Ep. 11 - Hayley Harned - Emerging Voices

🎙️ Emerging Voices: Career Confidence with Hayley Harned

In the bittersweet finale of Season 1, Matt and Bri sit down with the ever-delightful Hayley Harned, whose journey from the mountains of Montana to the heart of the SEC is anything but ordinary! 🌟

Join us as Hayley shares her path through residential life, TRIO, and academic advising with a sprinkle of Disney magic, 90s nostalgia, and a dash of self-discovery. From setting professional boundaries to finding joy in the small things (like the perfect corn dog), Hayley reminds us that leadership and laughter often go hand in hand.

Whether you’re a fellow Disney adult, a nostalgic 90s kid, or an advising professional chasing your own magic, this episode will leave you smiling and inspired.

🎧 Tune in, grab your favorite snack, and let’s wrap up Season 1 with heart, humor, and a whole lot of emerging voices!

*Emerging Voices is a spinoff of the Adventures in Advising podcast!

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Transcript

Matt Markin  
All right, welcome, welcome everyone to Emerging Voices, the show where we interview those within NACADA Emerging Leaders Program. This is Matt Markin, and along with me is...

Bri Harvie  
Hi everybody, I'm Bri Harvie. 

Matt Markin  
And today is special, and also, I guess, bittersweet in a way, we're wrapping up Season One of the Emerging Voices Podcast. Bri, what's going through your mind?

Bri Harvie  
It's I'm so sad, but I'm also it's just been such a fun podcast series that I'm excited for us to continue it in different iterations. But I feel so it does feel very bittersweet.

Matt Markin  
So last one, best one, I guess we'll say.

Bri Harvie  
I will end on a strong note, right? It's gonna be great. 

Matt Markin  
Yeah, I agree. It's been such a fun ride this season, getting the interview and learn more about the mentees and the 2024 to 2026 ELP cohort, and also just to be on this adventure, this journey, with you, Bri so it's been wonderful. And yes, I'm looking forward to what happens next in season two, whenever that one comes out, maybe 2026, I don't know, but let's wrap up this season, and we have a special guest, and that is with Hayley Harned. And from the mountains of Montana to the heart of the SEC Hayley's path to higher education has been anything but ordinary. Hayley grew up in Oregon before heading to the University of Great Falls, earning a bachelor's degrees in both sociology and psychology in 2012 after a short but memorable stint exploring life in New York City, Hayley moved west again to pursue a Master of Public Health at Claremont Graduate University, graduating in 2016 Hayley's higher ed journey has gone from residential life in Montana to advising in Texas and now to Mizzou as assistant director for the Paul and Lin and Vogel Master of Accountancy and integrator program. Hayley offers a proactive and holistic approach, as well as an office that doubles as a candy shop, Legos, Grandma candies and homemade treats included outside of work. Hayley is all about Disney magic, 90s, 2000s nostalgia and finding the perfect state fair core dog. Hayley. Welcome to the podcast. Thank you. Happy to be here now. I know, before we started recording, I was like, hey, the first question we'll throw at you. So tell us more about your journey in higher ed but I feel like we need to ask you, have you found yet the perfect or most perfect close to it, State Fair, corn dog?

Hayley Harned  
Honestly, I just went to the Iowa State Fair this weekend, I went on Saturday, and they had a lobster corn dog. And it sounds weird. It was not like any cornbread, you know, corn meal on the outside. It was kind of like fried but it was amazing. Lobster on a stick had aioli on it. It was the best thing I've ever eaten, and it was the first thing I ate that day, and I almost had two. So I would say that it's the best one so far.

Bri Harvie  
That is the bougiest sounding corn dog I have never heard of. Also, anytime you say lobster and aioli, when you say corn dog, it like automatically gets a few fanciest points, yeah.

Hayley Harned  
Also, the most expensive corn dog I've ever purchased. 

Matt Markin  
How much are we talking here?

Hayley Harned  
It was like 20 bucks. Yeah, it was so worth it. I had to.

Bri Harvie  
My brain's doing conversion, and that's like $32 Canadian for corn dog.

Hayley Harned  
Well, like regular, like a lobster roll, is like $32 to $35 or more, so...

Bri Harvie  
That's a lot of money for a seabug. Holy cow,

Matt Markin  
I'd rather have that than all the weird other foods they have, like hamburgers with donuts as the buns and all that weird stuff. But yeah, lobster. 

Bri Harvie  
Oh, that sounds I would much rather eat a donut as a bun. That sounds amazing. We don't have state fairs. We have like, stampedes and rodeos and, yeah, it gets wild. What they can deep fry.

Matt Markin  
Yeah, we can talk about deep fried butter and Oreos and all of that stuff all day. But Hayley, let's talk more about you. You know, we got to learn more about the almost perfect corn dog. We'll see if that stands up in years to come. But hearing from your bio, maybe can expand upon that and kind of give us, in your own words, your journey in higher ed. What's your origin story?

Hayley Harned  
Yeah, well, like it said, I started in residential life, so just like many people, that's where I kind of dipped my toe, and that was in Montana, so I worked at my alma mater back after graduate school. I, after that, moved into TRIO program, which then moved me into advising. I would be remiss, though, if I didn't say that I really started back in undergraduate school, I think is where my story really began. In I was one of those students who was not doing their best, was not their best self in their freshman year of college, especially my first semester. Second semester over the summer, I decided to stay and work, and started working in student affairs, helping with a peer mentor program. I became a peer mentor. It's one of those schools that really just gave everybody a chance. I was very lucky to be one of those students. I got a lot more involved. The people in student affairs really, just like, took me under their wing, and that's where I started to really be. Like, I really enjoy this. I started getting more and more involved. Became the president of peer mentors, and just started learning different areas of student affairs, student life. I was actually making advising plans for all of my friends. I would make them for myself for like, my four years, my friends were like, could you do this for me? I'd look at the course catalog and see that this is offered in spring. This is what we can do. So I was really enjoying that early on, but it escaped me that that could be a career or something that I would actually want to do in the future. But that's definitely where it started. So I went on to grad school. Thought that I was going to fight the system for body image and try to change the media and all of that, which kind of took me to New York, that ended up not being the route that I wanted to take thought. I wanted to do more of an educational route with that went on to a public health masters in California. Still really appreciate that background and all of that. Thought that I might work in higher education doing more of a like health promotion, health educator, sort of background. But as I was almost done with the program, I was like, I think I want to do student affairs sort of work like, I think I want to work in a different aspect, in in college, in higher education. And so I was looking at more master's programs. I was like, I think this is what I'm going to do. And I almost moved to Minnesota to do a program that I got in. I interviewed, I got into the program, and then all of a sudden I got a job in residential life, and I was like, it's time to start working. So started working, and I swore that I was going to stay with that class for four years. I was like, I'm going to four years so I can see this class through. I did two years in residential life, and I said, we are done. I said, this is enough. This is too much. Let's go to trio. So it's was an opening in trio, and was able to start, like, being a resource counselor is what it was. I was essentially advising, helping with like financial like financial advising as well. So and then an opening in the actual Advising Center opened up, which there we were working heavily with student athletes. We were assigned by sports team. We're very small school. A large majority of our students were there for athletics, and so we were assigned that way, and it was a newer program. So by the time I started working in it, I think it had been going for about three years. Finished off my time at the University there, before moving to Texas and became an academic advisor down there, where I started working with a different type of student than what I was used to. They were more natural science students, more pre med students, not as many student athletes that I was focused on and worked there for the last four years. The last year of that I was the Assistant Director of Advising there, and then decided it was time for something new, and moved on up to Missouri. So that's kind of been my journey. It's been a little bit all over the place, and it's kind of hard to put that all in a timeline and and explain all of that, but I've been all over the US. I've really enjoyed living all over the US and trying all these different places. I feel like it's almost more important to figure out what you don't like more than what you do like, because then you know, like, Okay, this is not the place for me, because x, y and z. Then we move on to the next thing, the next state that's also hot, but that's okay.

Bri Harvie  
That's awesome. And I mean, you're absolutely right. Sometimes it's about figuring out what you don't like as opposed to what you do like. And we tell our students similar things all the time. I love your journey. It sounds so interesting, just like how you ended up in all these different places. But starting Student Affairs in Res Life like, wow, that's like drinking from a fire hose right out the gate, a very aggressive start. So I'm glad you stuck with higher ed. Could you tell us a little bit about what that was like, what was working in Res Life like, and what are some things that you learned there, that you then took into your other careers once you figured out that two years was plenty.

Hayley Harned  
Yeah, well, I think I learned a lot about talking to people and some external communications because you are I actually feel like I talked more with parents in residential life than I have been advising, but I still have had to talk with parents. I feel like I talked to a lot of angry parents when I was in housing. So had to learn a lot about that. It was, I feel like, a interesting experience, but a good experience. It helped me a lot as a young professional. I feel like is the biggest thing, because I was coming in at 26 I didn't have any experience in higher education. I was close to the same age as some of our older students, so, like, they're graduating, they're like, 2223 at that age, it's really not that big of a gap. And some students, I had a couple students who were my age and who were living in the dorms or trying to get out of housing with exemptions and so kind of drawing those boundaries, and at 26 trying to figure out, like, how do I have boundaries with my students? As an education professional, when I'm 26 years old. How do I go out in a small town of 50,000 at 26 when everybody else is out and about? So there was a lot of learning opportunities there. I feel like that happened. It was very much. So when I was in housing. I so I love to bake. Love to bake. I still love to bake, and I very much would bake. For all my students. I had an open door policy. I would open my door on Friday nights so that they had kind of like an alternative place to go. They could come watch a movie. They could watch me, like, bake cookies. Usually, that's what I was doing, play some games so but then when they started coming to my door at two in the morning wanting some chips or something to eat, I was like, Okay, we need to do something about this. We we need to set some boundaries. Understand that Haley has a little bit of a life too, and I really feel like it took a little while. I feel like it actually took probably the five years that I was at that university, even after I moved out of residential life, to really gain my footing and my boundaries and understanding that it's actually okay to have boundaries in higher education with your students like you don't have to be at their beck and call all the time. Like, even by the time I was in advising, like, students still had my phone number. So it was all over that campus students had that phone number. So they would text me and I ended up, like, by the time I left there had rules set that, like, if you text me, you're not getting a response until the hours of eight to five, so you shouldn't be texting me, but if you do, eight to five is when you'll get a response. And by the time I left to Texas, I feel like I had it down pretty good. Lunch times I had blocked off for like an hour and a half because at my last school meetings would go in to my lunchtime almost completely because students were just sitting in my office the whole time, which is great. I love to chat with them, and we were talking about some really fun things, but then I wouldn't get a lunch. And that's super important is taking care of ourselves when we're trying to take care of our students as well, making sure that our cup is full. And so by the time I got to Texas, I was like, Okay, we're blocking this off on our calendar for an hour and a half in case something moves out like moves further into our lunchtime, so we can still have an hour and blocking time at the beginning and ends of our day, so that we have time to decompress, check our emails, do what we need to do, blocking bathroom breaks, things like that on our calendars. So I feel like a lot of the things that I learned in housing and moving forward were a lot about boundaries and kind of building a safe space for myself within my job. I hope that answers kind of your question there, but it's really just making sure that, like, I was healthy throughout my time in higher education.

Matt Markin  
Yeah, it's like, how important is that wellness piece? And I'm just thinking like I have friends that have been in Res Life, and it's almost just like you feel like you're 24/7 have to be available, and even just even in advising, you get that email, maybe you've just happened to check your email over the weekend. You're like, I should respond back, but no, like, I'm off the clock right now, I can reply back their emergency, not necessarily my emergency. Yeah, and yeah, it's yeah. It's a live and learn experience. Yeah, it takes a few years, sometimes at some people, but I'm glad that you're able to find those boundaries. And I guess if we fast forward to now, like you're in a new institution, a new role, how's everything going?

Hayley Harned  
It's good. I feel like I'm definitely still finding my footing. It's been a month and a half now. It was a very fast turnaround, a very fast move, about a month from the time I found out I got the job, from the time I picked up and moved to well, from the time I found out, from the time I started my job, so and that included a move from Texas to Missouri, so it was pretty quick. So it's been an adjustment, but a really good adjustment. I felt incredibly happy, both not just in town, but at the university, everybody in the college has been incredibly welcoming and supportive, and so it's been a great environment to be in. For me, it's a new environment, and not just because it's literally just brand new, but because it's a large school. So my other two schools have been small, private liberal arts universities, and this is a big SEC school. I'm learning so much, lots of things about football game days and how important those are. I think I'm about to be like a big Mizzou football fan, like I think that's about to come be a personality trait, and learning a lot about that. Excited for next Monday when school starts, because I'm going to go to the Student Center and see just how busy it is and how many people are on this campus at one time, just coming to work today, the parking garage, which we have a parking garage, the parking garage on campus was packed. I was like, where's my normal parking spot? Why are all these people here now? So it's been a lot of changes. I had to kind of take a step back and because for the last four years, I It's kind of like that senior to freshmen, sort of feeling. The last four years, I've known everything I've been I've been the pro at everything I've been doing. So I've been the one that people come to ask, and then I come here and I'm, like, doing like, I don't know the curriculum, I don't know any of this. And it humbles you real fast that you just have to, like, sit back and be like, it's okay, you're going to learn this information. It takes a little bit of time. But luckily, I've actually had a couple other emerging leaders who have also started new positions. And so we've chatted a little bit about, like, what are you doing to, like, learn all of this new information? And like, How can I do that too? And how are you doing with your new job. So that's been really good so, but it's been great here. I love it. It's been a very good move for me. I'm excited for all four seasons Texas. Texas has a place in my heart, but Texas did not have seasons. It had summer, and that was it. So I'm excited for a little bit of that, for a little bit of sweater weather. It's what they call it. Haven't experienced that in years, so...

Bri Harvie  
I love that. And I mean, being from Canada, we also only have one season, but it's winter, so it's always sweater weather. I love that for you, and I like your comment about how humbling it is to start something new and to be on the flip side of that, like you're not the pro anymore. You don't know all of the things that at the institution, and I would imagine that that's something that will likely also transfer into advising your students. And I'm new here too. And how do we learn this together? How do you think that you're going to integrate that into your advising? Your advising practice?

Hayley Harned  
Yeah, so I've already, I've started meeting with a couple students already. My co worker has been super helpful. Been on a couple calls with me, and I've been very upfront with my students that, hey, this is a all still learning experience for me. My co workers here to kind of help if there's any questions you have that I'm not able to, you know, help you with today, she's going to be able to help you with so we're all going to work together on this. I think that, you know, I'm definitely very transparent and upfront with my students. I'm being like, Hey, I'm new with this process. You're new because I'm working with new admits to our accounting program. So they are juniors and the new working with everyone in our accounting program, but they're all juniors and seniors and above. So a lot of our new admits are juniors. And so just being upfront with them, I'm brand new. They've been in this program, not for very long, technically. So being like, Hey, we're going to work together, especially this new admin class, like you're learning the classes, I'm learning the classes. Let's figure this out together.

Matt Markin  
So, and it kind of even goes to your bio talking about, like, how you have, like, this proactive and holistic advising approach. And I feel like I need to ask this because it was in your bio talking about how, you know, you you had this idea of stock in your office with, like, Legos, with candy, other treats. And I would imagine, you know, based off, kind of some of the answers you've had so far that maybe that kind of comes from, like the Residential Life background that you've incorporated into your advising practice. But is that kind of where it came about, and how has that been having those items like in your office when you're with your students?

Hayley Harned  
Yeah, I think, you know, maybe some of it comes from residential life, but I think a lot of it just comes from my personality and who I am as person. I just love to have those things around. I like to have a homey, comfortable environment, self expression, all that kind of stuff. I want my students to feel comfortable here. I want them to come in and feel like they can come back. I don't want them to feel like they're coming to a principal's office or anything like that. So, and I want them, you know, maybe there'll be something in here where they see it, and we can start a conversation off of that. So I have not gotten all my Legos in here yet, but I have a plan to have them all up here beautifully. So I love to have them in here. And students tend to come in. It's brought in students before. My office is a little different now, but it's brought in students before that weren't even my advisees. They'll see them and be like, oh, like, Can I come in and look at these? And be like, Yeah, of course. And we'll spark up a conversation about, like, well, who's your advisor? Like, how are you doing? Like, all of that. And so that's great. I love to have the snacks because, I mean, for a couple reasons, I want to make sure everyone has, like, a little snack. If they have classes and they don't have a lot of time in between, they can come in and grab something, maybe they just need them food insecurity, or anything like that. And just everyone loves a little treat. That's why I like to bring the Sweet Treats. I love to bake. I love to have pipe cleaners in here as well. That was something that I did find during a NASPA. We had NASPA on our campus during when I was in residential life, and they had them in a meeting, and it's great to just like fidget with so my students can have them. I have them on my desk. My students can fidget with it while we're having our meetings, so they're kind of still paying attention to what I'm talking about, but also actively. So I just love to have that all all there for them, and have all my things about me.

Bri Harvie  
So that's awesome. I've never heard of using pipe cleaners as fidget centers or fidget toys, and I 100% wrote a sneaky little note down there about getting those in my office that is outstanding.

Hayley Harned  
It's great because they're also quiet. I can't have the loud ones because then I'll be distracted, and so I need them to have something quiet to play with.

Bri Harvie  
No, I love that one I have, it's like a, like a spring in mind that I use, and you can, like, wind it over your fingers and use it as, like a bit of an acupressure thing, which is great because it's also quiet. But they're not cheap. So I like the idea of pipe cleaners instead. That seems like Dollar Store find amazing. I love this. And I love the idea of or love the notion and advising of having your office kind of represent who you are as a person and using it to strike up conversations with students. And I, I have a similar story where I have a picture a friend of mine and I colleague of mine had actually went to a supernatural convention in Vegas one year because we're very cool people, and had a picture of her and I with Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, and I was having this awful hard conversation with students. Was years ago. They were going on academic probation, and they were just devastated. All of a sudden, they just, like, Stop, are you hugging dean? And like, lost their minds and it relaxed everybody. We still had to have the awful hard conversation, but it makes us human, right, like, I think it's, it's amazing. So I love that I can see, like, your Funko Pops behind you, and I love the Legos. So I am yeah, this, yeah. 

Hayley Harned  
I did a presentation at region conference last year on self disclosure and advising, and we kind of talk to about just using your office as a way for self disclosure with students. So I've had that too where, like, they see the Disney stuff, and we end up having a whole conversation like, Well, my family goes every year, and I'm like, I want to go every year. That sounds great. And I had a student at my last. Who his family went regularly because he was in school doing pre med, he didn't get to go with them as much, but we would talk about it. And then when he I only worked with first years there, and he was a sophomore, he would still come in and he would talk to me, then I left, but he would still come in and talk to me, and we would talk about Disney, and he'd tell me about his family going on their trip and and it was great.

Bri Harvie  
That's awesome, and I it's great to have that connection point. And you've you segway perfectly into my next question. You've talked a little bit about Disney and being a Disney adult and chasing that Disney magic. What does that mean for you in your day to day life, what does chasing the Disney Magic mean?

Hayley Harned  
In my day to day life? You know, I'd say that means always trying to be on the positive side of things. But we all know that's a little bit difficult. But I would say in a day to day life, it's a really tough question.

Bri Harvie  
I know we promise no trick questions, but...

Matt Markin  
Well, maybe come back to it so, but maybe going along with Disney. Do you have a like, a favorite Disney road trip story, or a favorite Disney park?

Hayley Harned  
Favorite Disney park? So my favorite Disney park is controversial to some, because I love Disneyland. Disneyland is my very favorite, even though some people say it's small. It's the original one. Walt walked there. You know, we all know it, so that's my very favorite. When I was in school in California, I had a annual pass, and so I got to go pretty regularly. Spent my birthday is there for a couple years. It was amazing. So I really enjoyed that I was supposed to go this summer to celebrate the 70th. And then I decided to get a new job, but that was going to be a road trip. So I was going to road trip from Texas to California, do the whole Disneyland San Diego, go visit my friend in Santa Barbara, sort of situation. So that's on, on pause for another year. But yeah,

Bri Harvie  
Disneyland is the best one. You are absolutely right. It is the best one. 

Matt Markin  
It is and but when I went, we went to the Orlando conference for NACADA a couple years ago, and then I went to, like, Disney World, all the parks. And I was like, oh my god, Disneyland is so small compared to these, but still had a blast. But yeah, I mean, I'm from California, so I'm with you with Disneyland. 

Hayley Harned  
I love Disney World. But like, for a park aspect, it's Disneyland. If I want the resort experience, it's Disney World. I have gone to Disney World a lot in the last couple years, but because it does bring you like you can stay right there in like a lower tier resort, and be so close to everything and feel the Disney Magic, instead of in the You know, the wrap, the Best Western raffles in which I have stayed at and is a good hotel.

Bri Harvie  
We've all done that, though, where you're staying at, like, whatever Holiday Inn is across the street?

Hayley Harned  
Yep, yeah. So I can stay at, like, all star music and ride a Mickey Mouse bus and be there. So I do enjoy that, and all the food options and all that stuff. So it's a great thing.

Bri Harvie  
And I'm going to try to, I want to come back to this, what is chasing the Disney Magic mean to you? And I'm going to rephrase it a little bit...

Hayley Harned  
It's just mean to like about Mickey Mouse all the time, and that's where...

Bri Harvie  
Well, who doesn't?

Hayley Harned  
want to make my mom, what does that do for you?

Bri Harvie  
What is, how does having that connection to Disney help fill your cup? Like you talked about, like what it takes to empty your cup, and you have a full cup. So what does that do for you in your what is thinking about the mouse do? Doing it all for most?

Hayley Harned  
Kind of going back to to the fact that I love 90s and 2000s nostalgia, like Disney is a big nostalgia thing for me. My mom would plot me in front of the TV with some like, Little Mermaid. My mom loved Little Mermaid. Like, I remember, my mom was a huge Winnie the Pooh fan. I have become a big Winnie the Pooh fan. And so there's just like, these connections. I remember Disney did some great marketing in the 90s, early 2000s trying to get me on a Disney themed airplane to go to Anaheim. And I begged my parents, we went twice. We did go twice. And so those are some good memories, but I don't know. I think it stems from my childhood, and I just like when I go to Disney, I feel a sense of just like relief. Like everything is gone, like I'm not thinking about work. Nobody can bother me. Like I'm not thinking about work, I'm not thinking about anything else. I am just in a whole new world. My mom can attest to this anytime I'm at like I said, it's been Disney World. The last couple years I go to Disney. There's always a point in the beginning of the trip where I'm walking somewhere, usually at a resort, just checking it out or something, I call my mom, and I'm like, I'm so happy. I'm back home. I am so happy. And I know this sounds so cringy Disney adult, but I am just like, it's a happy place for me. It's also a safe solo vacation. I've solo vacation there a lot. It's safe. I saw somebody online say, like, it's a walkable neighborhood, and, yeah, it's a safe, walkable neighborhood. That's where I'm going for vacation. So it's, it just brings me a lot of joy to think about and plan my trips during, like, my regular, you know, my regular life in between trips, you know, something to look forward to. So for me, something to plan on, look forward to, something I know that I enjoy doing, that can bring me a little bit of the joy and magic and and all that.

Matt Markin  
So, yeah, I didn't think that was a cringy answer at all about being a Disney adult. What's cringy now is some of these Disney influencers on Tiktok. Yeah, that's a whole nother conversation, yeah, but you were mentioned earlier, yes, yeah, absolutely. You were mentioning earlier about presenting, and I thought that could be a great way to chat about, if you talk to us about your NACADA experience?

Hayley Harned  
So for the first time, I presented at a conference, so region three, seven, last or this past Spring. So we were, where were we we were were we in New I don't remember where. I don't remember where we were. Oh, we were in Memphis. We were in Memphis. It was a Memphis conference, and I for the last of essentially four years since I started my job in Texas, the boss I had there the very first thing, like meeting, I had with her when I was there, I was like, I want to start getting involved in NACADA, my previous institution, professional development, was not something that was really able to be done. I was like, I really want to get involved. I want to start doing more things. She was like, yes, let's sign you up. So got my membership spent kind of like two years trying to figure out, like, you know, what do I want to do? Like, how do I get involved? How what am I supposed to do here? But from the first day, my boss was like, I really want you to present. And I was like, I don't want to do that. I don't. And she was like, No, you're going to, at some point, I want you to do this. She got her wish. Eventually, I gave in, and was like, Yeah, you know, that would be great, but I don't know what to present on. Like, I always felt like it had to be this, like, amazing thing that I came up with that nobody else has ever thought of before, and like, brand new to advising. And like, everyone was like, No, that's not how it works. You don't have to make up a brand new thing for advising. But it just felt, you know, I go to these conferences and see all these things, and I'm like, people are so smart, like they're doing all this work, and they have so many ideas and like, I can't do that. Like, I can't be like that. And I was wrong. I can be like that. And so, you know, I started going to conferences. I think my first one was maybe in Oklahoma City Regional. I made it to Orlando annual. Also went to Disney World after that one. And then I ended up running for in 2024 I ran for the mentoring chair. Had a different title at the time, but it's the mentoring chair position for Region seven. Was only one who ran, so I got that. And so I've been doing that since 2024 on the steering committee. I love that position. I love working with the mentoring program. I hope to be able to continue doing that, hopefully no one runs against me again whenever that time comes. So I've loved doing that, and I've had a couple moments where I've worked with some I'm forgetting the name, other communities, just communities, advising communities. Yes, thank you. The advising called Yeah, advising communities. I've worked with some of the advising communities during times where I I've had time, but I've had to step away from some of those. Um, and then finally, the time came where I had to present. I found, I found a topic. After going a couple conferences, hearing a couple others, I had some that, you know, helped me kind of build my idea, and like, Okay, I'm going to present. So I submitted it. It got accepted, and little did I know, not only would I be presenting my presentation, but I would sign myself up to present two more presentations at that conference. So I just got presentation happy. So I helped with an ELP presentation and a mentoring presentation at that conference as well. So my first time presenting turned into my first three times presenting. It was great, though, and I will be presenting at annual with Imani Hill. Cami will be helping us as well with that and Brandon. So we're really looking forward to that presentation at annual. Yeah, we're going to be talking about, kind of being middle management, and how to, how to do that. So, so that's, that's a lot of my involvement, obviously, of course, the Emerging Leaders Program as well.

Bri Harvie  
Yeah, I'd love to hear more about that. Sounds gonna be my next question? So you, you've done a lot, and you've done the presenting, and you're on the steering committee, what made you decide to take the leap into the Emerging Leaders Program?

Hayley Harned  
So I had been like, stalking the Emerging Leaders Program website for a couple years, and it was in a pause like they weren't doing anything about it yet, because they were revamping it. They were revamping the program. And so I was like, Okay, wait. I'm waiting. And I am not the most patient person, to be very honest. I was like, Okay, I'll just keep checking. And so I would keep checking. And then finally, information came out. And I was like, it's my time. I'm going to apply. And you know, I found all the information I really wanted. I was just like jonesing for a mentor in the field. I've had wonderful bosses in the past. Currently have a wonderful boss. But I just wanted more. I wanted something else. I wanted somebody else, somebody that wasn't connected to where I work, somebody who had other experience, and I really wanted that, and really wanted someone who could help me with my NACADA involvement as well, because I really love this organization, and really wanted to just get involved a little bit more continue. I hate to, I hate to really call it just, like, help with my networking, because it wasn't just, and this isn't just, like networking. I've really made friends from this. So I really wanted to make connections, we'll call it. I wanted to make connections with people. And so that's kind of what, what drew me to the program, and why I applied. And then it kind of went from there. Those are my biggest interest points.

Matt Markin  
We were bringing our interviewing Aysha the other day, and it was kind of similar where she was like, I'm ready to do this. I've been thinking about it. I'm gonna do it. And then it was like, nope, the program's on pause for a year. Yeah. And then had to wait a whole year. And then it was like, okay, that I still want to do this. Yes, let me put my name in the hat, let me apply, and then got accepted. So in terms of developing goals, I mean, what were some of your first year goals? How did that go? What do you think of year two? 

Hayley Harned  
So, I mean, one of my first year goals was presenting at NACADA, so we checked that off, that is that is done and continuing. I wanted to become a competent leader. At the time, I had just become assistant director at my last University, came with some is different. It was different later on in that journey. Some other things popped up that were definitely different than what I had done before. Supervising is definitely a very different topic for me, and so I wanted to become more confident. I want I was not confident in my leadership abilities at that time. So we worked on that. We're still working on that. That is still a goal, still something, as I kind of talked about before, when I was talking about, you know, my presenting and like I can't do that. It's really teaching myself that, like I can do these things, I am able to do this. I I am a 35 year old professional who's been doing this for nine years like I need to give myself that reminder that I'm not a 26 year old in my first year of, you know, higher education. And then I also wanted to grow the region seven mentoring program. So we are continuing to grow. We are almost at my. Goal of 40 people in the program, and so we are almost there. We're going to start a new cohort in probably February, and, you know, crossing fingers that that goal gets met. So that'll be our fourth cohort, and that's kind of my goal for them. So going on for year two, I mean, we're still working on becoming a competent leader, trying to think of what some of my goals were for going into tier two. I think we're focusing a little bit more on we're focusing a lot on leadership skills. Yeah, I think that's the biggest focus. Is leadership skills and being confident in those skills, as well as presenting again, I think we still have the mentor program on there as well.

Bri Harvie  
That's excellent, and it's growing that confidence is often the hardest part, because the skills are there. Obviously you got the job, you can do the thing, but how can you, like amp yourself up to know that you can do the thing you said that you were getting there? Is there a piece of want to say, advice, or something like a mantra, something that you tell yourself to keep reminding yourself that you are able to do this because you are a 35 year old professional who's been doing this for nine years.

Hayley Harned  
I think you know sometimes this only works for like small like smaller things, but like for my presentation, when I got time for it and leading up to it, I always tell myself that, like, you can do anything for X amount of time. So like, public speaking in the past has not been my favorite thing to do. I can do it. I can do it, but it's not my favorite. So it's like, this is a 60 minute presentation, like I can do anything for 60 Minutes, like working out I can do anything for 60 minutes, and do anything for 45 minutes. You know I can do this presentation. So just reminding myself that for whatever amount of time it is, I can do it. And just sometimes I look at my resume and just look, because I have everything listed out of, like the bullet points of all the things that I've done at the other positions, and just give myself a reminder of, like you've done all these things you are capable of, all these things you have gotten hired into all these positions. It also helps that my my coworker here is so wonderful and reminds me on a regular basis why they hired me and that they're so excited and so that has been very helpful. So I think I'm definitely growing into it a little bit more of understanding that we are reaching 10 years and you are making a difference. I think my involvement in NACADA and people seeing me as somebody who's involved in NACADA and is doing good work, I think has helped me feel like a little bit more like a grown up, like somebody who's doing things outside of of work necessary, like my regular work stuff, and, yeah, it's just helped me out a little bit, just feel a little bit more confident and comfortable.

Matt Markin  
I mean, you are in the Emerging Leaders Program, and it has leader in that so you are a leader. You're making things happen. So yeah, give yourself that credit. And I think that's a great reflection piece, too. Looking back at the resume and be like, I did all this. Yes, I have that foundation. I've done this. Check it off the list. I've already done it. So now here's more things to do. But I think a great way to end this interview, isn't you know, we talked about Disney, we talked about emerging leaders, talked about your role, the traveling 90s, 2000 nostalgia. What is it about that timeframe for you? And are we talking movies, music, TV, everything?

Hayley Harned  
All it. I think I was born in 1990 and I just love, I think I just love my childhood, I don't know, just like all of it, like, I love a nostalgia piece. Like, I was just making a flyer the other day, and I was trying to go for, like, first I was going like a Saved by the Bell theme, and then I went for a Fresh Prince theme, and then I landed on a Nickelodeon theme. It's like a pet sitting thing. So I landed on Nickelodeon theme, and I just, I just love it. It's so fun. I'm going to a Jonas Brothers concert in like, a month. Can't wait for that. Like Miley Cyrus is supposed to be doing a Hannah Montana thing in like March, waiting for that to drop Britney Spears, favorite singer of all time over here, except for Cher, other than Cher. But I love it. It's just so fun for me, like I love that the backtree boys continue to come back and. Like, do their stuff, like, I just, like, getting a glimpse of, like, what things used to be like, give me plastic, blow up furniture any day, put it in my house well.

Matt Markin  
And I was hoping that the battery boys were still going to have a little like, residency at the sphere in Vegas. I was like, Oh, the conference, and then they're not there. 

Hayley Harned  
I was hoping for Kelly Clarkson, but she has a break.

Bri Harvie  
Yeah, of course she does.

Matt Markin  
I got to see her a couple years ago in Vegas, which had, like, a really short stint, like a short residency, and, oh my god. Like, so amazing.

Bri Harvie  
That's amazing. I have a so I have a question for both of you. Matt does this to me all the time where he's like, I'm gonna ask Bri too, and I never know what's coming. So I'm doing it to Matt and to Hayley, if you had to bring one piece of like 90s nostalgia back forever, what would it be? My answer is, so delicious. Freaking love them and I miss them so much. I want to know what your prizes is? 

Hayley Harned  
So delicious?

Bri Harvie  
Yeah, the little like, they're like fruit snacks, but they taste like pop and they were so good.

Matt Markin  
Were they so delicious, Bri? 

Bri Harvie  
They were so delicious.

Hayley Harned  
Oh my gosh. If I could bring anything back, can I say the prices at Disney?

Bri Harvie  
No. I meaning, like the inflatable furniture, if you want to bring that back, I would like those back.

Matt Markin  
I don't know that's a tough Let's see now, now I feel bad at having to put you on the spot so many times Bri during these interviews.

Bri Harvie  
Yeah, turn them about fair play.

Matt Markin  
Yeah, no, you're right. I can always edit that part out too. 

Bri Harvie  
I can't edit anything unfair advantage.

Matt Markin  
I think for me, it'll be more so if they brought back, like, where are they now? Kind of things from, like TV shows from, from the 90s, and could they have, like, a revamp of it, whether it's like, hey dude or whatnot, but yeah, that would be my answer. 

Hayley Harned  
I don't know. Honestly, this is tough. Usually, you know, in the past, my answer probably would have been like the food, the the duncan things...

Bri Harvie  
Dunkaroos!

Hayley Harned  
Yes, but they did bring them back. Yeah, like that would have been my answer, but they brought them back.

Bri Harvie  
So I loved those 90 snacks were the best.

Matt Markin  
And filled with so many chemicals too. Oh, exactly. If we can only have a time machine...

Bri Harvie  
And we used it for Dunkaroos, I think from having a time machine.

Matt Markin  
We'll do something important, but also get the Dunkaroos. So, yeah, it's the cherry on top. It's fine, but thank you so much Hayley for joining us on the podcast today. It's lovely interview. Learned a lot of informational stuff. Great to talk about ELP, but of course, great to reminisce about the 90s and 2000s as well, and Disney. So thank you so much.