Leading with heart: A recap of the 2024 NCSEA Leadership Symposium

From musical workshops to impactful discussions, this year’s theme resonated deeply  

“Leading with Heart and Soul” was the theme for the 2024 Leadership Symposium of the National Child Support Engagement Association (NCSEA) held August 4–7. The title theme was appropriate for this conference in Detroit, often called Motown and birthplace of the best in soul music in the world.  

Organizers used a musical theme throughout the program. Workshops had titles like “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “I’ve Got Sunshine on a Cloudy Day,” “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” and many other hit song references. The theme resonated with the more than 700 attendees who were “Groovin’” to both the agenda and the music. 

The meeting marked the 50th anniversary of the NCSEA organization. In the opening plenary session, five former NCSEA presidents shared NCSEA’s history and what they described as the “unstoppable evolution of NCSEA over 50 years.”  

Conduent’s own Scott Cade, General Manager for Conduent’s Eligibility and Enrollment Solutions, was a speaker, having served as president during a time of transformational change and the development of NCSEA U, an educational program for aspiring leaders.  

Kim Newsom Bridges, also an NCSEA past president and Senior Director of Conduent Child Support Solutions, delivered the Corporate Spotlight for Conduent in the first afternoon session. Conduent supports NCSEA as a Platinum Corporate Sponsor.  

Kim announced the retirement of Robbie Endris, Conduent Account Manager, and invited Robbie to the stage to be recognized and to say a few words of appreciation. Robbie served six years on the NCSEA Board of Directors and served on several committees.  

Federal Commissioner Tanguler Gray led a breakfast discussion on the final day to focus on the future of child support. The session, entitled “Reach Out to the Future,” featured a team of NCSEA past presidents including Conduent’s Kim Newsom Bridges, Margot Bean, Lori Bengston, Jim Fleming, Erin Frisch, Alisha Griffin, Joe Mamlin, Diane Potts, and Sharon Santilli. Attendees enjoyed the wisdom, wit, and guidance offered by this group.  

Plenary- and breakout-sessions involved equity of service, social justice, customer service, partnership with parents, leadership, legislation, and many more significant and timely topics. The varied list of topics offered something for everyone. All sessions were well-attended, and lessons learned fueled conversations at evening gatherings. 

Conferences like this one advance education and cooperation among the agencies which are represented. Our Conduent team actively supports NCSEA through sponsorships, committee service, and conference attendance.

In addition to those mentioned, five members of our team staffed our booth and spoke with attendees. Those included Robert Havanki, Craig Sprankle, Zach Steed and Rebecca Villatoro. Great ideas often come from these conversations. We use what we learn to work alongside state, tribal, and local agencies to prepare for the future of child support. 

Another outstanding Leadership Symposium is “in the books.” Review and evaluation of the event is in progress now to guide planning for 2025. We look forward to next year’s symposium in Atlanta. 

Ready to discover how Conduent Child Support Services can help your agency deliver reliable, efficient and secure payments to parents while reducing costs and improving processes? Learn more now or contact an expert at Conduent.com