The April 22 Excellence in Leadership Luncheon and Lecture was held at Denver’s Brown Palace Hotel with over 150 program alumni in attendance. ELP provides opportunities for CU faculty and staff on all campuses to become more effective leaders who are prepared to successfully address the challenges of a dynamic university. Since 2000, more than 700 fellows have completed the program.

The annual luncheon, co-sponsored by TIAA, brings together program alumni to foster continued collaboration, networking, and leadership development.

The event honored Sharon Matusik, dean of the University of Colorado Boulder Leeds School of Business. The award is given annually by the university’s Excellence in Leadership Program (ELP).

CU President Todd Saliman presented the award to Matusik. Saliman noted the value that Matusik brings to the campus and how their professional relationship is one rooted in collaboration, specifically in their work on the systemwide strategic plan implementation.

“Sharon has been an incredible mentor and advisor to me,” Saliman said.

Matusik’s time as dean of the Leeds School of Business has been one marked in achievement and equity. She led a partnership with CU’s College of Engineering Applied Science, a $43.5 million project largely funded by donors. Matusik’s other priorities include focusing on the core profession skills of communication, emotional intelligence and critical thinking, and emphasizing gender parity issues in business by developing more women in business leaders.

In accepting the award, Matusik recounted her appreciation for the Excellence in Leadership Program. “My experience gave me an appreciation for the level of excellence throughout the entire system,” Matusik said. “It paved the way for me to be a more effective leader.”

Anschutz Medical Campus Chancellor Don Elliman introduced this year’s leadership lecture keynote speaker, Kimberly Muller, executive director of CU Innovations on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

Muller’s lecture, “Innovation and Leadership Lessons that Will Shape the Future,” emphasized the importance for leaders to think big and to think different as we move into what she called the medical revolution.

“This is the first gathering of this group since 2019 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We live in a different world now,” said Muller, who described the need to tackle issues affecting the medical industry – including burnout, mental health, supply chain and the great resignation – with new and creative approaches.

Muller summarized that massive tech integration in the medical field is crucial to a successful medical revolution needed to resolve issues made apparent by the pandemic, including mental health, telehealth and preemptive care.