Real-World Change Management: From Theory to Practice

Session Description

This interactive session explores how leaders help people navigate change and adopt new ways of working. Michael Durkin will share insights from Project SmartSpend, including UPST’s transition to Fisher Scientific as the prime supplier for Research, Scientific and Medical (RSM) supplies. His perspective will highlight how the team is supporting stakeholders through changes in purchasing practice.

A documentary about the President’s Office move to 50 Washington Street will provide another real-world example of change and serve as the starting point for an interactive discussion. Participants will reflect on their own experiences and the intentional communication, training, and support that helped people adjust to a new model of office space use.

The group will explore Change Management principles and consider future transformation efforts, including the potential NextGen ERP implementation. The session emphasizes anticipating the impact on people, preparing teams for new processes, and the role each leader plays in supporting lasting change.

Session Documents

• Available upon request

Speaker Bios

Michael Durkin

Michael Durkin serves as the Chief Procurement Officer for the UMass President’s Office.  As CPO Michael manages Procurement functions for the five UMass campuses and the President’s office, including Procurement Operations, Bank Card, Supplier Management, Accounts Payable, Contracting and Sourcing, making up a portfolio of over $1B in spend. Michael leverages 30 years of higher ed experience to lead the UPST team, having served as the Director of Strategic Procurement before being promoted to the CPO role.  Prior to returning to UMass, Michael was the Chief Procurement Officer for the University System of New Hampshire, the Director of Procurement at UMass Lowell and Merrimack College, and started his career in Student Affairs, serving in a number of student activities roles at both small private and large public universities. Michael has a bachelor's degree in history from Assumption University, and a master's degree in education administration from the University of Nebraska

Kara Wieckowski

Kara Wieckowski serves as a Management Consulting Senior Principal with Accenture. In this role, Kara helps organizations navigate large-scale technology and business transformations, with particular expertise in higher education ERP implementations, leadership team effectiveness, stakeholder engagement, and workforce readiness. Kara brings more than 20 years of experience leading organizational change, leadership development, and transformation initiatives across higher education, state government, healthcare, and the private sector. Prior to joining Accenture, she served as an Associate Director at Navigant and held consulting manager roles with Somerset CPAs P.C. and GE Healthcare. Kara holds an MBA from the University of Notre Dame and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from California State University, Long Beach. She is also certified in Change Management and Lean Six Sigma.