- Overview
- Speakers
Future-Ready Careers: Thriving in the Age of AI - Webinar
Where: Webinar/Virtual
When: Wednesday, April 8, 2026
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. ET
Note: Login instructions will be sent directly from Zoom prior to the event. If you have not received login instructions by 4:00 p.m. the day before the webinar, please check your spam folder. If you still have not received the login details, please email nercomp@nercomp.org.
Workshop Organizers: Sharon Lecuyer of Wellesley College
NERCOMP Member: Free
Non-Member: $45.00
Event Overview
AI is reshaping how we work, learn, and define professional success — but career growth in this moment is as much about mindset as it is about technology. This session takes a human-centered approach to navigating change, blending personal career stories with practical strategies for staying relevant in a rapidly evolving landscape. Rather than focusing on tools or demos, we explore adaptability, lifelong learning, and intentional career planning. Designed for higher education professionals in IT, teaching and learning, and library roles, this conversation highlights how to assess your skills, identify growth opportunities, and build resilience as AI continues to transform the workplace.
Session Outcomes:
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Explore diverse career pathways and lessons learned from experienced professionals navigating change
- Identify practical strategies for staying current with emerging trends and evolving roles in an AI-influenced landscape
- Apply simple tools and frameworks for skills assessment and intentional career planning
Registration Cancellation Policy:
By clicking the 'Register Now button, you are indicating a commitment to attend and will be held responsible for the registration fee. Your fee can be refunded if you notify us of a cancellation at least 2 days prior to the event via email to nercomp@nercomp.org
Accessibility
NERCOMP strives to make its online offerings and in-person workshops accessible to all registrants. Please contact us should you have an accessibility need. We've worked to provide resources that are accessible to as many people as possible, and if you encounter any issues while attending our events, please contact us at accessibility@nercomp.org or at 860-345-2081 to request assistance.
Sharon Lecuyer
Sharon Lecuyer is the Assistant Director of IT Projects & AI Initiatives at Wellesley College. As a first-generation, non-traditionally aged graduate, her unique journey fuels a deep passion for helping others navigate new technologies and refine their project management skills. She is dedicated to fostering a growth mindset for career development within the higher education space, ensuring that colleagues feel empowered to evolve and succeed.
A proud Wellesley alumna with a BA in English, Sharon also holds an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University.
Eric Palson
Eric currently holds the position as the Senior Director of Academic Technologies at Babson College where he leads a team of instructional designers, instructional technologists, video production specialists, and graphic designers. His responsibilities for the group include strategic thinking and planning around curriculum and faculty research, creating content for blended and online learning, training faculty, coaching, and implementing innovative academic technologies.
In addition to his work as Director of Academic Technologies, Eric is an adjunct instructor at Babson College, where he teaches web and user interface design along with communication and collaboration courses specializing in virtual technologies. Before joining Babson College, he worked for several consulting and design firms, including Nextera Enterprises. Eric also co-founded the design firm Drive Thru Designs.
Eric holds a BA in advertising and graphic design from Loyola University in Maryland. He is also a graduate of Babson College where he earned an MBA in the Spring of 2009. His postgraduate studies also include media theory at Emerson College.
Specialties: Web design/development, graphic design, user experience design, user interface design, online and blended course design, instructional design, design thinking, AI implementation, marketing, branding, video editing, pedagogical analysis, training, management.
Patty Patria
Patty Patria is the Chief Information Officer at Babson College. She is an innovative, strategic thinker with 20+ years of experience in higher education, collaborating with faculty, students, and staff to envision and implement transformative solutions. She is responsible for providing strategic leadership in long-term and short-term planning, managing administrative and academic technology, and proving oversight for the management of security, networks, service desk, enterprise applications, web applications, institutional research, analytics, AI and the library.
Patty was a Co-Chair for EDUCAUSE’S Higher Education Information Security Committee (HEISC) from 2018 to 2022, is a Trustee for NERCOMP, and is the recipient of the 2023 HMG Global Leadership Award. Her team also received a 2024 and 2025 CIO 100 Award for innovation, and Patty was the Boston Orbie CIO of the Year for the Non-Profit sector in 2024.
Patty holds a Master of Business Administration from Suffolk University. She is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), and Prosci Certified Change Management Professional.
Jonathan Zaretsky
Jonathan Zaretsky “JZ” is a Customer Success Director at Alchemy, where he partners with higher education institutions to modernize ERP, cloud and security platforms in support of Workday transformations. He guides universities through complex digital initiatives that align technology, operations and academic outcomes.
Drawing on enterprise consulting, cybersecurity and applied AI, JZ brings a delivery focused perspective to digital transformation. His work emphasizes governance, automation and data driven execution to help institutions reduce risk, accelerate adoption and achieve measurable operational and student success outcomes.
Outside of work, JZ is a devoted father of two boys who play hockey, ages six and seven, and is happily married to his wife, having just celebrated their eleventh year of marriage.