Shelley Sutherland House Director Institute

Sunday, June 21, 2026

10:00 am – 12:00 pm - Registration

1:00 pm – 1:45 pm - Conference Kick-off

Rhythms and Resilience. What should you expect? What’s going on around you? How do you unlock and unleash the opportunities ahead of you this week? Join conference host Scott Fussell for an energetic kickoff session.

1:45 pm – 2:00 pm - Coffee Break

2:00 pm – 3:15 pm – From Preservation Hall to the Chapter Hall – Scott Fussell

In the spirit of New Orleans’ legendary Preservation Hall, where every instrument and every voice contributes to something greater than itself, this session invites House Directors to rediscover and amplify their own voice, artistry, and influence within the chapter experience. Together, we’ll explore how the environments we create can help people feel heard, seen, valued, and deeply connected to something meaningful. Through reflection, storytelling, and practical strategies, participants will leave with renewed confidence in the unique rhythm they bring to their work and new ways to cultivate chapter cultures where every voice matters and the music of the community can truly be felt. 

3:15 pm – 3:30 pm - Wrap-up

Before we parade out of the NOPSI and into the night, let’s chat about your takeaways from day one and what you’re looking forward to in day two?  

3:30 pm – 5:00 pm - Break

5:00 pm – 6:30 pm - Rhythms and Resilience - Opening Night Reception

Get ready to kick off the 2026 Shelley Sutherland House Directors Institute in style with an unforgettable Opening Reception!

6:30 pm – 8:30 pm - Dinner on your own

Monday, June 22, 2026

9:00 am – 9:15 am - Day 2 Opening - Scott Fussell

9:15 am – 11:30 am – Start Here - Jeff Peterson & Scott Burgess

Behind every thriving fraternity and sorority house is a foundation of safety, care, and intentional management.

In this practical and insight-driven two-part session, Scott Burgess and Jeff Peterson will explore the essential elements of housing safety, maintenance, and day-to-day operations—equipping house directors with the tools and mindset needed to create environments that are both secure and sustainable. From preventative maintenance and risk awareness to vendor relationships and operational consistency, this session will focus on what it takes to run a high-functioning home.

Participants will consider how consistent systems and proactive care create a reliable rhythm for house operations — while building resilience through preparation, responsiveness, and attention to detail.

10:15 am – 10:30 am Break

11:30 am – 12:30 pm - Lunch Break

12:30 pm – 1:30 pm – Your Eyes and Ears Matter - Liz Alexander, PDR Designs

What if the spaces we live and lead in could actively shape the culture we’re trying to build?

In this engaging and practical session, Liz Alexander of PDR Designs explores how house directors play a critical role in ensuring chapter houses support both community and functionality. Grounded in real-world experience, Liz will unpack how house directors notice what others don’t and why their role provides a unique vantage point for recognizing critical patterns in overall design, feel, and function.

This session will highlight how house directors-- through awareness and effective communication, yielding action by the right individuals-- help maintain the right rhythm for daily living.

1:30 pm – 1:40 pm - Break

1:40 pm – 2:40 pm – The Silent Crisis - Woody Ratterman, CSL Management

Behind every chapter house door is a story unfolding. Today’s fraternity and sorority housing professionals are navigating far more than operations and occupancy — they are managing ever-changing challenges, safety concerns, evolving student needs, and the growing influence of technology and AI on connection, communication, and belonging. While innovation and convenience continue to enhance the student experience, they also create new pressures and unintended consequences that can quietly erode community and well-being.

In this session, we’ll explore the “silent crisis” affecting chapter houses today — the issues often felt deeply but rarely discussed. Through real-world experiences and practical conversation, we’ll examine how house directors can move beyond simply managing chapter houses to intentionally shaping environments where students feel safe, seen, connected, and supported. Because in the end, facts inform, but stories move. We need both to write the next chapter.

2:40 pm – 2:50 pm - Daily Wrap-up - Scott Fussell

Before we parade out of the NOPSI and into the night, let’s chat about your takeaways from day two and what you’re looking forward to in day three? 

3:30 pm – 5:30 pm - Trip to Mardi Gras Museum

A visit to the Mardi Gras World offers a behind-the-scenes look at one of New Orleans’ most iconic traditions. Home to the legendary Blaine Kern Studios, the museum showcases the artistry, craftsmanship, and storytelling that bring Mardi Gras parades to life—from towering floats to intricate costumes and vibrant props.

For participants of the Shelley Sutherland House Directors Institute, this experience is more than a tour—it’s a living example of Rhythm & Resilience in action. Mardi Gras itself is built on rhythm: a cycle of preparation, anticipation, celebration, and renewal. Behind the scenes, it also requires resilience—teams collaborating year-round, adapting designs, solving problems, and bringing vision to life under pressure.

6:30 pm – 8:30 pm - Dinner on your own

Tuesday, June 23, 2026

9:00 am – 9:15 am - Day 3 Opening - Scott Fussell

9:15 am – 10:15 am – What’s Going on Out There? – A Conversation with North American Interfraternity Conference CEO, Judson Horras

What are you seeing—and what does it mean for your campus and community?

Join Judson Horras, President and CEO of the North American Interfraternity Conference, for a candid and timely conversation on the current landscape of fraternity life. Together, we’ll explore the trends shaping our organizations, the challenges testing our systems, and the wins that remind us why this work matters.

Grounded in the conference theme of Rhythm & Resilience, this session will examine how our communities are adapting in real time—where we’re finding momentum, where we’re feeling strain, and how we can respond with clarity, consistency, and care.

10:15 am  – 10:30 am - Break

10:30 am – 11:30 am – Yes, Your House Too – A Q&A with Rae Ann Gruver & Evelyn Piazza

“It wouldn’t happen here” is one of the most dangerous assumptions we can make—and one this session will directly challenge.

In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, Rae Ann Gruver and Evelyn Piazza share their lived experiences as mothers who lost their sons, Maxwell Gruver and Timothy Piazza, to hazing in 2017. Their stories are not just reminders of the stakes—they are calls to action for every community committed to care, accountability, and prevention.

Grounded in both experience and advocacy, this session will help house directors understand what to look for, how hazing behaviors can develop and hide in plain sight, and the critical role they play in interrupting patterns before harm occurs.

11:45 am – 12:30 pm - Lunch Break

12:45 pm – 3:15 pm – Rhythm and Resilience: Lessons from the Bayou for Your U – Scott Fussell and Dr. Mari Ann Callais

What can New Orleans teach us about leadership, community, and care?

In this dynamic and story-rich session, Scott Fussell and Dr. Mari Ann Callais invite participants to explore the deeper lessons of New Orleans—where history, culture, and community have long been shaped by both celebration and challenge. Drawing from the spirit of the bayou, they’ll connect the city’s unique rhythms, resilience, and recipes to the everyday work of leading fraternity and sorority communities.

From traditions rooted in history to the power of gathering around a table, this session will highlight how environments built on connection, consistency, and culture can transform the student experience. Participants will consider how the “recipes” of New Orleans—intentional ingredients, shared responsibility, and time-tested practices—mirror what it takes to create thriving, values-driven homes.

2:00 pm – 2:10 pm - Break

3:15 pm – 3:30 pm - Daily Wrap-up - Scott Fussell

3:30 pm – 5:30 pm - Break to get ready for the Banquet

5:30 pm – 8:30 pm - Closing Reception and Celebration Banquet

Wednesday, June 24, 2026

9:00 am – 9:15 am - Day 4 Opening - Scott Fussell

9:15 am – 11:00 am – Better After the Bayou – Dr. Mari Ann Callais

The best conferences don’t end when you leave—they travel with you.

In this highly interactive, traveling roundtable session, “Dr. Mac” will guide participants through a series of focused conversations designed to capture the most meaningful lessons and takeaways from the Institute. From connection and community to housing operations and hazing prevention, each table will serve as a space to reflect, share, and sharpen the ideas that matter most.

Rooted in the theme of Rhythm & Resilience, this session will help participants identify what practices are worth carrying forward, what rhythms need to be sustained, and how to build resilience through intentional action back on campus.

11:00 am – 11:45 am - Look Back, A Look Ahead, Scott Fussell

What and who did you find amazing? Who added so much value to your experience that they need to leave here with a new title such as MVHD? What are you looking forward to next year, and where will you find it? Consider this your dessert as we enjoy one final course at the 2026 Shelley Sutherland House Directors Institute. 

12:15 pm – 1:30 pm - Lunch in New Orleans - On your own

1:45 pm – 5:00 pm - Exploring New Orleans - On your own