Olafson Ethics Symposium

Leading with Values, Learning with Purpose.

The Nistler College places a strong emphasis on ethics education, recognizing it as essential to developing responsible and principled leaders. Through the Olafson Ethics Symposium, students explore the complexities of ethical decision-making and learn to navigate challenges with integrity and accountability.

The Olafson Ethics Symposium provides a dynamic platform for students and the business community to engage in meaningful discussions about the importance of ethics in both personal and professional life. Through this symposium, participants explore real-world challenges, share perspectives, and deepen their understanding of ethical decision-making in today’s complex business environment.

This annual event is funded through the support of UND Alumnus Bob Olafson and his dedication to ethical business practices and the University of North Dakota. We are also grateful for the generous funding support has also been provided by SEI Investments Company.

2025 Olafson Ethics Symposium

Wednesday, November 5 
7 p.m. CST
Barry Auditorium/Nistler Hall + Virtual

Keynote Presentation

Melissa Fors Shackelford, Author, Marketing Strategist & Startup Advisor
Marketing With a Conscience: Purpose, Ethics, and the Power to Do Good

This keynote invites a critical look at the real stakes of marketing when ethics are ignored versus when purpose guides the work. Drawing on cases of deceptive and predatory advertising, the talk challenges audiences to consider how influence can either exploit or protect people and how values like transparency, fairness, and responsibility can turn marketing into a true force for good.

About Melissa Fors Shackelford

Melissa Fors Shackelford is a trusted adviser, author, and nationally recognized voice in purpose-driven marketing and healthcare innovation. With more than 20 years of experience leading high-impact brand and growth initiatives, she helps organizations navigate complex markets while staying grounded in clarity, integrity, and human connection.

As founder of Shackelford Strategies, Melissa works closely with C-suite leaders, startups, and mission-driven healthcare brands to shape market strategy, refine messaging, and scale impact. Her background includes executive roles at Optum, Hazelden Betty Ford, Cigna’s Evernorth, and LetsGetChecked, where she led transformative marketing efforts that balanced performance with purpose.

Melissa is also a sought-after speaker, known for delivering thoughtful, insight-rich keynotes that resonate with leaders across industries. Her signature talk, “Marketing With a Conscience: Reclaiming Integrity in a Purpose-Driven Age,” challenges audiences to rethink how they build trust, loyalty, and relevance in a changing world. She offers a candid, motivating call to lead with authenticity, and to make marketing a force for good.

She has spoken at leading national forums, including The American Marketing Association, American Hospital Association’s Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development (SHSMD), The Forum for Healthcare Strategists (HMPS), The University of Minnesota Women’s Leadership Conference, The National Association on Addiction, and The Mid-Atlantic Society for Healthcare Strategy.

Melissa is the author of the Amazon #1 bestseller Harnessing Purpose: A Marketer’s Guide to Inspiring Connection, and has been recognized with honors such as Nonprofit Marketer of the Year (AMA), the Women’s Health Leadership TRUST Award, and inclusion in the Top 50 Women in Healthcare.

She currently serves on multiple boards and advisory groups, including the American Hospital Association’s SHSMD Editorial Advisory Board, Asbury Communities, Inc., and the Women’s Health Leadership TRUST.

Melissa holds an MBA in Marketing from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, and a BA from the University of Minnesota.

Melissa’s work blends real-world executive experience with a deeply human perspective. Whether she’s speaking on stage, advising a startup, or guiding a leadership team, Melissa’s work centers on this belief: when marketing is led with intention, it becomes a force for trust, change, and connection.

Watch Keynote

Topics and Past Speaker