Kainerstorfer gains fresh insight through ELATES program
By Sara Pecchia
Jana Kainerstorfer recently completed the Executive Leadership in Academic Technology, Engineering, and Science (ELATES) program at Drexel University, an intensive full-year, part-time fellowship program that provides training and development for women faculty and administrators.
“ELATES is a multitude of sessions that all in one way or another go hand-in-hand with academic leadership,” said Kainerstorfer, professor and associate department head for faculty and graduate affairs in biomedical engineering. “I learned a lot about myself and what I might want to do in my career moving forward. It really helped me to identify my own strengths.”
The 2024-2025 ELATES class included 47 faculty from 35 institutions across the United States and Canada. Throughout the year, the cohort convened for a series of week-long sessions exploring organizational leadership, finance and resource management, strategic communication, project development, and more. Fellows were organized into peer learning communities and supported by executive coaches. The program also included workshops on critical soft skills such as negotiation, conflict resolution, and personal branding.
“I learned so much about myself, for example, how I approach negotiation and even how to think more strategically about my personal brand,” Kainerstorfer reflected. “One of the most incredible elements was the 360-degree feedback process. It offered a truly eye-opening perspective.”
A particularly impactful aspect of the program for Kainerstorfer was the opportunity to conduct a series of in-depth interviews with senior leaders across Carnegie Mellon University. “That was one of the most amazing parts; just the access ELATES provided. The name itself opens doors,” she said. “I had wonderful one-hour conversations with the university provost, CFO, chief investment officer, deans, and beyond. It gave me a rare chance to ask direct questions about university finances and other topics that are typically difficult to explore in depth.”
Each fellow also develops and implements an Institutional Action Project, informed by their interviews and designed to address a pressing issue or opportunity within their home institution. Kainerstorfer’s project focused on establishing a system for tracking, assessing, rewarding, and promoting faculty service.
“While general guidelines exist, there is currently no standardized platform for consistently tracking faculty service load,” explained Kainerstorfer. “Academic institutions depend heavily on faculty participation in a wide range of committees, such as search committees, graduate affairs, and others, yet service contributions are rarely quantified or incentivized.”
The goals of her project were to develop a centralized database and tracking system for service activities, establish methods to assess and evaluate faculty engagement and effort, explore strategies for recognizing and rewarding exceptional service, and enable more intentional distribution of committee responsibilities based on individual interests, strengths, and leadership goals. While the project is still in its early phases, Kainerstorfer is committed to continuing the work beyond her ELATES program experience.
“It was an extremely empowering experience,” emphasized Kainerstorfer. “The connections I made are lasting, and everyone in my cohort is someone I’m proud to now count as part of my professional community. The bond among ELATES fellows is something I didn’t expect. It’s exciting to know there are ELATES alumni in leadership roles across many institutions.”