Shows / Trusted Voices
Trusted Voices
Trusted Voices explores the complex intersection of leadership and communication in higher education. Each episode, hosts Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy chat with university presidents, industry thought leaders—and each other—about the latest news in the industry and the challenges and opportunities facing those in the most visible roles in higher ed.
Episodes
Trusted VoicesPost-Midterm Special with Dr. Bryan J. Cook
Episode 5.05 of the Trusted Voices Podcast features Dr. Bryan J. Cook, director of higher education policy at the Urban Institute, who joins hosts Erin and…
Trusted VoicesS5. Ep. 4 Radical Access and Radical Opportunity
Teresa leads off Episode 4 of Season 5 looking at the limitations of using early-career earnings to measure the success and value of college degrees…
Trusted VoicesS5. Ep. 3 Institutional Ethics and Differentiators
Higher education has made national headlines recently; Erin and Teresa are back for Episode 3 of Season 5 to analyze why. Leading off with Cornell, Erin and…
Trusted VoicesS5. Ep. 2 - Tension Convention: Reporting on Higher Ed Realities
Erin leads off Trusted Voices Season 5, Episode 2 discussing the unsure footing of higher ed when engaging with the Trump administration, citing deliberations…
Trusted VoicesS5. Ep. 1 - New Ecosystems, Same Scrutiny
Trusted Voices is back with a new look for a new season! In the first episode of Season 5, Erin and Teresa share what stories they are reading and the topics…
Trusted VoicesS4. Ep. 12 - Summer Break? Not for Higher Ed Strategy
The academic year might be over, but higher ed's biggest problems aren't taking a summer vacation. In this season’s finale of Trusted Voices, Teresa and Erin…
Trusted VoicesS4. Ep. 11 - Knowing When to Merge — and When to Go Home
Temple University President John Fry joins Teresa and Erin to talk consolidation, mergers, and what 24 years in the presidency has taught him about leading…
Trusted VoicesS4. Ep. 10 - ‘How to best protect higher education’
In this episode of Trusted Voices, Erin Hennessy and Teresa Valerio Parrot unpack the realities facing higher education leaders today. Drawing from recent…
Trusted VoicesS4. Ep. 9 - Why Higher Ed Should Embrace the Constructive Power of Critique
In this episode of Trusted Voices, Anne Harris, president of Grinnell College, shares her perspective on leading a liberal arts institution through a time of…
Trusted VoicesS4. Ep. 8 - A Presidential Pulse Check
Live from the ACE Experience conference, Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy discuss early insights from the upcoming 2026 Survey of College and University…
Trusted VoicesS4. Ep. 7 - No Longer Nudging: States are Overhauling Higher Ed
State politics are playing a larger role in shaping higher education governance. In this episode of Trusted Voices, Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy sit…
Trusted VoicesS4. Ep. 6 - The Search for Certainty in 2026
In this episode of Trusted Voices, Erin Hennessy and Teresa Valerio Parrot reflect on the close of the year and turn their attention to what lies ahead for…
Trusted VoicesS4. Ep. 5 - How to Stop Dying from Burnout
Leadership in higher education demands more than strategy—it requires energy, focus, and the courage to think creatively. In this episode, Todd Henry joins…
Trusted VoicesS4. Ep. 4 - Will Trump’s ‘Compact’ End Autonomy in Higher Ed?
The hosts of Trusted Voices and Campus Docket join forces to break down the Trump administration’s higher education compact and its legal, political, and…
Trusted VoicesS4. Ep. 3 - UNC on the Hot Seat, and a Positive Public Opinion Poll
In this episode of Trusted Voices, hosts Erin Hennessy and Teresa Valerio Parrot explore the legal and political pressures reshaping higher education. From…
Trusted VoicesS4. Ep. 2 - Why St. Francis University is Leaving DI Athletics
Saint Francis University stunned many in higher ed by announcing its move from Division I to Division III athletics. In this episode of Trusted Voices, Teresa…
Trusted VoicesS4. Ep. 1 - ‘Let’s Get Back to the Work’
In the Trusted Voices season 4 premiere, Erin and Teresa evaluate Gallup’s reassessment of public trust, discuss trending news, and promise to continue their…
Trusted VoicesS3. Ep. 13 End of Semester Reflections
In their Season 3 finale, Trusted Voices co-hosts Erin Hennessy and Teresa Valerio Parrot reflect on a year of bold conversations, policy pitfalls, and…
Trusted VoicesS3. Ep.12 - Will This Dumpster Fire Burn Itself Out?
Hosts Erin Hennessy and Teresa Valerio Parrot speak with Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education. Mitchell offers a candid look at the…
Trusted VoicesS3. Ep. 11 - Harvard Says No
Erin Hennessy and Teresa Valerio Parrot unpack Harvard’s bold defiance of the Trump administration, what it means for international students, and why higher ed…
Trusted VoicesS3. Ep. 10 - Choose Your Damning Wisely
Staying silent isn’t always the safest choice. Hosts Erin Hennessy and Teresa Valerio Parrot sit down with Holden Thorp to discuss why higher ed leaders must…
Trusted VoicesS3. Ep. 09 - Funding Cuts and Uncertain Futures
Erin Hennessy and Teresa Valerio Parrot assess the impact of NIH funding cuts on local communities and brace for the unknown future of the Department of…
Trusted VoicesS3. Ep. 08 - Being a Critical Friend
Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy invite Inside Higher Ed’s Sara Custer to reflect on her first year as editor-in-chief, exploring the evolving media…
Trusted VoicesS3. Ep. 07 - Higher Ed Has Always Been Political
Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy dive into the new year discussing enrollment trends, a new Department of Education, and the true role of crisis…
Trusted VoicesS3. Ep. 06 - Shifting Realities
Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy close out the fall semester by examining shifting trends in college presidencies and thought leadership, offering…
Trusted VoicesS3. Ep. 05 - Feet to the Fire
Dr. Belle S. Wheelan joins Teresa and Erin to discuss accreditation, the responsibilities and roles of accrediting bodies and the plans for higher ed under a…
Trusted VoicesS3. Ep. 04 - Grace under Pressure
Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy welcome Dr. Vann R. Newkirk Sr., president of Wilberforce University, to discuss the critical need for resources…
Trusted VoicesS3. Ep. 03 - A Fall Semester of Institutional Resilience
Erin and Teresa talk about natural disasters, offer resources for campuses navigating election season and disinformation, and highlight leaders willing to be…
Trusted VoicesS3. Ep.02 - Leading with Humanity, Not Just Titles
Kevin McClure and Jorge Burmicky join the Trusted Voices Podcast to share why their presidential competencies are far more than a leadership checklist.
Trusted VoicesS3. Ep. 01 - All About the Benjamins
Finances, elections, and leadership: Erin and Teresa kick off Season 3 by looking ahead to the drivers of fall on campus.
Trusted VoicesS2. Ep.11 - Is Institutional Neutrality the Next Higher Ed Virus?
Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy close season two with more fall predictions as Harvard University abstains from “official statements about public…
Trusted VoicesS2. Ep.10 - A Crisis Beyond Higher Ed, It’s the Workforce Pipeline
Dr. Angel B. Pérez, CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), joins hosts Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy to discuss…
Trusted VoicesS2. Ep. 09 - Employers Need to Step Up, Provide More Internships
Erin Hennessy and Teresa Valerio Parrot welcome Brandon Busteed, the CEO of BrandEd, to discuss the importance of relationship-rich and work-integrated…
Trusted VoicesS2. Ep. 08 - Higher Ed Sucks. My Institution Is Okay.
Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy focus on the findings of Inside Higher Ed's 2024 Survey of College and University Presidents. The conversation delves…
Trusted VoicesS2. Ep. 07 - CBE Prepares Students for an AI-Driven Future
Erin Hennessy and Teresa Valerio Parrot welcome Paul LeBlanc, president of Southern New Hampshire University, as he highlights the need for trust…
Trusted VoicesS2. Ep. 06 - 10 Resolutions for Higher Ed in 2024
In this episode of the Trusted Voices Podcast, hosts Erin Hennessy and Teresa Valerio Parrot outline their top 10 New Year’s resolutions for the higher…
Trusted VoicesS2. Ep. 05 - You Can Only Tell a Story That Already Exists
In this crossover episode of the Trusted Voices Podcast and Higher Voltage, hosts Erin Hennessy, Teresa Valerio Parrot, and Kevin Tyler delve into…
Trusted VoicesS2. Ep. 04 - AI Unveiled: Are We at the Peak or the Plateau?
Erin Hennessy and Teresa Valerio Parrot dive deep into the fascinating world of artificial intelligence and its profound impact on higher education. Erin…
Trusted VoicesS2. Ep. 03 - Paul Fain on Higher Ed’s True ROI: A Job
Paul Fain, creator of The Job newsletter and the related weekly publication Work Shift, joins Teresa and Erin to dig into the practical application of a degree…
Trusted VoicesS2. Ep. 02 - ’Solving’ Governance in Less Than 20 Minutes
Teresa and Erin discuss the importance of engaging the communications team early in crises and highlight the significance of professionalizing leadership…
Trusted VoicesS2. Ep. 01 - Reginald DesRoches, President of Rice University
Kicking off Season 2, Rice University President Reginald DesRoches joins Teresa and Erin to discuss the importance of openness and how to embrace politics at…
Trusted VoicesEp. 05: Season 1 Recap: ‘Addressing the Tensions That We All Know Exist’
The inaugural season of Trusted Voices covered a lot of ground, full of unguarded conversations and actionable insights as we explored the intersection of…
Trusted VoicesEp. 04-B: What We Learned From Our Conversation with Valerie Sheares Ashby
Teresa and Erin are back to recap their conversation with Valerie Sheares Ashby, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. In doing so, they…
Trusted VoicesEp. 04-A: Valerie Sheares Ashby, President of the University of Maryland Baltimore County
President Valerie Sheares Ashby of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County joins Erin Hennessy and Teresa Valerio Parrot to discuss the impact of…
Trusted VoicesEp. 03-B: The Big Takeaways from Our Conversation with Amy Privette Perko
Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy share their big takeaways from their conversation with Amy Privette Perko of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate…
Trusted VoicesEp. 03-A: Amy Privette Perko—Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics
Amy Privette Perko of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics joins Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy to discuss the NCAA’s new president…
Trusted VoicesEp 02-B: What We Learned from Our Conversation with Eric Hoover
Teresa and Erin are back to recap their conversation with Eric Hoover, senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education. Along the way, they discuss the idea…
Trusted VoicesEp 02-A: Eric Hoover, Senior Writer at the Chronicle of Higher Education
Eric Hoover, Senior Writer at the Chronicle of Higher Education, joins Teresa Valerio Parrot and Erin Hennessy to discuss higher ed's trust issues.
Trusted VoicesEp 01-B: What We Learned From Our Conversation with Vincent Rougeau
Teresa and Erin are back, recapping their conversation with Vincent Rougeau, president of the College of the Holy Cross. Rougeau’s path to a college presidency…
Trusted VoicesEp 01-A: Vincent Rougeau, President of the College of the Holy Cross
The first episode of the new Trusted Voices Podcast launches with guest Vincent Rougeau, president of the College of the Holy Cross, in Worcester, Mass…
Trusted VoicesWelcome to Trusted Voices
Higher education’s most high-profile and high-impact issues occur at the intersection of leadership and communications. Trusted Voices, hosted by Erin Hennessy…