Professional Development Week
December 8th-12th, 2025
Join us for Professional Development Week, hosted by the SUNY Center for Professional Development (CPD) — a week of free, one-hour learning sessions designed to support and inspire SUNY faculty, staff, and administrators.
From 12:00–1:00 p.m. each day, explore topics that strengthen your skills, spark new ideas, and foster collaboration across the SUNY community. Sessions cover areas such as teaching and learning, leadership development, instructional technology, and workplace effectiveness.
Whether you attend one session or the full week, Professional Development Week is a great opportunity to learn something new, connect with colleagues, and invest in your professional growth.
Sponsored by the SUNY Center for Professional Development (CPD)
Monday Dec. 8th
Microsoft Copilot: Boosting Productivity with AI
Discover how Microsoft Copilot can streamline your daily workflows, enhance creativity, and boost efficiency across familiar Microsoft 365 tools. Learn practical ways to integrate AI into your routine while maintaining security and accessibility within the SUNY environment.
Tuesday Dec. 9th
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Wednesday Dec. 10th
How Successful People Remain Calm
In this interactive workshop, we’ll explore how top performers consistently stay calm under pressure by using emotionally-intelligent strategies. You’ll learn ten practical techniques that help convert stress from a hindrance into healthy, manageable momentum. By the end, you’ll walk away with insight into the actionable tools that will make the biggest impact on you making stress intermittent rather than overwhelming.
Thursday Dec. 11th
Expanding Learning Pathways: Lumen Circles, Coursera, and Google Certificates
The SUNY Center for Professional Development plays a pivotal role in fostering strategic partnerships that expand learning opportunities for faculty and staff across the SUNY system. This session will explore how CPD collaborates with Lumen Learning, Coursera, Microsoft, and Google to support professional growth. Attendees will gain insight into how these partnerships provide access to high-quality, flexible learning resources that align with SUNY’s mission to empower educators and enhance student success.
Friday Dec. 12th
Building Connection and Collaboration with Viva Engage
Discover how Viva Engage can help you build stronger professional communities across SUNY! This session introduces the features and benefits of Microsoft Viva Engage, the social networking tool within Microsoft 365 designed to connect colleagues, share knowledge, and foster collaboration. Learn how to access Viva Engage, find and join existing groups, create and moderate your own community, and use tools like polls, Q&A, and announcements to keep discussions vibrant. We’ll also share SUNY-specific examples and resources to help you get started, including how to join the SUNY CPD Viva Engage group.
Registration
Meet the Presenters
Renata Ruiz
Renata Ruiz is a Sr. AI Business Solutions Specialist at Microsoft, focused on helping organizations unlock productivity and innovation through AI-powered solutions like Copilot Chat, Microsoft 365 Copilot, and Agents. With years of experience in education and a strong background in professional learning, this work is driven by a passion for making technology approachable and impactful. In this role, Renata partners with institutions to simplify work, drive collaboration, and create meaningful outcomes through Microsoft’s modern solutions. She is excited to support higher education in leveraging AI to enhance teaching, learning, and student success.
Lisa Raposo
Lisa Miles Raposo, Executive Director at the SUNY Center for Professional Development is a dedicated and experienced Higher Education Leader with over 25 years of experience in organizational and leadership development. Lisa has a Masters Degree in Library Science from Syracuse University, is a life-long learner and passionate about fostering inclusive environments where people feel seen, valued, and empowered to work with authenticity and purpose.
Carolyn Mattiske
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Kris Lynch
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Chris Price
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Madelaine Kaplan
Madelaine Kaplan has joined the SUNY Center for Professional Development as the Manager of Communications, overseeing outreach, marketing, and digital engagement initiatives. Prior to stepping into this role, Madelaine served as a Marketing Intern with CPD, where she worked on projects including email marketing, brochure design, Canva-based badge creation, and website accessibility updates. She recently earned her bachelor’s degree in Communication and Nonprofit Leadership from the University at Buffalo.
Contact Us
The SUNY Center for Professional Development (CPD) supports a wide range of professional development opportunities for the academic, technical, and leadership communities across the SUNY System.