Jera Niewoehner-Green

About Jera Niewoehner-Green . . . 

 Jera Niewoehner-Green, PhD, is a leadership educator who has engaged students in experiential learning at the high school and post-  secondary level for over 17 years. She holds a B.A. in Spanish, an M.Ed. in Community Development Action and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Leadership. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in leadership theory and practice, critical leadership studies, and cultural proficiency as well as coordinates the university-wide Leadership Studies Minor at The Ohio State University. Her research interests include the engagement of groups that may be excluded in leadership development and community change related to food systems issues and non-formal education. Specifically, she examines women’s participation in leadership roles and community groups as well as youth empowerment through systems awareness and leadership development. She is also invested in developing curriculum that includes critical perspectives, group dynamics, and systems thinking as well as facilitating related workshops and seminars, particularly for groups working in food and agricultural fields.  

I first engaged with ALE in 2015 during doctoral studies. I can’t think of a better way to continue to serve ALE on my 10-year anniversary running for Vice-President. Participating in ALE over the past decade has connected me to an energetic and passionate network of individuals focused on supporting and guiding peers in the field of leadership education. I have participated in conferences through posters and paper presentations and by leading workshops and roundtables. Volunteer roles in ALE have included serving as a mentor, concurrent sessions co-chair, as an at-large board member and on the conference planning committee. As Vice-President, President and Past President, I would like to continue fostering the collaborative spirit ALE members have developed and support the continued growth of the association. Specifically, as a leadership educator focusing on systems thinking, equity and belonging, I will continue to envision how ALE fits into the broader leadership landscape and how we can increase representation from the various areas of leadership education. I believe that ALE can grow as a space that supports community-building and knowledge sharing. I would be honored to help lead those efforts, making this a professional association for all. 

About Wren Mills. . . 

Wren Mills came to leadership education in a non-traditional way as so many of us did. For over 20 years, Wren taught English, starting at WKU and later moving to KCTCS as an Assistant Professor.  She returned to WKU in 2010 in a faculty development role. After completing her doctorate in Educational Leadership and Organizational Development at the University of Louisville, Wren began teaching leadership at WKU in both the undergraduate and graduate programs as an adjunct. She is now a Pedagogical Assistant Professor in the School of Leadership and Professional studies, teaching students from first-semester undergrads through to doctoral students. She also teaches in and coordinates the Adult Education graduate certificate program.. As part of her role in Organizational Leadership, Wren served for 5 years as the project manager and leadership faculty for the Master Educator Course, a cohort program with US Army Cadet Command, which helps senior non-commissioned officers transition to their roles as faculty members in university ROTC programs nationwide. Her service focuses on student success initiatives, which includes the past role of Living-Learning Community Faculty Fellow, and she is currently serving as the Director of the Quality Enhancement Plan for WKU, Toppers R.I.S.E.

Wren has served as ALE’s treasurer for the past two years and looks forward to continuing in the role. She first became involved with ALE in 2018 when presenting at the conference with colleagues and has been active in committee work ever since. She has served on the conference planning committee and its social/excursions, concurrent sessions, and awards sub-committees as well as the diversity, equity, and inclusion committee. She was the concurrent sessions co-chair for the 2023 Nashville Conference and has enjoyed being part of the Graduate Leadership Education and Teaching & Pedagogy/Andragogy FANs. Like President John F. Kennedy, Wren believes that "[l]eadership and learning are indispensable to each other” and feels that the experiences learners have both inside and outside the classroom should reflect this. She looks forward to the chance to use her experiences in higher education to continue to inform her work on the ALE board if she is re-elected. 

Jennifer Okoliko

About Jennifer Okoliko. . .

Jennifer is a Doctoral student in Human science with a specialization in Leadership studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She’s interested in global leadership development and her research focuses on intercultural mentoring and intergroup communication. A lot of her past work has focused on nonprofit management and social/community development interventions which is visible through her nonprofit - Girls Should Thrive Initiative, an organization she founded in 2017 that is raising female leaders from unexpected places through education and training. She’s also a Mandela Washington fellow, an excellent orator, an inspiring speaker, and a great storyteller, telling true inspiring stories through movies including her movie "Voiceless" which has won multiple awards including the prestigious AMVCA Award.

As a child, one of the values I was raised with which I have come to embody is leadership through service. Since getting my first official leadership role at 14, it has become a principle to find opportunities to serve anywhere I go. This was the reason I joined ALE. It was one of the first and most recommend associations to serve with and reading through its values, I knew this was a place I wanted to contribute my expertise and unique skills to because of its potential to reach multiple people through its diverse populations. After attending my first conference in Kansas, I immediately signed up to serve with the conference planning team, the awards selection team, and the new members welcome team. I chose these groups because they had made the most impact on me as a first-time attendee and had also sparked ideas that could lead to growth both the association. Using my creative communication skills, my one goal is to continue to support the association in broadening its reach and ensuring members feel a sense of belonging and ownership in the association.

Jenn Smist

About  Jenn Smist. . .

Dr. Jenn Smist is a Teaching Assistant Professor in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She earned a Ph.D. in Educational Organization and Leadership from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a master’s degree in College Student Personnel from the University of Maryland, and a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Boston University. Dr. Smist previously held positions in leadership education and residential life in student affairs before shifting to a faculty position in 2018. She teaches over 600 students annually across multiple leadership courses in face-to-face, hybrid, and online formats. Her teaching focuses on personal leadership development, interpersonal communication, and collaborative leadership within complex organizations and systems. In addition to undergraduate leadership courses, she teaches a graduate course on the scholarship of teaching and learning. Dr. Smist also serves as the academic advisor for students in the Organizational and Community Leadership concentration in the ALEC major and coordinates the campus Minor in Leadership Studies. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, reading, and serving her local community through the Junior League of Champaign-Urbana and the United Way of Champaign County. 

After starting a leadership faculty position in 2018, I was proud to find my professional home with ALE. I am excited to engage more deeply in the association by serving as a Director-at-Large on the Board of Directors. I will collaborate and connect with all members to create a supportive and inclusive community within our association. I will uphold the values and vision of ALE to ensure the sustainability of our work as leadership educators in our changing world. I attended my first ALE conference virtually in 2021 and presented at the 2022, 2023, and 2024 annual conferences. My service to the association includes serving on the Awards and Recognition Committee (2022 – present) and the Conference Planning Committee (2023, 2024, 2025). I also serve as a reviewer for the Journal of Leadership Education (2015 – present). In addition, I have five years of experience serving on other non-profit boards, including positions as President of the Junior League of Champaign-Urbana and Community Impact Chair for the United Way of Champaign County. My experience in board governance will be a valuable addition to the ALE Board of Directors as we support the current and future work of our association.