Alumni Volunteer Summit (AVS) Director Rico Garcia, Artsci’14, is not afraid of change. As a management consultant, he is constantly on the move, jumping from project-to-project for different companies around the world. In the past few years, he has worked in Canada, the United States, Ireland, Jamaica, and New Zealand.
“I love change. It keeps life interesting. I don’t like to sit still. I like to live on the go. Because of my job, I have to be OK with change and be comfortable with being uncomfortable,” says Mr. Garcia.
Mr. Garcia is the perfect person to helm AVS, taking place on April 7-8, because this year’s theme is "Change Management - Creating Opportunities for Innovation while Honouring Tradition."
The conference gives prospective and current Queen’s volunteers the opportunity to network and develop their leadership skills through workshops and lectures with some of Queen’s top experts. The three keynote speakers at AVS 2017 are Tina Dacin (Stephen J.R. Smith Chair of Strategy & Organizational Behaviour, Queen’s Smith School of Business), Carol Beatty, (Senior Research Fellow at Queen’s Industrial Relations Centre), and Queen’s Principal and Vice-Chancellor Daniel Woolf, Artsci’80.
“AVS is a great opportunity for alumni volunteers and friends of the university to learn about professional development topics, reconnect with the university, and be able to engage in lifelong learning,” says Mr. Garcia.
Queen’s Alumni & Volunteer Relations Associate Director Sarah Indewey says Queen’s, which is celebrating its 175th anniversary this academic year, is an institution known for its traditions, so volunteers need to strike the right balance between respecting the past and looking forward and embracing change.
“It’s essential that we honour these beloved traditions and yet also remain agile, forward-thinking, and innovative to ensure the Queen’s spirit continues to grow and thrive,” says Ms. Indewey. “AVS 2017 will explore change management from this lens: how can our volunteers be truly innovative, while still honouring and celebrating the contributions of our predecessors?”
AVS runs April 7-8 at the Donald Gordon Centre. People interested in attending are asked to register before April 3.
