1:00–2:00pm

Registration 

 2:00–2:30pm 

Welcome, Introductions and Reconnecting

 2:30-4:00pm

Keynote Session: Trends, Trends, and More Trends with Damian Kavanagh, CAE, President and CEO, MISBO

In this lighting round of trends that have a direct impact on our industry, we will cover: enrollment trends, employment trends, social trends, governance trends, facilities and teaching trends, financing schools trends, automation and labor trends, and parent trends. Embedded throughout are the economic indicators seen in housing starts, inflation, unemployment, etc. etc. etc. Aggressive agendas are fun. 

Damian Kavanagh, CAE, President and CEO, MISBO

Since July 2017, Damian has served as President & CEO of MISBO, the largest regional association for independent school operations professionals. Damian spent the seven years prior to that with SAIS where he oversaw the accreditation and membership programs of the association. Damian has presented and facilitated nearly a thousand workshops to every level of independent school leadership in addition to universities and independent school associations. He has consulted for schools of every size, boarding and day schools, faith-based and secular, innovative and traditional. He has conducted research, published, and presented at numerous state, regional, national, and international independent school conferences on a wide variety of topics related to independent school organizational effectiveness and sustainability. Prior to joining SAIS, Damian spent sixteen years as a teacher, coach, and administrator at The Westminster Schools of Atlanta, GA and Head of School at Cambridge Academy in Greenwood, SC. A near native of Charlottesville, VA, Damian earned both his BA and MA in Latin literature from the University of Georgia, a specialist degree, and a Doctorate in Education (Educational Leadership for Learning) from Kennesaw State University (where his research and dissertation was on independent school governance and the alignment of boards and heads), and the Certified Association Executive designation from the American Society of Association Executives. Damian is active in the sport of lacrosse and has been recognized as a coach of the year and an official of the year and has been inducted into the Georgia Lacrosse Foundation Hall of Fame. 

 4:15-5:45pm

Wellness Activities  

Kayaking - Proceed Down To the Dock

Walk in the Woods - Meet By the Front Door

Lawn Games - Meet by the Gazebo on the Cottage Green

 6:00-7:00pm

 Reception

 700-8:00pm

 Dinner

8:00-9:00am 

Breakfast

9:00-9:15am

Welcome and Framing

9:15-10:30am

Financial Data Storytelling, Board Reporting, and Dashboard…Taking the Numb Out of Numbers

Harvard professor Howard Gardner wrote “Stories are the single most powerful tool in a leader’s toolkit.” CFOs and business office professionals tasked with presenting complex information to non-financial audiences can leverage the benefits of data storytelling to clarify priorities, create shared understanding, and build a culture of mission-driven, data-informed decision making. Effectively pairing data storytelling and data visualization allows for strategic agility and addressing tough questions from leadership team and board of trustees. Join Ari Betof, founder of Mission & Data, to dive into the art of taking the “numb” out of the numbers.

ARI BETOF, EdD, MBA, Co-Founder, Partner, Mission & Data

Ari’s consulting work draws upon fifteen years of leadership and governance experience building thriving organizations and maximizing mission-aligned revenue growth. Ari has served as an independent school trustee, head of school, administrator, and teacher.  Ari has held the administrative roles of Head of School, Chief Advancement Officer, Director of Enrollment Management, and Director of Strategic Planning. His experience includes working at day and boarding schools; schools as small as 170 students and as large as 1,100 students; single campus and multi-campus schools; single and multi-division schools; and religiously affiliated and nonsectarian schools.

Ari has been an instructor in University of Pennsylvania’s PennGSE Mid-Career Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership and Leadership Master’s Program. He has served as a mentor in Harvard University’s School Leadership Program, faculty member in the NAIS School Leadership Institute, and judge for the CASE Circle of Excellence Awards.  Ari's governance experience includes serving two terms on the Board of Directors of the Friends Council on Education (FCE) and as a member of FCE’s Development Committee and the National Friends Education Fund Working Group. He has also been a trustee of Newtown Friends School (Newtown, PA) and Cambridge Friends School (Cambridge, MA). Ari graduated with a B.S. in physics and mathematics from the Guilford College honors program. He earned his doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Pennsylvania with a focus on financial and organizational sustainability. Ari graduated with his MBA from Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management

10:30-11:00am

Break

11:00-12:30pm

Reports from the Bat Phone: The Most Frequent Legal Issues Faced This Year By NWAIS Schools

Karen Kalzer and Hannah Driscoll, Helsell Fetterman and NWAIS Retained Legal Counsel

 12:30-2:00pm

Long Lunch

 2:00-3:30pm 

Critical Technology Concerns for the Business Office: AI, Cybersecurity, and Data Protection (oh my!)

Business officers don't need to be technology experts, but they do need to understand where the school's risk lies when it comes to artificial intelligence, cyber threats, and student data privacy. In this comprehensive session, attendees will explore the current technology landscape at independent schools, evaluating what business officers need to know about protecting their schools' sensitive data, when it's time for a cybersecurity audit, how to appropriately evaluate cyber insurance, and what the impact of AI in education is, specifically through a business officer lens. Session attendees will begin to build a plan for implementing contemporary, post-pandemic cyber safety and data protection standards for their schools. The session will also provide a strong foundation to understand the current state of AI in education and explore innovative ways that schools are harnessing its power both in the classroom and in school operations. By the end of this session, attendees will be equipped with the knowledge, insights, and practical tools to understand, explore, and leverage AI's potential in education, enhancing their role as business officers in shaping their schools' AI, cyber safety, and data privacy strategies.

Christina Lewellen, MBA, CAE, Executive Director,  Association of Technology Leaders in Independent Schools

Christina is a seasoned association executive who brings a data-driven framework to business planning and strategy, having earned her MBA from the Rochester Institute of Technology and the Certified Association Executive designation from the American Society of Association Executives. She was named the Executive Director of ATLIS in 2019 and travels coast-to-coast visiting independent schools and their leadership teams. She serves as a trustee for the Harmony Foundation International and is a board member for the Virginia Society of Association Executives. 

 3:30- 3:45pm  

 Break

 4:00-4:45pm

Round Tables

Join colleagues in crowdsourcing the most pressing issues facing business officers and help each other navigate to solutions. This dynamic session will utilize AI to determine the most salient and common issues and allow you to find others sharing similar challenges.

 4:45-5:00pm 

 Brief Introductions from Exhibitors

 5:00-6:15pm

 Exhibitor Reception

 6:15-7:15pm

 Dinner

Breakfast

 8:30-10:00am

National Legal Trends: Looking Back and Ahead

In this interactive session, NAIS General Counsel, Megan Mann, will review the top legal and risk management trends that independent schools faced this academic year, along with the newly-emerging ones that might impact summer planning (such as preparing for election season). Megan will include scenarios and gladly take questions throughout the session. She welcomes interactive dialogue, and will offer practical tips for school business officers.

Megan Mann, Vice President of Legal Education & Support; General Counsel (NAIS)

Megan Mann is the General Counsel for the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and their Vice President in charge of Legal Education and Support.  Megan has the honor of working with her colleagues to manage NAIS’s legal needs, engage in advocacy efforts on behalf of the independent school community, and educate and support independent school leaders as they face challenges related to the law, risk and crisis management, and governance. Prior to joining the NAIS team, Megan was an independent school attorney, supporting independent schools across the country.  

Megan’s experience with independent schools began as an independent school student in Richmond, Virginia.  She is now the proud mother of two independent school children (and two fabulously awkward, silly dogs).  Additionally, Megan enjoys her role as a trustee for both One Schoolhouse and St. Michael’s School (RVA)(where she attended school); and is grateful to contribute to strategic planning through committee work at Riverside School and The New Community School–two LD schools in her hometown.  When not working with her colleagues and member schools, Megan enjoys spending time with friends and family, running (well, very slow jogging), doing voice over work, and reading (fiction only!). 

10:15-11:30am

Mission-Anchored Compensation Strategies: Research Findings and Resources

NBOA conducted extensive research on independent school compensation models to support schools in innovating their largest and most important area of investment – the faculty and staff delivering the school’s mission every day. In this session, learn about the outcomes of this study and the research-based resources developed to support independent school leaders as they leverage compensation strategies to attract, retain, motivate and grow a high-quality and mission-aligned educator workforce. Takeaways from this session will support schools in exploring innovative compensation practices that align with their unique missions and discovering the important factors to consider when developing, implementing, and evolving a compensation system for their schools. NBOA’s mission-anchored compensation study was made possible with generous support from the E.E. Ford Foundation.

Elizabeth Dabney, Senior Director, Research and Data Analysis, NBOA

As NBOA’s senior director, research and data analysis, Elizabeth Dabney leads the development, planning and management of industry research using data from the association’s Business Intelligence for Independent Schools (BIIS, pronounced “biz”) platform, in addition to other research activities as identified by the association’s strategic plan. Dabney’s research and analysis supports NBOA’s mission to inform NBOA members and other external stakeholders and encourage data-driven decision making throughout the independent school community. Dabney brings to NBOA more than 20 years of research experience. Previously, she was the director, research and policy analysis at the Data Quality Campaign, a nonprofit education policy and advocacy organization, and the nation’s leading voice on education data policy and use. She lives in northeast Seattle.

 11:30-11:45

Conference Closing