Life in Higher Ed

Denise Nelson Nash & Herminio L. Perez
  • 5.0 (16)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
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Welcome to Life in Higher Ed. We are senior higher education administrators and combined we have over 50 years of experience. We are here to talk about what goes on behind the scenes on college and university campuses. We surface the interesting, the confounding, and the seemingly absurd, and we do so with honesty and a sprinkling of humor. We want to help you not only survive but thrive and to know that you are not alone in your journey. If you are an administrator in higher ed or considering becoming an administrator, this podcast is for you!

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  1. EPISODE 1

    Academic Freedom: then vs now - Jonathan Friedman and Amy Reid

    Send us Fan Mail More than half of U.S. college students now attend institutions in states where new laws and policies restrict what can be taught and how campuses can operate, according to a new PEN America report. In this conversation, Jonathan Friedman and Amy Reid explore how these constraints are reshaping student learning, faculty work, and the vital research that transforms curiosity into innovations that drive economic growth, create high-paying jobs, strengthen national security, improve public health, and power new technologies. PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. They champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Their mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible.  Jonathan Friedman Jonathan Friedman, Ph.D., is the Sy Syms managing director of U.S. free expression programs at PEN America, where he leads national advocacy to protect the freedom to write, read, and learn and to safeguard the free circulation of literature, art, and ideas. Since joining PEN America in 2018 as the inaugural director of its Campus Free Speech Program, he has developed free expression workshops for higher education, expanded the organization’s work opposing book bans, educational gag orders, and government censorship in schools and universities, and overseen initiatives such as the Flashpoints centenary series and Free Expression Advocacy institutes for youth. An interdisciplinary scholar and prolific report author and media commentator on academic, artistic, and press freedom, he has facilitated dozens of programs across education, library, and arts sectors and holds an MA and Ph.D. in international education from NYU. Amy Reid Amy Reid is the Interim Program Director for PEN America’s Freedom to Learn Program, where she collaborates with national and state-based networks to resist government censorship in higher education and champion public education and the liberal arts. She previously served as a professor of French and director of Gender Studies at New College of Florida, and in 2023–2024 was Chair of the Faculty and faculty representative on the Board of Trustees, working to defend academic freedom in the Florida State University System. A PhD in French from Yale and an award-winning translator of Francophone African fiction, she has translated works by authors including Véronique Tadjo, Patrice Nganang, Mutt-Lon, and Blaise Ndala, and is currently translating Marie-Célie Agnant’s novel Rosa the Alligator, forthcoming in 2025. Resources: America’s Censored Campuses: Expanding the Web of Control  https://pen.org/report/americas-censored-campuses-25-web-of-control/ Snapshots of Censorship https://pen.org/snapshots-of-censorship/

    48 min

  2. EPISODE 2

    If you can't tell the story, how can you lead? - Trisha Beck and Denise Nelson Nash

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we explore why the ability to craft and share meaningful stories is essential to effective leadership, sense‑making, and trust‑building in complex organizations. Joining the conversation are Trish Beck and Denise Nelson Nash, co‑authors of Trinity of Leadership: Learners, Thinkers, Tinkerers, and thought leaders whose work examines how leaders use narrative to clarify purpose, navigate change, and inspire action. Together, they discuss storytelling as a strategic practice—one that helps leaders connect values to decisions, bridge divides, and create shared meaning across communities. Drawing on their recent work published by Akers Follett Press, the conversation moves beyond technique to explore storytelling as an ethical and relational act of leadership—particularly relevant in moments of uncertainty and transformation. Trisha Beck, EdD, RN, NE-BC, FACHE Dr. Beck brings over two decades of healthcare leadership experience, combining clinical expertise with innovative organizational transformation. She holds a Master's degree from Northeastern University and a Doctorate from New York University. Throughout her career, she has dedicated herself to placing human stories at the center of healthcare solutions, bridging medicine and human dignity. Her leadership philosophy emphasizes the intersection of compassion and innovation. Denise Nelson Nash, EdD, MFA, RYT-200 Dr. Nelson Nash is a Renaissance leader whose career spans performing arts, city administration, academia, and executive leadership. She served as Director of Cultural Planning for the City of Pasadena from 1991 to 1997. She holds a BA from Scripps College, an MFA from the University of Michigan, a Doctorate from New York University, and a 200-hour yoga teacher certification. A self-proclaimed "professional Tinkerer," she has mastered the art of reinvention while maintaining her core philosophy of human-centered leadership. Her global experiences and diverse career inform her unique leadership perspective. Resources: Beck, T., Nelson Nash, D., et al. (2026). Trinity of Leadership: Learners, Thinkers, Tinkerers, Akers Folett Press. https://akersfollettpress.com/

    29 min
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About

Welcome to Life in Higher Ed. We are senior higher education administrators and combined we have over 50 years of experience. We are here to talk about what goes on behind the scenes on college and university campuses. We surface the interesting, the confounding, and the seemingly absurd, and we do so with honesty and a sprinkling of humor. We want to help you not only survive but thrive and to know that you are not alone in your journey. If you are an administrator in higher ed or considering becoming an administrator, this podcast is for you!

Information

  • Creator
    Denise Nelson Nash & Herminio L. Perez
  • Episodes
    26
  • Seasons
    4
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Life in Higher Ed
  • Show Website
    Life in Higher Ed