About
Matt Leader joined Florida Polytechnic University as an academic success coach in December 2025. He previously worked as a licensed therapist in Pennsylvania for five years before moving to Florida and transitioning to a career in student affairs.
He has worked with students in higher education settings with a focus on on improving study skills, time management skills, and adapting to the challenges of college. He has also worked with students and other individuals on adjusting to transitional times in their lives.
Leader believes college is a pivotal time in a person’s life to not only learn the skills and information to become a professional, but to learn about themselves as well. He is passionate about helping others find their success both in and out of the classroom.
Education
This session will demonstrate that practical risk management is for everyone, regardless of a formal program. Attendees will learn actionable and simple strategies that are easy to implement, enabling them to start immediately by focusing on their top risks to build greater operational resilience and ensure the sustained success of their auxiliary enterprises.
Michelle Powell serves as the pioneering Risk Manager at Florida Polytechnic University, the state’s sole 100% STEM-dedicated institution. Having been with the university for nearly 11 years, Michelle transitioned from a leadership role in Admissions in October 2023 to establish and evolve the risk management function from the ground up. In this solo capacity, Michelle builds robust frameworks for our dynamic, young university, overseeing our insurance portfolio, consulting on third-party and event risks, and developing critical campus-wide training programs. Michelle has obtained the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) Enterprise Risk Management certificate and the Associate in Risk Management (ARM) and Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist (CRIS) designations. Her distinct background in mathematics and engineering, combined with extensive higher education leadership, brings an analytical and strategic approach enhancing the institution’s resilience.
