, this gathering reflects a shared commitment to learning, connection, and partnership across our campus. Join us to help shape the pathways that will carry our students and our communities forward.
🧠 Program
All panels include 4 industry panelists from mixed sectors and one faculty moderator.
|
Time |
Item |
|
8:30-9:00 |
Registration and coffee |
| 9:00-9:15 | Opening remarks |
|
9:15-10:00 |
Opening keynote - Senior voice with academic and industry backgrounds on how work is changing and what it means for higher education |
|
10:00-10:15 |
Break |
|
10:15-11:15 |
Panel 1: The Future of Leadership -- how leading changes when teams are hybrid, decisions are informed by AI, and change is constant |
|
11:15-11:30 |
Break |
|
11:30-12:30 |
Panel 2: The Future of Technology at Work -- AI today, AGI, quantum computing, and beyond: how organizations prepare for technologies they cannot yet predict |
|
12:30-1:30 |
Lunch |
|
1:30-2:30 |
Panel 3: The Future of Human Skills -- the skills machines don't replace: judgement, empathy, communications, ethical reasoning; what panelists hire and promote for that no tool provides |
|
2:30-2:45 |
Break |
|
2:45-3:45 |
Panel 4: The Future of Learning -- how organizations reskill and upskill, what they wish universities offered, where partnerships fit |
|
3:45-4:00 |
Break |
|
4:00-5:00 |
Partnership discussions -- structured breakouts grouping industry guests by sector with SCPS/college leadership and relevant faculty. |
|
5:00-7:00 |
Reception |
👩💼 Confirmed Speakers
Keynote Speaker |
|||
 |
Mohammad Soltaniehha |
Boston University |
Boston University
|
Panel 1: The Future of Leadership |
|||
 |
CEO |
Octaura
|
|
 |
Ali Mostashari | CEO |
Lifenome
|
 |
Jonathan Roberts | CIO |
People Inc.
|
 |
Mandana Arabi | CIO |
Smile Train
|
| Moderator | Jorge Silva-Puras |
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Student Success - Lehman College |  |
Panel 2: The Future of Technology at Work |
|||
 |
Tom Hittinger | Senior Vice President |
Vi
|
 |
Ashkan Balouchi | Head of Data Science |
Octaura
|
 |
Shahin Sefati | Engineering Manager |
Meta
|
| Moderator | Azadeh Keivani | Dean School of Continuing and Professional Studies - Lehman College |  |
Panel 3: The Future of Human Skills |
|||
 |
Antoine Manchelle | Client Success Lead |
Octaura
|
 |
Noushin Radnia | Design Technology Manager |
Hart Howerton
|
 |
Kristopher Mazara | Design Strategist |
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
|
 |
Moray Joslyn | Vice President, Ambulatory Care Quality & Population Health |
Bronx Health System
|
| Moderator | Teresita Levy |
Associate Provost and Executive Director - Lehman College |  |
Panel 4: The Future of Learning |
|||
 |
Sheila Sarem |
CEO |
BASTA
|
 |
Degan Leopold | CPO |
New York Jobs CEO Council
|
 |
Isaac Michaels | Program Director - Research Science |
NewYork-Presbyterian
|
 |
Elham Beheshti | VP, Experience Research |
JPMorganChase
|
| Moderator | Corey Ptak |
Senior Director, Center for Teaching & Learning - Lehman College |  |
🧑💻 Organizing Committee
|
Name |
School, Title |
|
SCPS, Dean |
|
|
CUNY Beyond, Associate Provost |
|
|
SCPS, Executive Assistant |
|
|
School of Business, Dean |
|
|
Career Exploration and Development Center, Senior Director |
|
|
Center of Teaching and Learning, Senior Director |
|
|
Academic Programs and Educational Effectiveness, Associate Provost |
|
|
SCPS, Associate Dean |
