Published on: October 1, 2025
An ATIXA Tip of the Week by Emily Babb, J.D., Northwestern University, Elizabeth (Beth) Robischon, J.D., University of Denver, and Keasara (Kiki) Williams, J.D., Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
As ATIXA members with backgrounds in K-12, higher education, law, federal civil rights enforcement, and advising practitioners in civil rights offices, we’re honored to co-present a closing keynote at the 2025 ATIXA and NABITA Joint Annual Conference. Our goal is to share what it means to do this vital work and remain resilient when resources are tight, expectations are high, and change is constant.
We come from various institutional settings and career paths, but what unites us is a shared commitment to collaboration. Our closing keynote will provide practical strategies for building strong, sustainable civil rights teams, whether you work in higher education or K-12 settings.
Building Teams in Tough Terrain
We have served as solo compliance officers, in comprehensive civil rights offices, and as legal counsel for offices of varying sizes through challenging transitions. In every position, we’ve learned that success requires vision, persistence, and, most importantly, trust.
Trust comes from listening—truly listening—to your direct reports and the voices across your institution. This includes general counsel, conduct offices, student advocates, HR, Disability Services, and yes, even the skeptics. A key skill in this process is knowing when to remain neutral and doing so in a way that preserves your credibility and integrity.
To earn institutional buy-in, you must cultivate deep relationships, understand how your processes intersect with or disrupt other processes, and engage people early and often. Clearly articulate your vision and actively invite stakeholders to contribute to it. Successfully navigating federal scrutiny while preserving your team’s morale depends on these efforts.
When it comes to defending your work, we don’t mean on the merits of civil rights; that foundation is solid. The challenge lies in protecting your work against practical constraints: shrinking budgets, shifting priorities, and limited resources. Defending your team, advocating for their continued existence, and highlighting the importance of their function are essential skills for every practitioner.
In our closing keynote, we will explore how to defend your work in the face of obstacles and remain committed to your vision.
Breaking Down the Silos and Building A Unified Approach
We’re seeing increasing federal attention on Title VI, Section 504, and broader equity mandates. At ATIXA and beyond, there’s growing momentum toward building integrated civil rights offices aimed at breaking down silos. This means recognizing the real-world ways that discrimination based on sex, race, or shared ancestry, as well as harassment and disability access, overlap and intersect.
Our keynote address will explore the power of a comprehensive model, especially in moments of scrutiny. However, we must also acknowledge the reality that not everyone has the budget or leadership support to establish a full-service civil rights division. For practitioners doing the work themselves as an office of one, a spreadsheet, and a hefty dose of hope, we see you. We’ve been you. If you’re sitting in the audience thinking, “That’s nice, but we have no budget,” we will offer examples of practical, resource-conscious strategies. From partnering with local institutions to cross-training staff, there are ways to build strength when you feel alone.
We will discuss how to identify allies, whether it’s your local HR partner, a willing faculty member, or a disability coordinator who has never been invited to the table before. We’ll share examples of how we’ve built necessary interconnected infrastructures across institutional systems, even when starting from scratch. And we’ll share a few “if we knew then, what we know now” lessons.
Lessons from the Field
The three of us have experienced different versions of this work from various vantage points, ranging from the K-12 trenches to university offices, to large and small university counsel offices, to federal enforcement. That range of experience lets us speak not just from theory, but from hard-won lessons. Each of us has charted our path into leadership, often learning to “tuck and roll” without a clear blueprint.
Civil rights practitioners must continually rethink the boundaries of civil rights work. Over the years, we’ve adapted to more all-encompassing models that consider employees and broaden the concept of support beyond interim measures. And recently, we’ve witnessed how quickly priorities can shift, how urgently communities require assistance, and how vital it is to balance agility with principled action. This session isn’t about despair or burnout; it’s about creating something enduring that is built on empathy, expertise, and adaptability.
The 2025 ATIXA and NABITA Joint Annual Conference
This year, ATIXA and NABITA are co-hosting their annual conferences, bringing together a broader range of disciplines. Join us for the ATIXA and NABITA Joint Annual Conference with Pre- and Post-Conference Certification Training from October 13-18, 2025. The conference will take place from October 14-16 at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor, with pre-conference training sessions on October 13-14 and post-conference courses on October 17-18.
Professionals dedicated to advancing Title IX, Title VI, civil rights, and equity, as well as behavioral intervention and threat assessment in education, are invited to come together to connect, learn, and inspire change. Expand your knowledge, build meaningful connections, and leave revitalized. Don’t miss our closing keynote, offering invaluable insights on resilience, creativity, and reimagining civil rights efforts to drive lasting impact.
ATIXA and NABITA Joint Annual Conference
A Closing Keynote: The Case for a Comprehensive Civil Rights Approach
Thursday, October 16, 3:15-4:45 PM ET
Emily Babb, J.D., (she/her) Associate Vice President for Civil Rights & Title IX Compliance and Title IX Coordinator, Northwestern University
Beth Robischon, J.D., (she/her) Senior Associate General Counsel, Office of General Counsel, University of Denver
Keasara (Kiki) Williams, J.D., (she/her) Director, Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination and Title VI/VII/IX Coordinator, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory