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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
our support portal with any questions regarding this series.
Registration Coming Soon
What Past Participants Are Saying
“Timely and relevant. Our team came away with clear takeaways we could put to work right away.”
“Excellent programming with consistently strong speakers. The topics are always on point for what boards are wrestling with right now.”
“Especially valuable for newer trustees getting their bearings. It builds shared language across the board quickly.”
“These sessions stay grounded in the real work of governing an independent school today.”
Webinars
Strengthening Board Culture: What Matters Most
Presenter: Anne-Marie Balzano, Mission & Data
Date/Time: Thursday, September 24, 2026, 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Board culture does not happen by accident—it is shaped over time through shared purpose, intentional practices, and the quality of relationships around the table. Explore a framework for understanding and strengthening board culture through three interconnected lenses: purpose, process, and people. Together, we will examine how clarity of role and responsibility, effective governance structures, and a culture of trust influence a board’s ability to lead well.
Strategic Financial Planning for Trustees
Presenter: James P. Honan, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Date/Time: Thursday, October 15, 2026, 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Trustees play a critical role in ensuring their schools’ financial sustainability. Participants will explore the knowledge, skills, and capacities trustees need to govern effectively for financial strength. We will examine key issues and challenges trustees face in financial oversight and discuss specific strategies and approaches to support long-term stability.
Board’s Role in Fundraising
Presenter: Donna Harris, Minnehaha Academy
Date/Time: Thursday, November 19, 2026, 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
How can trustees partner most effectively with school leadership to elevate philanthropic giving? Explore the vital role engaged board members play in the fundraising ecosystem. Join Harris, a successful fundraiser for her school, to learn how to navigate the philanthropic cycle with confidence, support the development office, lead by example, and translate the school’s strategic vision into philanthropic success.
Top of Mind Topics for Boards Today
Presenter: Bernie Noe, The Leader Network
Date/Time: Thursday, December 10, 2026, 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
What should be top of mind for independent school boards today? The answer varies by school, of course—but in this webinar, we’ll focus on the issues that consistently matter most: how to best support and partner with your head, what AI means for the relevance of your educational program, the cost of attending your school, and the delicate art of strong board governance—staying out of the weeds while still asking the questions that matter. Expect a conversation that is practical, candid, and grounded in real experience—with just enough irreverence to keep it lively and engaging.
Mission & Market Alignment: National Trends Driving Parent Enrollment Decisions
Presenter: Mike Flanagan, E3n
Date/Time: Thursday, January 21, 2027, 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
How can independent school leaders create brand messages that cut through the noise and articulate a compelling value proposition in a time of flux? In this session, Flanagan will identify key societal trends shaping independent school enrollment, share detailed research on how parents make decisions about independent schools, and guide participants through clarifying their value proposition. He will share lessons learned from building brand messaging frameworks that resonate with families.
Building a Board That Performs
Presenters: Georgy Ann Peluchiwski & Stephanie Rogen, Greenwich Leadership Partners
Date/Time: Thursday, February 11, 2027, 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Great governance starts with having the right people on the board and a rigorous approach to putting them in place. Board composition deserves the same strategic discipline as any high-stakes talent decision. Using a proven framework, this webinar will equip participants with practical tools to assess current board composition, define key criteria for future members, and establish sustainable practices for sourcing, selecting, onboarding, and developing a high-performing board.
Legal Trends & Governance Challenges for Independent School Trustees
Presenter: Kristin Smith, Fisher & Phillips LLP
Date/Time: Thursday, March 18, 2027, 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
An overview of pressing legal trends and governance challenges shaping independent school boards today, with practical guidance for trustees navigating contracts, policies, risk, and the evolving regulatory landscape.
Board’s Role in Navigating Turbulent Times
Presenter: Debra Wilson, National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
Date/Time: Thursday, April 29, 2027, 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Board roles and engagement with school leadership have shifted dramatically over the last 15 years. Key changes in the landscape call on boards and school leaders to work together in new ways and to build deeper skills as the environment becomes ever more dynamic. Examine how governance has shifted, explore how boards and leaders are responding to current challenges, and consider pressing trends and issues facing schools today.
Board Chairs & Heads: Better Together—The Work Beneath the Work
Presenter: Lynn Wendell, Independent School Governance Expert
Date/Time: Thursday, May 6, 2027, 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Note: For current & incoming board chairs & heads only. Not recorded.
The partnership between the board chair and head of school is one of the most important drivers of a school’s success—and one of the least examined in real time. In this session, board chairs and heads are invited to pause and reflect together on their work during the 2026–27 school year: Where were you aligned and effective? Where did you feel out of sync? How did your partnership influence the tone and work of the board and the broader school community? Participants will engage in guided self-reflection, conversation with their partner, and small-group dialogue with peers. If your partner is unable to attend, you are still encouraged to join and will leave with tools and prompts to continue the conversation together; board chairs-elect are welcome.
Governing with Clarity, Strategy & Purpose: An Orientation for Board Members
Presenter: Brooke Carroll, Acies Strategies
Date/Time: Thursday, May 13, 2027, 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Board members’ understanding of their purview, role, and expectations—alongside the head of school—directly influences the school’s stability and potential. This session supports both seasoned trustees and those new to the role in clarifying how the board articulates, enacts, and celebrates its work. Participants will leave with specific, actionable strategies to govern with clarity, strategy, and purpose.
Live webinars will take place via Zoom, 4:00 – 5:00 pm ET on the following Thursdays:
- September 24, 2026
- October 15, 2026
- November 19, 2026
- December 10, 2026
- January 21, 2027
- February 11, 2027
- March 18, 2027
- April 29, 2027
- May 6, 2027 – For current & incoming board chairs & heads only (not recorded)
- May 13, 2027
To accommodate busy schedules, webinars will be recorded and available to registered schools and their trustees until June 30, 2027, unless otherwise noted.
- Trustee Series webinars will be recorded, unless otherwise noted.
- Recordings will be available to registered schools until June 30, 2027.
- 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: May 6, 2027 (Board Chairs & Heads: Better Together).
Anne-Marie Balzano
Anne-Marie Balzano, EdD is Mission & Data’s governance and strategic planning practice lead, partnering with independent school boards and heads to strengthen governance, lead strategic planning, and support long-term sustainability. A former head of school, associate professor, and director of leadership and governance at the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), she brings a multi-layered perspective to the complexities of school leadership. Balzano is a regular presenter for NAIS, working with new and aspiring heads on effective governance and strong board–head partnerships, and she serves as a trustee at The Buckley School (CA).
Strengthening Board Culture: What Matters Most | Sept 24, 2026
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.
Donna Harris
Donna Harris, EdD has served as president of Minnehaha Academy (MN), a PK–12 Christian school, since 2009. She began her career as a teacher in public schools before moving into independent school administration. Harris is an adjunct professor at Baylor University in the School Leadership Program and has served as a trustee and board chair for ISACS as well as on several nonprofit and independent school boards. Her leadership was instrumental in guiding Minnehaha Academy through the aftermath of a deadly gas explosion in 2017; under the banner “Together We Rise,” she led a rebuilding and restorative effort completed in August 2019.
Bernie Noe
Bernie Noe is the co-founder of The Leader Network, which partners with independent school leaders, boards, nonprofit executives, and mission-driven organizations to strengthen leadership at every level. He previously served as head of school at Lakeside School (WA) and held leadership roles at Sidwell Friends School (D.C.). Noe served on the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) board of trustees and served as the founding board chair of Global Online Academy. He has served on the board of School Year Abroad and currently serves on the board of Rainier Scholars.
Mike Flanagan
Mike Flanagan is the inaugural Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of E3n, an organization formed from the merger of The Educational Records Bureau (ERB) and the Enrollment Management Association (EMA). His 30 years of leadership experience in nonprofit associations and educational technology include serving as CEO of the Mastery Transcript Consortium, CEO of School and Student Services by NAIS, and co-founder and EVP of Client Services at Intrepid Learning Solutions.
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.
Stephanie Rogen
Stephanie Rogen, principal and founder of Greenwich Leadership Partners, is a consultant, coach, and facilitator to educational and nonprofit boards and leaders. Rogen 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.
Kristin Smith
Kristin Smith is a partner in the Houston and Minneapolis offices of Fisher & Phillips LLP and co-chair of the firm’s education industry group. Her practice focuses exclusively on independent and private schools, assisting them with student and employee discipline, contracts, handbooks and policies, LGBTQ issues, board governance and training, discrimination claims and EEOC charges, training and development, family court entanglements, and investigations, litigation, arbitration, and mediation.
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.
Lynn Wendell
Lynn Wendell has worked as a consultant for more than 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. She has served on nonprofit boards, board committees, and advisory councils.
Brooke Carroll
Brooke Carroll, PhD is the principal consultant and coach at Acies Strategies, supporting small schools and nonprofits in leadership development, board development, and strategic thinking and planning. She holds a doctorate in educational psychology and has 30 years of experience leading schools and nonprofits, is an International Coaching Federation-certified leadership coach, and has served on eight boards. Prior to consulting and coaching, she was head of school for nine years at Seneca Academy (MD) and authored Governing the Small School.