2024 Annual Conference | Speakers

Mesmin Destin is an associate professor in the Department of Psychology and School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University in addition to a fellow of Northwestern’s Institute for Policy Research. He completed his Ph.D. in social psychology at the University of Michigan in 2010. Destin uses experiments and other methods to investigate factors shaping the experiences and outcomes of students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. He received the American Psychological Association Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contribution in 2019 and a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship in 2021.

Michelle Icard has worked with parents, children, and teachers for more than 20 years, creating curriculum, books, and programs that help better understand and navigate early adolescence.

Her latest book on this subject, 8 Setbacks That Can Make a Child a Success: What to Do and What to Say to Turn “Failures” into Character-Building Moments (2023), is an invaluable playbook for anxious parents everywhere, ensuring that a child’s mistakes or rebellions don’t become the headline of their childhood, but instead become a launch pad to a better future.

Grant Lichtman is an internationally recognized thought leader in the drive to transform K-12 education. Based on two decades of work as a senior administrator, teacher, and trustee in K-12 education, and his work with more than 275 schools and districts, he speaks, writes, and works with school and community teams to build capacity and comfort with innovation in response to a rapidly changing world. He is the author of four books on the future of K-12 education, and will soon publish his latest book, Wisdom Road. Grant received his B.S. and M.S. in geology from Stanford University.

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As a lead first grade and K-5 global education coordinator, Kristin is opening the eyes and hearts of students by incorporating a global curriculum throughout the Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School primary and lower school. With over 30 years experience as an educator, she understands the importance of educating the whole child.

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Sam Borkovic is the director of student athlete well-being at Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, North Carolina. Sam earned a M.Ed. in professional school counseling from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a B.A. in economics with a concentration in political science from Ohio Wesleyan University. Sam is also a National Board Certified Counselor.

Sam oversees the mental health and emotional well-being of over 800 student athletes in grades 7-12. She partners with local clinicians, families, coaches, and divisional teams to support student wellness. She believes athletics is a critical mechanism for leadership development.

Prior to Ravenscroft School, Sam was the counseling department chair at Saint Edward’s School in Vero Beach, FL, where she supported 600 students preK-12. Sam serves as the board vice president for Sheldon Calvary Camp in Conneaut, OH.

Michelle is a seasoned executive coach and consultant renowned for her inviting demeanor and impactful leadership. With a career spanning over 25 years, including thirteen years in independent schools, she has cultivated expertise in designing and implementing tailored leadership programs, steering change management initiatives, fostering team alignment, and crafting visionary plans for organizational effectiveness. Michelle’s work is anchored in unlocking the inherent potential within leaders and teams, empowering them to capitalize on their strengths, unearth their purpose, and attain success.

In addition to a M.S. in social work, Michelle is a Board Certified Coach, International Coach Federation Certified Coach, National School Reform Coach, Certified Change Management Professional and is trained in Restorative Practices, Neuro Linguistic Programming, and Polarity Management.

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Toni Boyd has served as the vice president for finance and operations at Westminster since 2017. A United States Marine Corps veteran, Toni holds a Master of Accountancy from the University of Georgia and certification as a senior professional in human resources (SPHR). She has consulted extensively with independent schools across the country and internationally on business office operations, not-for-profit accounting, and institutional governance. Toni also serves on the SAIS Board of Trustees. In her spare time, Toni enjoys being a member of the board of directors of Extra Special People Inc. (ESP), a charitable organization that serves children and young adults with disabilities and their families.

Alex Bragg is the upper school teaching & learning specialist at Woodward Academy. She has teaching and leadership experience in public, private, and charter schools, and in 2016, she opened a brand new charter school in the Atlanta area as the founding assistant principal. Alex is a passionate advocate of innovation in schools and has led numerous workshops and seminars coaching educators and teams in innovative instructional strategies, design thinking, curriculum design, and authentic teacher development. Alex is currently pursuing a Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction at the University of Virginia and she holds a B.S. from Auburn University, M.A.T. from The University of West Alabama, and Ed.M. in educational leadership from Columbia University.

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John Burton has decades of experience in both indoor and outdoor leadership and has severed on multiple boards. He is a Dartmouth graduate who also has an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Since 2018, he has been certified to deliver 360 Assessments through the Center for Creative Leadership. He was president of the Nantahala Outdoor Center (1975-1991) and owned and operated the Nantahala Village Resort (1991-2005), before returning as CFO & VP of the Nantahala Outdoor Center from 2008-2014. He now heads up his own executive and team coaching firm, John Burton Coaching.

Additionally, he acts as a seasonal advisor at Falling Creek Camp, furthering the mission of camp by acting as a leadership resource for staff. His position is known warmly as being a “Greybeard,” acknowledging his wisdom, maturity, and experience. In addition to shepherding the growth of staff, he supports risk management efforts and helps ensure operation at the highest level.

Jennifer is a member of the Fisher Phillips Education Practice Group where she counsels independent and private educational institutions on employee, student, and board matters, in addition to litigating matters on behalf of school clients. Jennifer frequently presents at local and national conferences for various industry groups on employment issues, and regularly conducts management trainings.

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Dr. Ray Casey has served in education for 26 years and executive leadership for 30 years. He has led six different Christian schools in Pennsylvania, Indiana, South Carolina, Florida, and currently Louisiana. He specializes in leadership and team development with an emphasis on executive coaching. Ray has consulted and conducted strategic planning for a variety of schools, businesses, and international organizations. Ray has traveled to 45 countries and had the privilege to work with leaders from many different cultural contexts. He is fascinated with organizational archeology and has a keen interest around how leadership behaviors contribute to culture formation in schools. His doctoral dissertation focused on how leadership makes and breaks community in Christian schools.

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Sean Casey has served as head of school at Franklin Road Academy (FRA) for ten years. He has led the school through two strategic plans and raised over $60M toward campus improvements. In addition, enrollment has grown by over 60%, and annual giving has tripled. Sean is on the board of TAIS and serves as the president of ISNA (Independent Schools of the Nashville Area).

Sean started as a teacher and coach at the Peddie School, where he served for 17 years, before becoming associate athletic director, director of external programs, and director of marketing and communications. He served as head of the upper school at Wesleyan School for four years before coming to FRA. Sean holds a B.S. from Hobart College, an M.Ed. from Temple University, and an M.B.A. from Rutgers University. A decorated educator and coach, Sean was awarded the Naismith National High School Coach of the Year in 2010.

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Jared is the head of learning & innovation at The Mount Vernon School in Atlanta, GA, where he also works as the resident competency based education specialist, coaching and supporting teachers on assessment and instructional practices. He also serves as a consultant and editor for MV Ventures, consulting with schools on a variety of topics related to teaching and learning while serving as editor of MV Ventures’ quarterly R&D Reports, where he recently published the reports, “A People-Centered Organization Living in an AI World” and “Imagine Then, Act Now: Futures Literacy for Learning Organizations.” Jared is passionate about authentic assessment, purpose-driven learning, and the idea that collective intelligence is how we solve the world’s most wicked challenges. His most recent research focuses on how schools can develop a more robust “futures literacy” as a collaborative, learning organization by engaging in various foresight practices such as scenarios-based planning and speculative design fiction work.

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Pat joined the SAIS staff in July 2023. He previously served as the director of academic affairs at Athens Academy in Athens, Georgia, since 2004. Prior to that he served as English department chair, teacher, and coach at The Steward School in Richmond, Virginia, from 1996 until 2004. Pat earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Virginia. Pat and his wife Kelley have been married for 26 years are the proud parents of three children: Abby, Ben, and Henry.

Shannon is a marketing and communications professional with 20 years of experience in independent school marketing and advancement, developing and implementing marketing strategies to reach short and long-term goals, including growth in enrollment and fundraising. She has proven success at three major schools in Florida and North Carolina where enrollment, internal engagement, fundraising, and event participation increased through strategic marketing and communications plans. Shannon holds a B.A. from Boston College.

Shannon is passionate about equity and inclusion, naturally curious and open-minded, and genuinely excited about the possibilities for the future.

In her current role, she has the honor to work with a collaborative and highly experienced team of women to:

• reflect, articulate, and promote the mission, vision, and identity of the school through marketing and branding strategies
• manage and foster strategic partnerships
• execute best-in-class internal and external communications
• provide leadership on overarching marketing and communication strategies school-wide

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Michael Ebeling is head of school at Summit School in Winston-Salem, NC. He has served in this role since 2008. Michael is first and foremost an educator. Having taught students from kindergarten through graduate school, designed curriculum K-12, and led teacher professional development K-12, Michael applies the art & science of teaching & learning to his leadership. During his tenure Michael has overseen the restructuring of Summit’s lower school (Eaglets through 5th grade) and upper school (6th – 9th grades), the acquisition of Triad Academy as an academic division of Summit, and the creation of Summit’s Center for Excellence and Innovation in Teaching and Learning (CEI).

Michael served as director of middle school at Lake Ridge Academy (1992-2000), director of lower School at MICDS (2000-2008), and director of teaching & learning at MICDS (2006-2008) before being appointed head of Summit School.

Michael serves as an independent school mentor for new and aspiring heads of school, is a member of the Leadership Winston-Salem Class of 2011, and serves on the board of directors for the National Business Officers Association (NBOA).

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Mike Ehrhardt is in year 12 as the head at Cary Academy, a 6-12 school of 800 students in the research triangle of North Carolina. He worked as a journalist before beginning his education career overseas, serving at international schools in Cyprus, Brazil, and England as a teacher, director of technology, and divisional administrator. He repatriated with his wife and two (now adult) children after 17 years to take his first headship at the Marshall School in his home state of Minnesota. Mike earned a bachelor’s in philosophy from St. Olaf College, a master’s in journalism from Columbia University, and a doctorate in educational administration from the University of Minnesota.

Brink Fidler is the founder and president of Defend Systems, a life safety and security consulting firm specializing in physical security consulting and active violence mitigation training. His firm has conducted training and assessments for hundreds of organizations including schools, school districts, corporations, healthcare facilities, law firms, small businesses, government agencies, houses of worship, and nonprofits. He is a frequently booked public speaker on the topic of active violence events and organizational response. Having served nearly two decades in law enforcement in Nashville, TN, where he retired as the director of the drug task force, he has amassed a vast and unique knowledgebase in the world of high-risk tactical operations and true physical security. He is passionate about empowering others to help themselves and models his business around their short company mission statement, “We empower you to save lives, including your own.”

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Ilanit is an employment and education attorney with Fisher Phillips.

She represents schools in a broad range of matters relating to the workplace, including claims of unlawful discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour, and contract disputes before federal and state courts, and administrative agencies.

A significant portion of Ilanit’s practice is also devoted to counseling schools on preventive measures they may take to avoid or reduce legal claims, including counseling on day-to-day issues. Ilanit also provides employee training, conducts audits, prepares and reviews policies (such as handbooks), and drafts of contracts.

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Mike is a pioneering leader in online learning within the American private-independent school community. From 2010 to 2014, Mike taught courses for students and professional development courses for teachers at the Online School for Girls. From 2014 to 2017, Mike led the development of an award-winning, blended/online program for private-independent schools in Portland, Oregon.

Through his “Chairing Your Department” workshop from ISM and consultations with schools, Mike has trained and mentored hundreds of department chairs, academic deans, and program directors.

Internationally known for his experience designing and implementing PBL, Mike has spoken at conferences and engaged in school consultations across North America, Asia, and Australia. Mike leads engaging, highly participatory workshops for teachers on topics including backward curriculum design, authentic assessment, and constructivist pedagogy, preparing them to facilitate great student learning.

Nicole was an administrator in independent schools for 30 years and her work was focused primarily on student well-being. She worked closely with Authentic Connections (AC) for eight years, in two different schools; she brings her knowledge of independent schools, her passion for student health and wellness, and her sincere interest in helping schools know, understand, and respond to the needs of the students and educators in their communities to her role at AC.

Nicole graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in English, psychology and education. She also has an M.F.A. in creative nonfiction from Bay Path University and a M.A. in liberal studies from Dartmouth. Her M.A.L.S. thesis examined the opportunities and challenges of supporting transgender and non-binary students in independent boarding schools, and her work in student life and well-being has had a particular focus on supporting students of color and LGBTQ+ students.

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Jack’s understanding of and affinity for independent K-12 schools are grounded in a lifetime of experience in the space – first as a boarding school student, then as a teacher, coach, administrator, Klingenstein Fellow, head of school, and trustee. Jack served as head of school at The Walker School from 2011-2022, overseeing the school’s largest capital campaign and creating the New Avenues Immersive Dyslexia Program. Prior to Walker, Jack served twelve years as head of school for Augusta Preparatory Day School and eleven years as a teacher, coach, and administrator at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta. In addition, Jack served as chair of the head of school search committee and board chair at The Stony Brook School, giving him yet another valuable perspective on school leadership and governance.

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Kelsey is the chief membership and engagement officer at Global Online Academy. Prior to joining GOA in 2019, she spent her educational career as a teacher, coach, and admissions officer. Beginning at Delbarton School in New Jersey, Kelsey taught middle and upper school English and served on the admissions committee. In 2006, Kelsey joined the Pace Academy faculty. She taught in both the lower and middle divisions, coached lacrosse, and transitioned into the role of associate director of lower school admissions. After nine years at Pace, Kelsey returned to New Jersey to become the director of admissions at Ranney School. It is her experience teaching across divisions and her work with prospective families that have inspired Kelsey in her role to support school leaders in providing exceptional programming that enhances a school’s curriculum and aligns to strategic priorities for students and faculty.

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Mike Hanas has been a leader in education and leadership development for nearly 40 years. After falling in love with the classics as a high schooler and an undergraduate, Mike brought his passion for learning to work in schools. He has worked as a teacher and leader in five different independent schools (two boarding and three day), including almost 20 years as a head of school in Durham, NC, and in San Francisco, CA. Mike’s sincere belief in (a) the power of reflection to catalyze wisdom and (b) the deep potential of others led him to launch Furthering in 2018 to advance learning, leadership, and service through individual and team support. His executive coaching and consulting clients include heads of school, board shairs, boards of trustees, and senior leadership teams.

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Evan served for ten years as an English teacher and administrator at the Orme School in Arizona and at Episcopal High School in Houston, Texas. He received his master’s degree in private school leadership from Columbia University and went on to study technology ethics at Stanford University’s Human-Centered AI Program. Evan founded PCG to unite experts from education and technology into a single consultancy. He believes that a successful change leadership process is built on compelling narratives. Helping schools tell their AI and automation success story is how Pathos stands out.

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Eric Heilman is Mission & Data’s senior institutional research strategist, bringing over 15 years of experience in the field of education and mission-driven data analysis.

Eric’s expertise is in developing quantitative measures of success across multiple dimensions of a school’s mission, developing overall institutional data strategy, marketing and strategic communications analysis, and facilitating professional development around quantitative literacy and data culture.

Eric is also the executive director of the Center for Institutional Research in Independent Schools (CIRIS), an initiative funded by the E.E. Ford Foundation and housed at Maret School in D.C. CIRIS supports data analysts and school leaders in learning institutional research methods. Before working in IR, Eric taught middle and high school math and earned a graduate degree in economics from the University of Chicago.

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Davidson holds a degree in finance from Stetson, a master’s in business administration from Wake Forest, and a master’s in education from Columbia.
From various admission and development roles in higher education and Gaston Day, he recognizes the importance of building strong ties with the community and believes in a collaborative approach to education. Davidson is involved in the Rotary Club and First Presbyterian Church as well as with the Montreat Conference Center.

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In her fifth year as a lower school librarian at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, Jessie’s library program focuses on curating a representative collection, information literacy, authentic educational collaborations, and cultivating a love of stories. She has a B.Ed. from the University of Georgia and a M.L.I.S with a focus on school libraries from Rutgers University.

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Joaquin Infante is a visionary technology leader with over 15 years of experience in leading and directing technology initiatives.

Throughout his career, Joaquin has demonstrated an exceptional ability to leverage cutting-edge technologies to deliver innovative solutions that meet the unique needs of the schools. His pioneering work in the adoption of new technologies in the K-12 sector has been recognized by global technology companies.

As an expert in the education technology field, Joaquin has an in-depth understanding of edtech integration best practices. Joaquin’s vision is centered around the idea of empowering students with the tools they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world. He believes that technology can be a powerful enabler for learning and that it has the potential to transform the way students engage with education. He is committed to delivering innovative edtech solutions that enable students to achieve their academic goals.

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Joshua is a seasoned finance leader with over a decade of experience starting and leading high-growth organizations, domestically and internationally.

He is the co-founder and CEO of Jefferson Bridge Capital, responsible for driving the firm’s growth strategy and overseeing day-to-day operations. Jefferson Bridge Capital is an investment management firm intentionally positioned to provide high-touch service and support to educational institutions and philanthropic organizations.

Before launching Jefferson Bridge Capital, he served as chief operating officer of Woodmont Investment Counsel, one of Nashville’s largest independent investment advisors. Throughout his career, Joshua has benefitted from various vantage points within the financial industry, including hedge funds, equity research, wealth management, and even leading tech startups.

Josh studied nuclear and radiological engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He volunteers with several nonprofit organizations and currently chairs the finance committee of the independent school his children attend in Nashville, TN.

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With over 20 years of experience in the K-12 space, Lorrie Jackson is a frequent presenter on school marketing and web strategy. She previously served as a director of marketing, faculty member, and technology coordinator at two SAIS member schools and was a contributor in the 2011 edition of The NAIS Handbook on Marketing Independent Schools. As an education sales consultant at Finalsite, she works with schools across the U.S. South looking to improve their website and online communications.

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Danielle joined Cary Academy in 2019 to lead their equity and inclusion efforts as well as direct their Center for Community Engagement. Prior to CA, Danielle served in senior leadership roles in enrollment management, communications, and development at several area independent schools. She is excited to continue the equity work that Cary Academy has focused on while at the same time continuing to help the school look at new ways to make this one of the most equitable schools in the Southeast.

For more than 25 years, Stephanie Keaney has been involved in independent school education. Stephanie is a highly relational leader committed to empowering those around her. She has held various positions in her career, from classroom teacher to state-level leader. She is currently the executive director of NCAIS. Stephanie earned her B.S. in elementary education from Appalachian State University and a M.B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Stephanie has designed and delivered custom retreats, leadership development programs, and conferences for early-career professionals, classroom educators, and established leaders. Stephanie believes that all team members can lead from where they are by fostering an inclusive, purposeful, and process-oriented organizational culture. She is committed to supporting independent school leaders and has presented at conferences nationwide. In addition, she has served in various leadership roles and board positions with nonprofit and community service organizations.

Katie brings a wealth of experience from her background as a middle school math teacher, where she focused on fostering student success and well-being. Now an account executive at The Social Institute, she channels her passion into driving impactful missions that support and uplift today’s students and educators. Her commitment to education and student development continues to shape her professional journey, as she strives to create meaningful change in the field.

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As a former successful educational leader for 35 years, and a board certified executive coach, Doreen is positioned to help clients navigate complexity. She is drawn to the practice of supporting leaders who are interested in becoming more self-aware, developing strong connected teams who possess a goal to purposefully to change their world.

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Cliff Kling, J.D. is Mission & Data’s senior executive compensation and leadership strategist. Cliff brings a unique background and skillset to his work having practiced public accounting with KPMG as a CPA, practiced law with a large law firm, served 13 years as CFO and general counsel of an independent school, and served 11 years as president of two independent schools, including the fifth largest NAIS school, Gulliver Prep in Miami, FL, with an enrollment of 2,230 students. Cliff has also served on numerous boards. Given his broad experience, he understands executive and faculty compensation from many perspectives: legal, accounting and tax, school budget constraints, the board’s fiduciary and stewardship responsibilities, and from knowing well the challenges of sitting in the head’s seat. Cliff graduated from Georgetown University where he majored in accounting, and he earned a J.D. from the University of Mississippi School of Law.

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Katie Koestner has lectured at over 5,000 colleges and high schools in North America. She has appeared on the cover of TIME Magazine, on Oprah, CNN, MTV, MSNBC, NBC Nightly News, Good Morning America, Larry King Live, Later Today, Entertainment Tonight, is the subject of an HBO movie, as well as dozens of other national news programs. The US Ambassador to India has invited Katie to lecture for 19 days in India, and the US Department of Defense has had her train their top 200 officers.

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Nina Kumar is co-founder and chief executive officer of Authentic Connections, an organization aimed at maximizing well-being in school communities using a holistic approach and cutting-edge surveys. Prior to Authentic Connections, Nina was a product manager at IBM Watson Health. She graduated from Williams College with a B.A. in computer science and psychology and a concentration with honors in cognitive science. Nina is a published author of several papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals, and articles for practicing educators. Nina uses her multi-domain background to help school leaders better understand how school climate informs community mental health.

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Kevin Kunst is presently a consultant for Campus Outreach Services and VP of TRQ Solutions, a firm specializing in grant-writing for and support of nonprofits. Kevin attended an independent boarding school for his high school years and has spent 30 years in independent school education and administration, serving in many different leadership roles, the last nine as a head of school. He has published several articles and has spoken at numerous conferences on topics ranging from handbooks to marketing to leadership. He is an expert in developing and executing strategy in regards to school efficiencies and growth.

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Christina Lewellen is a seasoned association executive who brings a data-driven framework to business planning and strategy, having earned her M.B.A. 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 speaking at industry events and visiting independent schools and their leadership teams. She serves as a trustee for the Harmony Foundation International and is an active volunteer in the association management space.

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Marsha Little joined Carney Sandoe after two decades at The Lovett School, a K-12 school in Atlanta, where she served as assistant head of school, upper school dean of academics, and director of college counseling. Prior to moving to secondary schools, Marsha worked in undergraduate admissions at Washington University in St. Louis and Vanderbilt University. In addition to her search work, Marsha has consulted with schools on a range of topics, including strategic planning, retention, and effective transition. She also coaches senior administrators and particularly enjoys designing and facilitating retreats for administrative teams and boards. Internally, Marsha serves as the director of professional learning and development for CS&A’s Search and Consulting Practice, designing professional learning experiences and supporting the recruitment and onboarding of new consultants.

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Having worked in the independent school world for 30 years, Robert McGehee has done what so many in the field have done: everything. He has taught, coached, directed traffic, chaperoned trips, and became an administrator/head of school. Everything he learned about finance and budgeting was acquired on the job. Robert is currently head of St. Nicholas School in Chattanooga, TN.

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Susanna Mees has been teaching elementary students for 25 years. Recently, she moved from the classroom to a coaching position where she is able to support teachers and write curriculum. Her passion for teaching and learning is stronger than ever.

Jonathan Merrill is in his eighth year as upper school principal at Woodward Academy in College Park, GA. He has been on the faculty at Woodward Academy since 1996 and has served in a variety of roles including social studies teacher, varsity coach, department chair, director of service learning, and assistant principal. He received a B.A. in history and political science from Emory University, an M.A. in history from University of Georgia, and a Ph.D. in educational leadership from Mercer University. Teacher growth is a particular passion of his and was the topic of his dissertation research.

Dave has had a long career in independent schools as a teacher, division director, and head of school.
He has been coaching teams, boards, and school leaders since 2020. Dave has presented at many conferences including NAIS, SAIS, and NCAIS.

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Vann Ellen Mitchell, senior vice president, has significant experience in capital, endowment, and comprehensive campaigns, leadership gift fundraising, case for support development, volunteer management, and prospect research. Vann believes the basis of every successful fundraising initiative is a strong, thoughtful, impactful case for support. She strives to bring high levels of innovation and creativity to these critical pieces on every client partnership.

Prior to CCS, Vann worked alongside the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the North Carolina Symphony. She holds a masters from Carnegie Mellon University and a bachelors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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Anna is a clinical neuropsychologist who worked in academic research and medicine for many years prior to leaping out of the Ivory Tower to join K-12 education. Her background in neuroscience translated easily into the classrooms and hallways of schools and has allowed her to serve in many roles. Currently, she is head of school at The Howard School, a K-12 day school for children with language-based learning differences. As a clinician, Anna is well informed about mental health and the ever increases mental health stressors that children face. Her civic engagement and community efforts center on mental health.

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Michael Nachbar is the executive director of Global Online Academy (GOA), where he spearheads a global network of schools and educators dedicated to transforming education. His expertise lies in integrating foundational teaching principles with cutting-edge technologies and innovative pedagogies.

Michael regularly presents at national and international conferences on topics including nonprofit leadership and educational innovation trends. His thought leadership is widely recognized and respected across the educational community.

Michael also serves as a Lakeside School trustee. He has also served on the boards of NAIS, Mastery Transcript Consortium, Summer Search, the Independent School Association Network (ISAnet), and JUMP! Foundation.

Michael holds a B.A. in english and psychology from Indiana University and earned an M.A. in education leadership from the Klingenstein Center. His career in education began as a Teach For America corps member, laying a strong foundation for his ongoing commitment to educational excellence, innovation, and equity.

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Sandra Nagy leads the Education Practice at Future Design School, building strong academic partnerships and supporting school leaders guiding strategic planning, professional development design and delivery, and leading a team of curriculum designers. With over 25 years of experience, Sandra is a firm believer in the capacity of educators to drive future-skill development and in sustained action-research based professional development.

Sandra began her career at Accenture as a change management consultant, later serving as a senior digital strategist at Pearson Education, where she integrated technology into curriculum and professional development resources. She also led a research project at The Learning Partnership on blended professional development for STEM teachers. Sandra holds a M.Ed. from Harvard University, specializing in technology in education, and a B.Com. from McGill University, with a focus on organizational behavior and entrepreneurship.

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Susan is the associate head of school for wellness and belonging at Forsyth Country Day School and is a senior consultant for EXPLO Elevate, a global innovative schools cooperative. Susan is a proven, relational educational leader and consultant having served with joy in executive and leadership roles at independent schools and in higher education. She holds an earned doctorate in educational administration and is a licensed clinician. She completed Harvard University’s Principals’ Center program on Race, Equity, and Leadership in Schools; over a decade of training in Leadership Development Essentials by the Center for Creative Leadership, and certified as a Better Conversations Every™ facilitator and executive coach. Sharing gratitude for serving as a leader – this is near and dear to her heart, Susan travels nationwide as a keynote speaker, consultant, and coach. Susan considers any day where students, families, and schools find connection to be a great one.

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As strategic and organizational leader of Crane + Peters, Shelly fosters empowering relationships—between her client partners and internal team, between each client and their internal and external audiences, and among their own multifaceted team members. Shelly has employed her keen perception, wise diplomacy, and inner drive to ensure that clients and team members alike achieve their highest aspirations.

Shelly’s greatest strength—as leader and listener, partner, and ally—lies in her naturally calm, just, and civil approach to every person and situation. Colleagues and clients alike often describe Shelly in similar ways: patient and poised; energetic and optimistic; an expansive thinker, tireless achiever, and firm believer in other people. Her extensive experience with nonprofit education consulting and corporate management provide her with a broad context for understanding clients’ challenges. Shelly holds a dual B.A. in psychology and educational studies from Emory University and studied learning and organizational change at Northwestern University.

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Sarah Prevette was named by Inc. Magazine as one of the top entrepreneurs in North America and has been profiled by The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and The Financial Times. Over the past two decades, she has developed transformational strategy for some of the world’s most renowned brands including Google and Apple. Globally recognized for her work in human-centered design and change management, Sarah leads world-class strategy development for districts, K-12 schools, universities, government, and industry. Working in over 65 countries, Sarah brings a unique viewpoint on current trends and future opportunities. Her organization, Future Design School, was named one of the most innovative companies in North America by Fast Company magazine in 2023 and supports thousands of education leaders through strategic consulting, professional development, diagnostics, and dashboards.

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A pioneer in the field of remote work, Dr. Rafael Prikladnicki has a wide variety of professional experiences in the interplay of education, technology, and innovation. He has taught and conducted research in these topics since 2002. He led the hybrid learning project at the Gisela & Daniel Ades Foundation in 2022, helping in the design and development of a solution that was later installed at the Jewish Leadership Academy (JLA) in 2023. He is currently the SIS administrator and registrar at JLA and a faculty member at the School of Technology at PUCRS University in Brazil. He has published 60+ journal papers, 150+ conference papers with more than 6,000 citations and has co-authored 5 books, including the first book in Portuguese about remote work back in 2007. He was a visiting scholar at the University of California Irvine and at the University of Victoria.

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Natalie Pruett is the associate director of marketing and communications at Charlotte Country Day School where she has worked since 2002. With a keen focus on digital marketing, Natalie plays a key role in enhancing the school’s online presence. She manages the school’s website and internal communications to parents, faculty, and staff. Her expertise in digital strategies and commitment to effective communication help strengthen the school’s community and outreach efforts.

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Mark Reed, a former SAIS board chair, is a passionate, experienced, and strategic leader focused on improving every organization to whom he commits his time and energy. Having served on many for-profit and not-for-profit boards of directors for the last 20 years, he brings a wealth of leadership experience to help improve organizational performance.

Mark currently serves as Managing Director of the John M Belk Endowment and South Summit Capital LLC. where his dual roles allow him to focus on improving post-secondary educational access, completion, and workforce opportunities in North Carolina while also exploring investment opportunities for the family office.

Shannon Reynolds is in her first year as director of strategic advancement at Chatham Hall. Shannon previously served as assistant head of school for institutional advancement at Ashley Hall and as director of advancement at New City School in St. Louis, Missouri.

Shannon is an accomplished and collaborative fundraiser with over 30 years of experience in all aspects of work in annual, major, planned, and capital campaign giving. Shannon brings a strategic lens to her work, highly influenced by her varied and vast experience in downtown redevelopment, higher education, nonprofit management, and healthcare fundraising.

Shannon received her M.H.P. in historic preservation from the University of Georgia and her B.A. in historic preservation from Mary Washington College.

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Patrick Schuermann is fortunate to have a 25-year career cultivating leadership in individuals and organizations that span kindergarten through doctoral level initiatives in both the public and private sectors. He has worked as a founding director of a National Center for the U.S. Department of Education, worked globally with the U.S. Department of Defense Education Agency, and has worked with high-level international leaders on programs to support leadership development in educators, schools, and students across Europe, the Middle East, South America, Africa, and Asia. At Vanderbilt University, Patrick founded the Peabody Professional Leadership Institutes and he developed, and for 8 years directed, the Independent School Leadership Master’s Program. Building on the E.E. Ford-funded Mission-Anchored Compensation Systems study with with NBOA, Patrick has launched Strategic Compensation & Coaching Partners to help independent school communities find innovative solutions to the challenge of attracting, rewarding, and retaining a mission-aligned workforce.

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Matt Scully is the director of digital integration & innovation at Providence Day School in Charlotte, NC. He has served as an accreditation chair for SAIS, as a faculty member for the ATLIS Aspiring Leaders Institute, and as an instructor for the SAIS Institute for New Teachers supporting teachers new to independent schools over the last 12 summers. Matt started his career as a middle school teacher for Fowler School District in Phoenix, AZ where he taught a bit of everything – science, pre-algebra, civics, reading, and english. This experience helped him develop an interest in how learning works. His borderline obsession with both the art of yeaching and science of learning intersected with emerging technologies and led to fascination with building the best possible learning environments.

Sara is in her 29th year as an educator, and is currently the rector/head of school at Chatham Hall in Chatham, VA. She has played many different roles including middle school science teacher, dean and coach, upper school science teacher and science department chair, international trip sponsor, head of middle school, dorm parent, director of admission and enrollment, and head of school. She is a dual citizen of the US and the UK, where she was born and raised. She continues to be passionate about all aspects of education, and to her enduring commitment to being a lifelong learner herself.

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Amber Stockham, SPHR, holds an M.B.A. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and brings more than 20 years of experience in human resources to her role at NBOA. Prior to joining NBOA in 2020, Amber’s career spanned a variety of industries, including social services, manufacturing, and construction. She found a passion for education when she served as the director of human resources at Miss Hall’s School, an independent boarding/day school for girls in grades 9-12. In her six years at Miss Hall’s School, Amber was a key member of the school’s compensation, evaluation, and benefits task force and served in a volunteer capacity as finance committee chair of Captivated Health. In her role as senior director, human resources programs at NBOA, Amber designs and leads courses and workshops on topics ranging from difficult conversations and employee supervision to benefits administration.

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Kendra Varnell is the associate head of school for student affairs at Ravenscroft School, and is a licensed clinical psychologist with over a decade of experience working in educational and clinical settings. Kendra graduated from Wake Forest University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and earned a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Fuller Graduate School of Psychology, completing her doctoral internship at Duke University. Kendra joined Ravenscroft school in the fall of 2017 and has served in several previous roles including middle school counselor, upper school counselor, department chair, and co-director of clinical services.

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Derrick Willard is the head of school at Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, NC. Before coming to Ravenscroft, Derrick served as the head of school at Augusta Preparatory Day School in Augusta, GA, for five years. Prior to his first headship, he served at Providence Day School in Charlotte, NC, in various roles for 22 years. He has presented at SAIS and NAIS on many topics to include sponsorship, mentoring, coaching, digital citizenship, targeted marketing, and innovation.

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In August 2023, Debra Wilson began her tenure as the ninth president of NAIS.

From 2019 until 2023, Wilson served as president of SAIS, where she led the organization through a period of growth and supported school leaders in her region through the COVID-19 pandemic. Her SAIS role followed 19 years at NAIS, first as assistant director of regulatory affairs and later as general counsel. In that capacity, she oversaw regulatory and advocacy work for the organization, supported schools in crises, advanced best practices in governance, and created dozens of legal advisories along with other informational resources. Before joining the NAIS staff, Debra was a tax litigator at the Department of Justice.

Scott, a 40-year leader in independent schools, joined ISM as a full-time consultant and executive coach in 2021. Before joining ISM, Scott served as president and head of school of Baylor School from 2009 until his retirement from headship in 2021. Scott enjoys working with school heads, trustees, and leadership teams on all facets and challenges of school leadership. He understands the unique demands of independent school leadership and the skills necessary for navigating headship effectively—from strategic planning to the realities of working daily with the myriad constituencies of today’s complex school world. Above all, he retains his passion for independent schools and the students they serve. Prior to his appointment at Baylor in 2009, Scott enjoyed successful tenures as head of school at both Brookstone School (Georgia), and Valwood School (Georgia).

Dr. Colin Wyenberg has over 20 years of experience working in admissions and enrollment in both higher education and PK-12 independent schools. His doctoral research focused on fostering pathways of enrollment for underserved communities. Like many educators, he has also worn many additional hats, served on a wide range of committees, and loves the magic of a school community. As an education solutions consultant at Finalsite, he works with schools across the south to step up their admissions and enrollment processes and advance the mission of the school.

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Ronda is the upper school assistant principal at Woodward Academy, a dynamic and diverse learning community where she has invested the past 19 years of her career in education. Whether it is teaching English or African studies, she loves sharing her passion for these subjects with teenagers as well as working with teachers to equip and empower them to be inclusive leaders in their classrooms.