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In partnership with the Independent School Association of the Central States (ISACS), NYSAIS is offering our member schools access to this special online educational series for boards and heads of school. This series includes a collection of ten one-hour, monthly webinars on important governance topics following the schedule outlined below.
Target Audience
Trustees and Heads of School from NYSAIS Member Schools
Questions
NYSAIS Member Schools can reach out to our support team at
support.nysais.org with any questions regarding this series.
Webinars
Independent School Trends Trustees Will Navigate This Year
Presenter: Debra Wilson, National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
Date/Time: Thursday, September 18, 2025, 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Join NAIS President Debra Wilson as she highlights the key influences and data directions impacting independent schools this year.
Strategic Financial Planning for Trustees
Presenter: James P. Honan, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Date/Time: Thursday, October 16, 2025, 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Explore the knowledge, skills, and capacities trustees need to govern for financial sustainability—and specific strategies to get there.
Empowering Independent School Trustees: Current Trends, Culture & Campaigns
Presenters: Meghan Davison, CCS Fundraising & Bob Weston, CCS Fundraising
Date/Time: Thursday, November 20, 2025, 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Practical insights for building a culture of philanthropy and leading successful campaigns in today’s landscape.
Bonus Webinar: Board Chair Roundtable I
Facilitators: Georgy Ann Peluchiwski, Greenwich Leadership Partners &
Stephanie Rogen, Greenwich Leadership Partners
Date/Time: Thursday, December 11, 2025, 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Note: For current & incoming board chairs only. Not recorded.
A facilitated peer conversation on the issues confronting board chairs.
Navigating the Future: Key Trends Impacting Independent Schools
Presenter: Amada Torres, NAIS
Date/Time: Thursday, January 22, 2026, 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Timely insights on demographics, admissions, philanthropy, workforce dynamics, and the head–board relationship.
Everyday Succession Planning: Resilience for Leadership Transition
Presenters: Georgy Ann Peluchiwski & Stephanie Rogen, Greenwich Leadership Partners
Date/Time: Thursday, February 12, 2026, 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Note: Not recorded.
Approaches and practices for making succession planning a continuous strength of governance.
From the Classroom to Courtroom: Hot Legal Topics & Governance Trends for Trustees
Presenter: Megan Mann, Approach
Date/Time: Thursday, March 5, 2026, 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Governance and risk issues trustees should watch—from enrollment agreements to crisis management.
The Year Before the Strategic Plan
Presenter: Greg Bamford, Leadership+Design
Date/Time: Thursday, April 30, 2026, 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Five critical conversations to have before you launch strategic planning—and how to gauge readiness.
Bonus Webinar: Board Chair Roundtable II — Being the Board Chair Your Board Needs
Facilitator: Lynn Wendell, Independent School Governance Expert
Date/Time: Thursday, May 7, 2026, 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Note: For current & incoming board chairs only. Not recorded.
Recognize and meet your board’s needs in unexpected moments of leadership.
Design Levers for Effective Change
Presenter: Antonio Viva, Leadership+Design
Date/Time: Thursday, May 14, 2026, 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Stages of change and practical levers trustees can apply to implement and sustain strategic shifts.
Live webinars will take place via Zoom, 4:00 – 5:00 pm ET on the following Thursdays:
- September 18, 2025
- October 16, 2025
- November 20, 2025
- December 11, 2025 – Roundtable for incoming & current board chairs only (not recorded)
- January 22, 2026
- February 12, 2026 – Not recorded
- March 5, 2026
- April 30, 2026
- May 7, 2026 – Roundtable for incoming & current board chairs only (not recorded)
- May 14, 2026
To accommodate busy schedules, webinars will be recorded and available to registered schools and their trustees until June 30, 2026, unless otherwise noted.
- Trustee Series webinars will be recorded, unless otherwise noted.
- Recordings will be available to registered schools until June 30, 2026.
- Instructions to access recordings/resources will be sent within 24–48 hours of each live presentation to the registered school contact and anyone pre-registered on Zoom.
- Passwords are not required; registrants will complete a Zoom On-Demand Online Form for each webinar.
- Please do not share links outside your school community. ISACS may contact non-registrants to require a registration fee.
- Not recorded: December 11, 2025 (Roundtable I), February 12, 2026 (Everyday Succession Planning), May 7, 2026 (Roundtable II).
Debra Wilson
Debra Wilson began her tenure as president of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) in August 2023. Previously, she served as president of the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS). Her SAIS role followed 19 years at NAIS, as assistant director of regulatory affairs and later as general counsel. She has served on several independent school and educational nonprofit boards and co-authored the NAIS Trustee Handbook (10th & 11th editions). Wilson received a BA from Sewanee: The University of the South and a JD from the University of South Carolina.
Independent School Trends Trustees Will Navigate This Year | Sept 18, 2025
James P. Honan
James P. Honan is a senior lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is also a faculty member at the Harvard Kennedy School and serves on the faculty executive committee of Harvard’s Advanced Leadership Initiative. Honan has served as a consultant on strategic planning, governance, and resource allocation to colleges, universities, schools, foundations, and nonprofit organizations. He holds a BA from Marist University, an MA from George Washington University, and an EdM and EdD from Harvard University.
Meghan Davison
Meghan Davison serves as executive vice president at CCS Fundraising. With over 15 years of experience in nonprofit consultation and campaign management, she has advanced projects with aggregate fundraising targets exceeding $1 billion. Davison leverages her expertise of the philanthropic landscape to foster strategic partnerships with education institutions across the central U.S. and is passionate about leveraging innovation and analysis to drive tailored solutions. She specializes in strategic planning, major gift program management, data analytics, and campaign communication.
Bob Weston
Bob Weston serves as senior vice president and independent schools practice lead at CCS Fundraising, with three decades in the independent school sector. An educator, administrator, and advancement professional, Weston has directed transformative fundraising initiatives—from $5 million to over $100 million—and advised on strategic planning, endowment growth, and donor engagement. His expertise and understanding of independent school values have elevated philanthropic outcomes and advanced institutional missions nationwide.
Stephanie Rogen
Stephanie Rogen, principal and founder of Greenwich Leadership Partners, is a consultant, coach, and facilitator to educational and nonprofit boards and leaders. Rogan works with nonprofits ranging from Columbia University to The White House Project and Northwell Health and is a guest lecturer at the UPenn Graduate School of Education. She is a trustee for College Unbound and has served on the boards of the HTH Graduate School of Education, Blair Academy, St. Luke’s School, Year Up, and the Greenwich United Way.
Board Chair Roundtable I | Dec 11, 2025 · Everyday Succession Planning | Feb 12, 2026
Amada Torres
Amada Torres is the vice president of studies, insights, and research at the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) where she researches and reports on market and socioeconomic trends, governance and leadership, community well-being, diversity, and other studies of interest to NAIS schools. As a contributor to the NAIS Trendbook, she speaks on issues and trends related to independent education, financial sustainability, admissions and marketing, and advocacy. Torres serves as a trustee of Keys School, Tessa International School, and the Association of Independent School Admission Professionals.
Megan Mann
Megan Mann launched Approach in 2024, drawing on over 17 years working in the legal, nonprofit and education sectors. Her work focuses on administrative and governance leadership levels as well as faculty professional development. Previously the general counsel and vice president of legal education and support at the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) she managed intricate legal, crisis, and risk management matters, providing valuable consultation and educational support to member schools. She is an independent school alum, parent, and trustee.
Greg Bamford
Greg Bamford is a co-founder and partner of Leadership+Design. Previously he was associate head of school for strategy and innovation at Charles Wright Academy and head of school at Watershed School. In addition, Bamford recently completed two terms on the board of his alma mater, The Overlake School. He brings a strategic lens to leadership development, innovation, and change management. Bamford has been a speaker at conferences, and his writing has appeared in publications such as Independent School, Net Assets, and The Yield.
Lynn Wendell
Lynn Wendell has worked as a consultant for well over 150 independent schools and nonprofits. She served as a trustee at three independent schools and as board chair at San Francisco University High School. In addition, she is currently co-chair of the program committee and on the executive committee of Independent Schools Chairpersons Association (ISCA). She has served on nonprofit boards, board committees, and advisory councils.
Georgy Ann Peluchiwski
Georgy Ann Peluchiwski is a partner at Greenwich Leadership Partners with decades of experience in financial services, nonprofit board service, strategic planning, organization design, enterprise risk management, and independent school leadership. Within her 12-year tenure as a trustee at the Latin School of Chicago, she served as board chair, treasurer, and chair of the finance committee. Currently, she co-chairs Latin’s Senior Advisory Council and serves on the boards of the Independent School Chairperson’s Association and High Jump Chicago.
Board Chair Roundtable I | Dec 11, 2025 · Everyday Succession Planning | Feb 12, 2026
Antonio Viva
Antonio Viva is a partner at Leadership+Design. He is a seasoned educator, experience designer, strategic advisor, and nonprofit leader. He served as the head of school at Walnut Hill School for the Arts for 12 years. He also served as senior research and design associate for the Education Development Center, Inc. where he worked on national school design projects. Previously, he was the executive director of Artisans Asylum in Boston, MA, one of the oldest and largest makerspaces in the US. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Union College in English and Education respectively.
Non-member schools: $700 per school