April 20-22, 2026 - Alderbrook Resort and Spa, Union, WA
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN
Conference Overview
Each year NWAIS hosts a dynamic conference which is an opportunity to gather with colleagues and engage with content around school finance and operations.
Who Should Attend?
Independent School Business Managers and Their Colleagues.
Speakers and Sessions
Your planning committee has worked hard building an agenda to meet the needs of NWAIS finance professionals. Participants will engage in sessions around the economic and legal landscape, the changing role of leadership, and have opportunities to connect with colleagues from across the region.
Learn More About Our Sessions and Speakers Here
Featuring Keynote Address
With Amada Torres, VP for Studies, Insights, and Research
NAIS
Presenting:
Navigating the Future: Key Trends Impacting Independent Schools
as well as additional sessions including:
Conference Agenda
Monday, April 20, 2026
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1:00–2:00pm
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Registration
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2:00–2:30pm
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Welcome,
Introductions and Reconnecting
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2:30-4:00pm
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Keynote Address: Navigating the Future: Key Trends Impacting Independent Schools With Amada Torres, VP for Studies, Insights, and Research, NAIS
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4:15-5:15pm
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Resort Activities with Colleagues
Suggested activities include: kayaking, hiking, lawn games, and more!
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5:15-7:15pm
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Reception and Dinner
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Tuesday, April 21, 2026
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8:00-9:00am
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Breakfast
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9:00-9:15am
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Welcome and Framing
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9:15-10:30am
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General Session: Emerging Legal and Compliance Challenges & Opportunities with Joy Ellis (Foster Garvey) and Michael Zangl (Miller Nash)
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10:30-11:00am
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Break
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11:00-12:30pm
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Focus Sessions
1) This is not JUST a Drill: Preparing and Executing Effective Critical Incident Tabletop Exercises with Mark Vermeal
Senior Safety & Risk Management Executive & Samuel D. Daume, Jr., CPCU, ARM Executive Vice President, Fred C. Church Insurance
2) Retirement as a Talent Lever: What NWAIS Schools Are Doing—and What Works with Hailey Fields, Principal, Consultant, Multnomah Group and Gretchen Reed, CFO, Oregon Episcopal School
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12:30-2:00pm
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Long Lunch
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2:00-3:30pm
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General Session: What Business Officers Should Know Now About Agentic AI with Peter Frank, Interim CEO, ATLIS (Association for Technology Leaders in Independent Schools)
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3:30-4:00pm
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Break
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4:00-4:45pm
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Round Tables: Gather with Schools of Similar Sizes to Learn About and Discuss the Areas Impacting You and Your School
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4:45-6:15pm
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Exhibitor Reception
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6:15-7:30pm
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Dinner
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Wednesday, April 22, 2026
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7:30-8:30
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Breakfast Session: Legal and Policy Update with Karen Kalzer, NWAIS Retained Legal Council
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8:30-9:45
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Focus Sessions
1) Inside the 2025–26 Applicant Pool: National Data Trends Impacting Enrollment and Budgets with Jen Bash, Client Success Manager, Clarity
2) The Financial State of Independent Schools: New Insights and Trends with Elizabeth Dabney, Senior Director, Research and Data Analysis, NBOA
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10:00-11:30
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Designing & Implementing a Sustainable Mission-Driven Compensation System with Cliff Kling, Senior Executive Compensation and Leadership Strategist - Mission & Data
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11:30-11:45
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Conference Closing
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Pricing and Registration
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Full Conference
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Tuesday and Wednesday Only
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Early Bird
SAVE $90
Register by Feb 20, 2026
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Members: $775
Non-Members: $975
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Members: $525
Non-Members: $725
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Regular
SAVE $30
February 21-March 20, 2026
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Members: $835
Non-Members: $1035
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Members: $585
Non-Members: $785
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Late
After March 20, 2026
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Members: $865
Non-Members: $1065
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Members: $615
Non-Members: $815
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TO RECEIVE THE REGISTRATION DISCOUNT: Your registration must be complete by the appropriate deadline.
Online registrations paid by credit card must be completed by 11:59pm ET on the deadline date.
Accommodations
We have reserved a limited number of rooms at a special group rate of $199/night.
Reservations can be made by phone or online.
To reserve by phone please call (360) 898-2145 and ask for the rate reserved for the NWAIS Business Officers Conference
To reserve online, navigate to alderbrookresort.com in input group code: 40X8YX under group code.
To book online, go to Alderbrook website and click on BOOK NOW button. Then enter the Arrival and Departure dates, and under Add Special Code/Group, enter the group code above. This will populate the available room types to book. Note: If you are trying to book outside of the contracted dates for either conference, the code will not work. You will need to call Reservations directly to book a room. The initial rate shown online is group rate plus resort fee/tax. If you would like the total with tax, click on “+ Rate Details” to see the total with taxes as well.
Both online and call-in reservations will have first night room and tax collected as a deposit. Subject to 7-day cancelation policy.
RATE: Group discount is available through Friday, March 20, 2026.
After that date, all guest rooms in the group will be released back into hotel's general inventory. Please note all guest room reservations and room types are subject to availability at the hotel.
NWAIS Event Policies
Cancellation Policy
Substitutions may be made any time prior to the conference. Written cancellations received by April 10, 2026 are eligible for a refund after a $75 cancellation fee. Cancellations received after April 10, 2026 are ineligible for any refund.
Program Cancellation
In the unlikely event that NWAIS cancels a program for any reason, all pre-registered participants will receive notification via email. The cancellation will also be posted on the NWAIS website, and sent via listservs.
Schools Affiliated with NWAIS: Participants’ will have full refunds for all program fees applied to their NWAIS school accounts.
Schools Not Affiliated with NWAIS: Participants will receive a full refund for all program fees paid. NWAIS is unable to reimburse other expenses (such as travel) incurred by attendees prior to the event.
Travel and Other Expenses Incurred Before Event Cancellation
Typically, cancellations and postponements are very rare, however the pandemic has forced us to utilize these options more frequently. In the case that NWAIS needs to cancel, all registration fees will be refunded. NWAIS is however, unable to
reimburse other expenses (such as travel) incurred by attendees prior to the event. NWAIS strongly recommends that attendees make travel arrangements such as airline tickets and hotel accommodations that allow for some flexibility such as
rescheduling, cancellation and/or future credit.
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