"As supervisors it can be both challenging and rewarding to lead teams. Research shows that the care and commitment that we all take in managing staff is absolutely critical to the success and well-being of our employees and the institution. For some time, I’ve been envisioning a program that could support and strengthen the skills of VPFA supervisors to manage the complex challenges of leadership across a wide variety of operational areas. I’m excited to share that vision has come to fruition. The VPFA Leadership Excellence and Development Series (LEADS) has been developed as an investment in our supervisory staff to help each of us thrive in our roles as team leaders."
Jamie Moffitt, Senior VPFA and CFO
Training Content
The pilot cohort of LEADS was held January-June 2023, and the sixth cohort of supervisors will complete their training in December 2025.
VPFA LEADS was designed with three areas of focus:
- Soft skill development such as effective communication, engagement, and conflict resolution,
- Technical skill development in areas such as labor relations, including information about UO-specific labor contracts, that supervisors need to be effective in their roles, and
- Networking opportunities for supervisors across different departments.
Each cohort is guided through seven skill-development sessions over the course of six months. The content areas are as follows:
July 2026 | Half-day sessions (monthly: august through december 2026) |
|---|---|
Half day: Orientation to VPFA LEADS Half day: Effective Communication Full day: Situational Leadership Essentials | Employee Engagement |
Training Dates for 2026
All sessions are scheduled as in-person training--there are no remote participation options at this point. Full-day sessions will include breakfast and lunch. Half-day sessions will include breakfast. The information below is intended to give you an idea of the time commitment for the July-December 2026 LEADS sessions. Actual dates will be added when final.
- July
- Day 1, 8:30am-4:30pm: Orientation, Supervisor Development, and Situational Leadership
- Day 2, 8:30am-4:30pm: Situational Leadership and Effective Communication
- August, 8:30am-1pm: Employee Engagement
- September, 8:30am-1pm: Conflict Management
- October, 8:30am-1pm: Process Improvement
- November, 8:30am-1pm: Change Management
- December, 8:30am-1pm: Employee and Labor Relations
Applications for the July-December 2026 cohort will open in April/May 2026. If you have questions about the upcoming LEADS cohorts, please contact Deborah Butler (deborahb@uoregon.edu) or Debbie Sharp (dsharp@uoregon.edu).
Applications for July-December 2026 LEADS cohort will open in April/May 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which VPFA (Finance and Administration) supervisors are required to participate in the LEADS training?
Content is designed to be interactive and valuable for supervisors in every stage of their career, from emerging managers to seasoned leaders. Between 2023 and 2025, VPFA LEADS was offered twice yearly to allow all VPFA supervisors an opportunity to participate. Starting in 2026, VPFA LEADS will be offered every year between July and December. See the VPFA org chart to understand more about the departments that are part of the portfolio.
How much does the program cost?
There is no department cost for this program.
I am a supervisor in the VPFA portfolio. I want to participate but I am unable to attend all of the scheduled trainings. May I still sign up?
Participants are asked to commit to attendance at all sessions. If you have an unavoidable conflict with one of the sessions, please let us know. Depending on which session you are unable to attend, we may be able to offer a make-up opportunity at a later date.
Is there a remote or hybrid attendance option?
Sessions are currently being held in person. A fully remote training program will be held in the future to accommodate VPFA supervisors whose workplaces are not located on the Eugene campus and are therefore unable to attend a the training series in person.
How do I apply for the program?
Applications for the July-December 2026 cohort will open in April/May 2026. If you have questions about the upcoming LEADS cohort or would like to be added to the list of people interested in participating, please contact Debbie Sharp (dsharp@uoregon.edu).
Who has participated in the LEADS trainings to date?
Over 140 supervisors in the Finance and Administration portfolio have completed LEADS so far. If you would like an idea of people in your area who have completed the training, reach out to Debbie Sharp at dsharp@uoregon.edu.
Who do I contact if I have other questions?
If you have further questions about VPFA LEADS, contact Deborah Butler at deborahb@uoregon.edu or 541-346-3046.
