Agenda
Session I is designed around leading yourself. During this session participants will focus on building a cohesive team with other cohort members and exploring who they are as leaders through enrichment programs about interpersonal leadership and personal strengths.
Tuesday, October 7, 2025
| Time | Activity | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM | Welcome | Texas A&M Forest Service |
| 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM | Team Charter | Frank Keck – Core Build Solutions Inc. |
| 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Lunch | N/A |
| 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Leadership 101 | Frank Keck – Core Build Solutions Inc. | 6:30 PM | Dinner on Texas A&M Forest Service | Paesanos |
Wednesday, October 8, 2025
| Time | Activity | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Decision Making | Cindi Baldi, PhD – Culsure |
| 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Lunch | N/A |
| 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Leadership 101 | Frank Keck – Core Build Solutions Inc. |
| 7:00 PM | Dinner on your own | Group reservation available at Ácenar |
Thursday, October 9, 2025
| Time | Activity | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Strengths Finder | Todd Cottrell – Texas A&M AgriLife |
| 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM | Closing Remarks | N/A |
Speakers
Frank Keck
Frank Keck’s driving force in life is to be a catalyst in the pursuit of “Idealness”. In other words, helping people move closer to their ideal state in life. His driving force is motivated by values of authenticity, curiosity and adventure. Keck began his professional speaking career in 1990. Zig Ziglar is among the speakers that inspired him to pursue his passion. Thanks to a natural ability and fine-tuning while working at Dale Carnegie, Keck has become an expert at dealing with people. He focuses on behavior change, whether he is delivering content on leadership, team building or culture shaping. Keck truly is the “People Whisperer”. Keck utilizes humor, encouraging audiences to be focused, but to not to take themselves too seriously—enjoying life while challenging themselves. He leaves audiences energized and enlightened with the skills to produce positive effects in their personal and professional lives. What makes Keck remarkable is the effect he has on individuals and groups. He is able to connect with people and help them grow with a simple tool: questions. When Keck facilitates content or conversation, he asks questions encouraging the participants to think on a deeper level.
“Frank Keck has launched our organization into a level of leadership unseen in our history.” –Bill Stockton, Texas A&M Transportation Institute
“With Frank, you will leave a presentation informed, enlightened with different and unique perspectives on even things you may have taken for granted, and making the complex simpler and very practical. There is a strong possibility you will also be entertained. One thing for sure, you will not be disappointed!“ –John Watson, PMI Northeast Florida
Cindi Baldi
Dr. Cindi Baldi is the founder and CEO of Culsure, an organizational science firm, and is the co-host of the Management Muse podcast, and co-author of The Uncertainty Playbook. She holds a PhD, an MBA, and an MS in Management from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, and a BS in Management from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
Cindi grew up in an entrepreneurial family that owned a zoo, a haunted house, a video game arcade, and a drive-in movie theatre. During college, she was a blackjack dealer on a cruise ship, and after college, she was one of the primary organizers of the third-largest motorcycle rally in the United States, in Laconia, New Hampshire.
An expert on organizational behavior, group performance, and employee identification, Cindi has presented her research worldwide at institutions like the Stanford Business School, the INSEAD School of Business in France, and Ben-Gurion University in Israel. She has also written multiple articles on organizational issues for research journals like Management and Healthcare and contributed chapters in books like the Oxford Handbook of Organizational Identity. Cindi is the creator of organizational culture surveys, leadership and communication assessments, and a variety of scientific measurement tools. Her products, based on her research and experience, are in use by corporate, nonprofit, and government organizations throughout America. Cindi is a serial entrepreneur who has created profitable companies throughout the United States. She coaches and advises leaders and their teams throughout the world.
Todd Cottrell
Todd Cottrell began his career in Training and Development as a Training Coordinator for Kinko’s in 1995. He worked for 25 years in Corporate America before joining the Texas A&M System in December of 2020. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communications at the University of Missouri – St. Louis in 2009 and a Master of Science degree in Organizational and Human Resources Development at Abilene Christian University in 2014. He is a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, a SHRM Senior Certified Professional in Human Resources, an ATD Certified Professional in Talent Development as well as a Certified Mediator.
Currently, Todd is the Employee and Organizational Development Manager for Texas A&M AgriLife. He oversees the AgriLife Leadership Development Programs and delivers presentations on various leadership topics at retreats and conferences around the state, conducts CliftonStrengths Team sessions and occasionally provides Mediation services.
Todd is the proud father of four grown children and the proud Papaw of 2 grandchildren. He lives in Bryan, Texas with his wife and spends most of his spare time pursuing his Ph.D. in Educational Human Resource Development.