Educational Sessions

Explore Our Educational Sessions

Ready to expand your knowledge and gain valuable insights? The NACUMS Annual Conference offers a diverse lineup of educational sessions designed to empower and inspire. From leadership development and quality control to the latest in postal operations and artificial intelligence, there’s something for everyone.

Whether you're looking to sharpen your leadership skills, streamline your operations, or explore emerging technologies, our expert-led sessions provide practical takeaways and actionable strategies.

Scroll down to browse through the session descriptions and start planning your conference experience. Get ready to learn, connect, and grow!

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Conference Agenda on Whova!

Featured Session

From Waste to Flow: A Lean Introduction by Joyce Hinton

A high-level introduction of the Lean methodology, the 8 Wastes framework, and process mapping with Spaghetti and Cross-Functional flow diagrams. Participants will gain practical insights to identify process waste, visualize workflow, and inspire meaningful improvement.

Joyce Hinton is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and for several years has served as an OU Lean Institute senior Lean Six Sigma coach, instructor, and practitioner for many of the Institute’s major clients. She is the primary instructor for the Institute’s Lean Six Sigma White and Green Belt training workshops; her recent activities include converting the LSS Green Belt instructor-led workshop to an e-learning course. Previously, Joyce worked with employee-led production quality teams to apply structured problem-solving using data to drive the analysis and corrective action. Her passion is helping students learn to see processes differently - to prove to themselves that the lean and six sigma process improvement methodologies are effective. There are few things more rewarding than seeing a student grasp a new concept and apply it successfully. Joyce holds a B.S. in Business Administration (Management concentration) from Meredith College, North Carolina. She has completed extensive training in lean/six sigma methodologies, as well as having broad experience in both management and procurement.

OU Lean Institute |  Established in 2004 |  lean.ou.edu
The University of Oklahoma Lean Institute delivers trusted process improvement and Lean Leadership training designed to strengthen organizations from within. For more than two decades, we have integrated Lean and Six Sigma methodologies to help leaders improve workflow and quality, reduce defects and delays, enhance safety, increase profitability, and advance sustainability. Grounded in continuous improvement and respect for people, OULI builds lasting organizational capability and shifts leaders from reactive problem-solving to proactive performance.

General Sessions

Case Study: Freshman Move-In at Berry College by Tami Freeman

This session will demonstrate how small schools with limited resources can effectively manage freshmen move-in package volumes.  I will show how Berry College uses their package tracking software, some creative ideas, and partnerships with other departments to be able to receive packages in advance and set up two remote package pick-up locations adjacent to freshmen dorms.  Attendees will be encouraged to examine their own operations and resources and be creative in finding solutions to this problem.

Future-Proofing: Beyond KPIs Into Predictive Analytics and AI-Driven Logistics by Sam Dewitt

In an era of skyrocketing package volumes and "instant" delivery expectations, campus mailrooms can no longer afford to be reactive. Last year, we discussed how to collect data; this year, we explore how to make that data work for the future.

This session dives into the world of Predictive Analytics and AI-Driven Automation. We will explore how to use historical volume trends to forecast staffing needs and how Mobile Intake Automation is revolutionizing the intake process.

Through real-world scenarios, we will demonstrate how combining a Mailbox Number with AI-Driven OCR eliminates the "duplicate name" dilemma and slashes manual data entry. Attendees will leave with a roadmap for transitioning their operations from "What happened?" to "What will happen next?"

How to Manage Your Mailroom Efficiently in the AI World by Chris Bucher

AI is changing mail center operations. The opportunity isn't in adopting every new tool but in knowing where AI actually solves problems. This session focuses on how mail and parcel operations can adopt AI in practical ways that improve efficiency, security, and user experience. 

OCR technology has become foundational, enabling faster and more accurate parcel and mail processing, reducing manual data entry, and improving tracking during peak periods. 

Digital mail is gaining traction as universities look to digitize physical mail, not as an immediate cost-cutting tool, but as a longer-term strategy for flexible and resilience and scalability. 

Security and risk detection Digitizing mail also unlocks advanced AI capabilities such as sentiment analysis, risk detection, and security threat identification, helping teams proactively manage sensitive or time-critical communications. 

Rather than replacing people, AI augments mail center teams by removing friction, reducing errors, and allowing staff to focus on higher-value work. 

This session will share real-world use cases, lessons learned, and a practical approach for adopting AI in mail center operations, drawing on 35 years of hands-on experience supporting university and institutional mail center processing millions of packages annually.

Informed Delivery Expansion to Colleges and Universities by Kate Alves

Session Description Coming Soon!

Job Security in Uncertain Times by Mark Fallon

We live in an unpredictable world. No one is going to watch out for you and make sure that you have a job. You must take personal responsibility for your career development. Learn what you can do to take control now.

NACUMS Talks: Auburn University with Anthony Driver hosted by Rusty Wummel

Join us for an engaging and informative interview with Anthony Driver, Manager of Mail Services at Auburn University, as he shares an insider’s look at leadership within Campus Services and the essential role Mail Services plays in keeping a major university running smoothly.

This session is designed to provide both inspiration and practical takeaways as we explore what effective leadership, thoughtful operations, and strategic collaboration look like in a modern campus mail environment. You'll learn about staffing and team leadership, recent enhancements within Mail Services, annual package volume and trends, and cross-campus collaboration.

The Last Untracked Mile: What Letter Mail is Really Costing Your University by Jeff McKenzie

Package management has dominated university mail services investment for over a decade and for good reason. But in the shadow of that transformation, letter mail distribution has been left largely unchanged, untracked, and underestimated.

This session challenges the assumption that less volume means less risk. The mail that survived digitization did so because it couldn't be replaced and that makes every piece more consequential than ever. The impact of unmanaged letter mail touches students, families, and the institution itself in ways that are rarely acknowledged and almost never quantified.

Attendees will explore the real cost of letter mail that goes untracked across student happiness, institutional relationships, and financial exposure and leave with a clearer picture of what optimized letter mail distribution looks like as an outcome, not a technology.

If your mail center can tell you exactly where every package is, but can't account for a single letter this session is for you.

The Power of Networking by Mark Fallon

Just as the Internet successfully networks computers with other computers - regardless of make, model or background, you can successfully network with other people - regardless of title, profession or background. Learn how to build and maintain your business and personal networks to improve your chances of success in today's competitive marketplace.

The Power of Positive Thinking by Floyd Creecy

Session Description Coming Soon!

Tracking Data

Session Description Coming Soon!

USPS Technology Changes by Angela Lawson

Session Description Coming Soon!

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