By Arial Struthers
Vanderbilt Executive Education is pleased to announce its spring and summer Programs for Individuals. These offerings feature a collection of immersive, research-backed courses designed to help professionals sharpen their leadership, strategic, and organizational capabilities. The spring/summer Programs for Individuals course catalog introduces two new programs—High-Performance Leadership: Building Teams that Win and Ethical AI Strategy and Enterprise Governance—expanding Vanderbilt’s portfolio of opportunities for individuals seeking to grow their careers without the commitment of a full-degree program.
Spanning leadership, strategy, finance, and organizational effectiveness, Vanderbilt Executive Education’s Programs for Individuals provide participants with practical tools grounded in academic rigor. Each course is taught by world-class faculty known for their expertise, innovation, and ability to translate research into real-world impact. Whether participants aim to elevate their leadership, deepen functional knowledge, or navigate emerging technologies, the 2026 lineup offers pathways aligned with today’s rapidly shifting business landscape.
High-Performance Leadership: Building Teams that Win
May 12-13, 2026 | In Person | Nashville, TN
Develop the skills to lead with clarity in this two-day, experiential program focused on building high-performing teams. Through simulations, collaborative challenges, and real-world leadership scenarios, you will build the strategic skills required to influence culture and drive measurable team performance. Participants will gain insights from Vanderbilt Athletics experts through an experiential event and an executive leadership panel with athletic coaches.
What you will learn:
- Read complex team dynamics and adapt your leadership style to enhance engagement and performance
- Build a cohesive, high-trust environment that encourages open dialogue, collaboration, and innovation
- Manage challenging conversations and provide constructive feedback to strengthen team alignment and results
- Connect team objectives, values, and accountability to organizational goals to drive sustained performance
- Develop and empower team members to expand their impact and create a culture of continuous growth
Benefits:
- Continue development long after your time at Vanderbilt
- Improve collaboration, communication, and decision-making effectiveness
- Build confidence in facilitating high-performance cultures
- Gain practical tools you can immediately apply in your workplace
Who should attend:
Mid-level managers, team leaders, functional leads, high-potential professionals, leaders in fast-paced or high growth environments, and cross-industry professionals.
Meet the Professor:
Mario Avila
Mario Avila, Faculty Director, Center for Social Ventures and Assistant Professor of the Practice of Management, teaches in the MBA and Executive Education programs. His courses are at the intersection of entrepreneurship, sports, and social impact. He also leads various Global Immersion programs, including Project Pyramid — an interdisciplinary course that introduces students to the global poverty challenges and the business-driven solutions aimed at alleviating them.
Program fee: $3,600 | CEUs: 1.4 | Learning hours: 14
Register here for High-Performance Leadership: Building Teams that Win.
Ethical AI Strategy and Enterprise Governance
May 19-21, 2026 | In Person | Nashville, TN
Develop the skills to lead with clarity in this multi-day program designed to help leaders integrate artificial intelligence into strategy and operations while maintaining strong governance. Through faculty-led instruction, interactive exercises, and practical frameworks, you will learn how to evaluate AI opportunities, manage organizational risk, and align innovation with responsible enterprise practices. This three-day program is designed with flexibility in mind—participants can attend the core one- or two-day experience, with an optional third day specifically for healthcare professionals that focuses on AI applications and governance in the healthcare industry.
What you will learn:
- Gain a clear understanding of AI technologies, applications, risks, and opportunities across industries
- Use a practical model for embedding ethics into decision-making and corporate culture, clarifying what your organization will and will not tolerate in AI systems
- Interpret and prepare for evolving AI regulations, fiduciary responsibilities, and cross-border compliance obligations
- Evaluate AI’s strategic potential while safeguarding against reputational, legal, and societal risks
- Design governance systems that align AI innovation with enterprise purpose, stakeholder trust, and long-term value creation
*If you take the optional third day of the program, you will also learn to examine AI’s transformative impact on diagnostics, treatment, operations, and care delivery and address challenges of patient data privacy, algorithmic bias, and regulatory oversight.
Benefits:
- Gain strategic frameworks and practical tools to responsibly navigate effective leadership
- Gather tools to integrate AI into strategy and operations while ensuring sound governance
- Learn how to balance innovation with risk management
- Anticipate regulatory responsibilities
- Gain the ability to embed AI considerations into organizational culture
Who should attend:
C-suite leaders, senior executives, healthcare leaders, functional leaders, and innovation and technology leaders.
Jeffrey Saviano
Meet the Professors:
Jeffrey Saviano, Adjunct Faculty and faculty lead who designed the new Ethical AI Strategy and Enterprise Governance Executive Education Program for Individuals, is a recognized leader in innovation, disruptive technology strategy, governance, and ethical AI. Saviano retired from EY as the Emerging Technology Strategy & Governance Leader and held a variety of leadership roles over more than 32 years with the firm. He has educated and advised more than 100 corporate boards and C-suite leadership teams, leveraging deep expertise in AI, Web3, and technology-driven transformation. In May 2024, his Fortune Op-Ed urged corporate boards to take a proactive role in AI governance.
Ranga Ramanujam, Richard M. and Betty Ruth Miller Chair, Professor of Management, Faculty Director of Health Care Programs, and Professor of Health Policy Secondary Appointment, is a leading researcher and consultant on the organizational causes and consequences of operational failures in high-risk work settings. He teaches in the MBA and Executive Education programs. His courses include Managerial and Organizational Effectiveness, and Healthcare Delivery Organizations. Professor Ramanujam’s current research examines the role of leadership, communication, and learning processes in enhancing the quality and safety of healthcare.
Program fee: $5,000 (3 days), $4,000 (2 days), or $1,800 (1 day) | CEUs: 2.1 (3 days), 1.4 (2 days), or 0.7 (1 day) | Learning hours: 21 hours (3 days), 14 hours (2 days) or 7 hours (1 day)
Register here for Ethical AI Strategy and Enterprise Governance.
In addition to the two new Programs for Individuals, Vanderbilt Executive Education is offering a robust lineup of returning courses:
- Executive Leadership | March 24-26 | In person | Led by Mark Cannon
- Persuasive & Influential Speaking | April 14-15 | In person | Led by Kimberly Pace
- Leading Change | April 21-22 | In person | Led by Ray Friedman
- Leading and Achieving Transformational Growth | April 28-30 | In person | Led by Todd A. McCullough and David Owens
Each program is intentionally designed to fit the needs of busy professionals, with short, intensive formats that maximize learning while minimizing time away from work. Professionals interested in exploring the full catalog of Spring and Summer 2026 Executive Education Programs for Individuals can find program details, dates, and registration information here.
