When Paul landed his first job at a Boarding School, he was inspired by the way in which Independent Schools invest in student’s overall development, utilizing relationships to help children thrive. Serving in senior leadership and teaching roles in day, boarding, rural, suburban, and metropolitan schools ranging from 200 to 1300 students, Paul has worked for the past 25 years in Independent Schools. Most recently Paul served as the Middle School Director at Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School in Manhattan and prior to that as the Middle School Head at the Elisabeth Morrow School in Englewood, NJ. He prides himself on building sustainable teams and rich, student-centered educational programs. Regardless of the school, market, or challenge, Paul has worked closely with advancement teams to measurably improve enrollment and advancement outcomes through increased marketing, branding, and communications strategies and partnered with Boards to lead effective strategic planning processes. 

It was Paul’s work as the Middle School Head at two K-8 schools where he found his passion for the process of connecting students and families with independent schools. Having helped counsel families with children in kindergarten, middle, and high school as well as college admissions processes, Paul believes that the admissions' process itself is a profound educational experience, not only a means to an end. When a family reflects on its values, a child’s unique talents and passions, and the various and distinct school characteristics, their child has the best opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. Throughout his career, Paul leveraged his extensive knowledge of independent schools along with his experience working with children and families to help place students in some of the most competitive and dynamic schools in the New York City area. 

Paul holds an undergraduate degree from Roanoke College, a Masters in English from the University of South Carolina, and a Masters Degree in Private School Leadership from Columbia University. Paul's three children have all attended Independent Schools. 

[email protected]

Karl is the founder of Everest Private School Growth, the Help One Hundred School initiative, and a long-time champion for marketing schools. For more than 10 years, Karl has been actively growing private schools of various categories and sizes from local independent schools to larger private universities.

Email: [email protected] 

Website: www.everestprivateschoolgrowth.com

Social Handles: https://www.facebook.com/everestprivateschoolgrowth  https://linkedin.com/company/everest-private-school-growth-group

Angela is the Manager, B2B Brand Strategy at Niche, where she supports content and partner engagement strategy in Niche's work with K-12 and higher education institutions. 

Before joining Niche, she was the director of marketing and communications at Flint Hill School, a PK-12, co-ed day school outside of Washington, DC. In addition to developing research and content for Enrollment Insights, Angela is a frequent conference presenter, guest author, and podcast guest.

Aubrey Bursch is passionate about supporting small and independent schools to increase enrollment, retention, and revenue. As the daughter of lifelong educators and the mom of two independent school students, she combines her passion for schools with her 20+ years of marketing and development experience to help schools identify and implement high ROI initiatives. Aubrey co-hosts the Mindful School Marketing podcast, leads free Small School Leaders monthly meet-ups, facilitates the Small School Solutions professional development program, hosts the Small School Leaders monthly Power Hour, and speaks nationwide.

Peggy Campbell-Rush is nationally and internationally recognized education expert who has presented her keynotes and workshops at school and conferences around the world for over 33 years. Peggy is doing educational consulting in the US and abroad with teacher coaching, mentoring, instructional support for teachers and students.

Peggy has been appointed by the US government as a US Fulbright Education Specialist helping over 150 countries with educational issues and needs.

Peggy has been a Head of the Lower School in New Jersey and Florida. She has been in education for 47 years and has and has been an administrator and teacher in both the United States and England. Peggy has sailed around the world twice studying global education on the Semester at Sea Program. Peggy has been honored as a Fulbright Specialist, Fulbright Fellow and two-time National Teachers Hall of Fame, USA Today All-American Teacher Team award, two-time New Jersey Teacher of the Year, named Wal-Mart Teacher of Year twice.

[email protected]

Susanne Carpenter is a strategy and leadership consultant and the principal and founder of Carpenter Leadership Consulting. As an educational leader for more than 20 years, Susanne partners with independent school leaders to develop and advance high-functioning and strategy-focused leadership teams.

Before founding her firm, Susanne served as the Assistant Head of School at Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, MA. As Assistant Head, she was responsible for the high school program, including academics, arts, student life, community programs, and college counseling. During her tenure, Susanne led the school's efforts in creating a joint partnership with Boston Ballet School to create Boston Ballet School's Professional Division at Walnut Hill. She also developed and implemented a comprehensive enrollment management process, oversaw diversity, equity, & inclusion, and helped create the auxiliary programs division. She began her career in school leadership in admission and enrollment management.

Susanne graduated from Westover School and received her B.A. from Wheaton College. She currently sits on the Board of Trustees at Westover School. She lives in the Boston area with her husband and daughter.

Madison Carr is a designer and strategist, equipped with years of experience collaborating with companies big and small. She brings an analytical mind and creative eye to the branding process, and helps schools gain better insight into the power of their brand.

Website: https://highmarks.studio/

Social Media address: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madisoncarr/ 

Email: [email protected]

Brooke Carroll, Ph.D. is the Principal Consultant and Coach at  Acies Strategies, supporting small schools in leadership development, board development, and strategic thinking and planning. Dr. Carroll holds a doctorate in educational psychology and has over 25 years of experience leading schools and nonprofits. She has served on eight school and non-profit boards in various roles. Prior to consulting and coaching, Dr. Carroll was Head of School for nine years at Seneca Academy, an International Baccalaureate World School.

Brooke Carroll, Principal Consultant and Coach [email protected]

Website: www.aciesstrategies.com

Social: www.linkedin.com/in/brooke-carroll-acies

Tara Claeys began her career in advertising and marketing in the early 1990’s in Chicago and Washington, DC before “digital” was a thing. After her first child was born in 1997, Tara supplemented her full-time job as Mom with illustration and stationery design for clients around the world. As technology evolved, Tara discovered website development and transitioned to building custom WordPress websites for local businesses.

Founded in 2010, Tara’s agency, Design TLC, specializes in WordPress websites and digital marketing for small schools, enrichment programs, and education-focused nonprofits. Tara combines her marketing and technical experience with the perspective of a parent whose children attended both public and private schools, and participated in various camps and enrichment programs.

When Tara isn’t in front of a computer screen, she can be found volunteering for a nonprofit, running and biking with friends, watching movies with her husband and pets, or visiting her now-grown children.

Tara Claeys, Email [email protected]

Website: https://designtlc.com

Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taraclaeys/

Jen is a diversity practitioner, author, podcast host, school counselor, trustee, coach, speaker, consultant, and activist. She has also served as a principal, school administrator, elementary, middle, and high school counselor. Jen works throughout the United States and in multiple countries.

Emily Cretella is a strategic storyteller, content marketer, and school marketer’s best business friend. The owner of Cursive Content, Emily helps school marketers tell powerful stories that attract dream families, increase inquiries and enrollment, strengthen communities, and grow school influence. 

Prior to founding Cursive in 2012, Emily was the director of strategy at a Connecticut marketing agency, where she managed the execution of large-scale traditional and online marketing campaigns for clients ranging from schools and nonprofits to Fortune 500s. She now works solely with independent and private schools, colleges, and universities.

Emily would love to hear YOUR school story. Are you ready to tell it? Get in touch at www.cursivecontent.com.

After seven years as Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School’s first Director of Marketing & Communications, Laurie founded Elevate Marketing Strategy in 2021. Utilizing two decades of expertise in digital strategy, content creation, and social media, she builds sustainable and measurable marketing programs for independent schools. Laurie is a results-driven and creative thinker skilled at building and innovating on ideas, programs, and teams, and is passionate about driving measurable results through key account marketing approaches to build awareness and brand loyalty. She holds an M.B.A. from Fordham’s Gabelli School of Business in New York City and a B.S. from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Samantha Fleming, Director of Communications and Strategic Initiatives, at the Oakwood School.

15+ years of creating revenue-generating and sustainable programming for independent schools through relationship building and brand awareness. Experience in strategic planning for program development, communications, and marketing.

Personal strengths include building cohesive teams with common goals, streamlining structures and processes for optimum efficiency, and delivering results with minimal strain on resources.

Jill Goodman is a consultant for independent and private schools with over 20 years of experience working with organizational leaders. She specializes in helping schools advance their mission through advancement-related research, strategic visioning, leadership mentoring, and development capacity-building.

Jill is well known for her presentations on educational advancement, leadership, and constituency relations that have been well received by audiences across the country. She is a frequent podcast guest, blogger, and author.  Learn more at jillgoodmanconsulting.com.

Larry comes to The Gowan Group after 30 years of experience in leadership roles at four different independent schools. He has worked in co-ed schools, single-gender schools, boarding schools, day schools, Montessori schools, K- 8 schools, and PK-12 schools. Larry has served in a wide variety of roles including Freshmen Dean and Humanities Coordinator while at the Latin School of Chicago, Upper School Director and then Director of Strategic Programming at the Laurel School for Girls, and then Head of School at The Ratner School and Andrews Osborne Academy. He was also one of the founders of Laurel School’s Center for Research on Girls. In his 12 years of headship, he oversaw enrollment growth at two schools. In the 9 years he served as head of school at Andrews Osborne Academy, the school’s endowment doubled, the college placement results improved dramatically, and the school’s profile in the community grew substantially. 

With formal training in strategic management from Georgetown University and professional experience leading numerous strategic plans, helping schools with their strategic plans is one of his specialties. He also has expertise in strategic enrollment planning, programmatic assessment, and helping schools find and deliver the necessary professional development for faculty in the ever-changing intersection of technology and education. Additional specialties include: new head mentoring, governance, and team building. 

Larry has a B.A. in English Literature from Bucknell University, an A.M. and Ph.D. in  English Language and Literature from the University of Chicago, and a certificate in Strategic Management from Georgetown University. He has served as the Chair of the Ohio Association of Independent Schools and has been on the board of several independent schools. He lives in Cleveland with his wife, Anne, who runs a consultancy focusing on fundraising and capacity- building for non-profit organizations.

[email protected]

Andrea Gribble is an author, podcast host, and founder of #SocialSchool4EDU. Her mission is to help schools celebrate their students and staff, and connect to their communities through social media. She is the author of “Social Media for Schools: Proven Storytelling Strategies & Ideas for Celebrating Your Students & Staff - While Keeping Your Sanity” and hosts a weekly podcast, “Mastering Social Media for Schools.”

Mrs. LeMaster has over a decade of combined higher education and private school admissions leadership experience. She is an alumnus of Radford University having earned a Bachelor of Science in Sociology. She completed graduate work and received a Master of Science in Community and College Counseling from Longwood University. Mrs. LeMaster leads all admission and college counseling initiatives at Lynnhaven. ​She is a strong believer that education comes in all forms, which is in step with our school’s founding principles and values.

Rebecca Malotke-Meslin is the founder of Pleasantly Aggressive Coaching & Consulting, where she empowers women working in independent schools to take control of their leadership journey and unlearn the habits holding them back. Rebecca combines a background in social research with 20 years of sales, marketing, communications, and school leadership to create a transformational experience for her clients. Through one-on-one coaching, leadership cohorts, and speaking engagements, she delivers enthusiasm and expertise to her audiences. In her role as a consultant, she works with organizations to eliminate barriers, reduce biases, and create more inclusive spaces for all women. Rebecca is also the host of the Confidently You: Women in Leadership Podcast.

Monzo Media Productions founder, Joe Monzo, discovered his passion for telling stories through video and film back at his own independent school and launched his business in 2016. Creating compelling videos and effective video strategies for independent schools has been an incredible ride and one that hits home for him. Joe and his team take a lot of pride in sharing the stories and values that schools create for families and students.

Dana has twenty-five years of experience working within and between all levels of administration and faculty, parents, students, board members, and other community stakeholders regarding a range of topics including enrollment management, communication, marketing, and parent and student satisfaction. 

In addition to on-the-ground experience working within schools in various admission and marketing roles at four different institutions, Dana is an expert in market research, enrollment feasibility studies and strategic enrollment management projects. Additionally, she has led projects as a consultant in areas including parent satisfaction, admission office efficiencies, staff coaching, curriculum planning, and exit interviewing. 

As a facilitator and coach, Dana leads her signature mastermind program, "The Assembly" for a select group of school leaders each year and provides executive coaching services one-on-one.

Dana has just completed a decade as the coordinator of the Bay Area Directors of Admission consortium, consisting of approximately 110 schools. Among a variety of tasks to keep the group up and running, she was responsible for professional development planning and other organizational leadership. Additionally, she sits on the advisory board of the MarCom Society and serves as a judge for the annual marketing Brilliance Awards.

Dana holds a BA in Psychology and an MS in Counseling Psychology. She lives in Northern California with her husband and their high school aged daughter.

Suzette Parlevliet is Co-founder and Experience Director at [YELLOW CAR], the world's leading experience strategy training and consultancy firm for schools. With a background in hospitality management, she worked at the International School of Brussels for nearly a decade, where she oversaw the school’s brand development, communication strategy, web design, content production, and ultimately, the schools' family experience. Today, Suzette brings expert insight and supports school leaders design and implement experience strategy in ways that demonstrate impact across the organization.

2022 South Dakota Region 1 High School Principal of the Year

Leader of a 2021 National Blue Ribbon Elementary School and a 2020 ESEA Distinguished Elementary School Co-developer & facilitator of the South Dakota Department of Education's 'Good to Great' Teacher Mentoring Program

Two-time presenter at the National Blue Ribbon School Conference and presenter at the National Making Schools Work Conference, all in Orlando, FL

Speaker for the South Dakota Telecommunications Association Annual Conference, the Photo Organizers of America membership, and countless education events in South Dakota

Guest on Will Parker's "Principal Matters" podcast (drops October 2023) and Danny Bauer's "Better Leaders, Better Schools" podcast (drops December 2023)

Principal & teacher mentor

Veteran English teacher (1994-present) and PK-12 principal (2018-present)

M.S.Ed. in Educational Leadership from South Dakota State University and a B.S.Ed. in English Education from the University of South Dakota

Email: [email protected] 

Social handles: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-parry-pk-12leader/ 

Website: www.principalparry.com

For over 2 decades, Shannon has become an intricate leader in the Non For Profit community; her presence felt in the South Florida Community, Greater New York areas, as well as the State of Connecticut.

In Broward County, Florida, her leadership brought Jack & Jill Children's Center to the forefront of conversations not only related to Early Care & Education but community development for at-risk neighborhoods as well. Shannon's passion for her community is contagious. This energy has assisted her in recruiting some of the communities most influential business leaders to become involved, both personally as well as engaging their businesses and employees. 

Over the years Shannon expanded Jack & Jill's program services, almost tripling the impact on the community. Through unique collaborations, program services now include not only early education but an extensive parenting program, community services such as health fairs and free tax services as well a unique college program for her employees. 

Since moving back home to Fairfield County, she has worked and invested her talents in the Greater New York area, as well as Connecticut, and has carried her commitment to making her community a stronger one.  

Her experience spans from running small grassroots non-profits, leading regional development for a University, to running a Foundation.  At the end of the day, her passion is creating impact in her community. 

Specialties include:

• Strategic Planning
• Board Development, Recruitment & Governance
• Business Development
• Non-Profit Management
• Fundraising Strategies
• Program Development
• Non For Profit Business Restructuring

Over 20+ years, Chris rose from admission associate to Assistant Head of School for Advancement and External Affairs. He’s worked at four different schools — two K-12 day schools, an infant-8 day school, and an international boarding school - with enrollments ranging from 400 - 1,100 students.

Chris joined his first school leadership team in 2005 and served on a number of Board committees – Advancement, Strategic Planning, Finance, Accreditation, Facilities, and numerous school-wide committees ever since. He’s presented for CASE, EMA, VAIS and AISGW. While serving AISGW, Chris was the chair of the Admission Committee and a member of the Development Committee. 

Chris is also the former Vice President for Arlington Soccer’s Board of Trustees and served as Gettysburg College’s Men’s Soccer Alumni Council’s inaugural Co-Chair.

www.leadteampartners.com

Jennifer currently serves as the Head of School at Hanger Hall School, a school for girls in grades six, seven, and eight in Asheville, NC.  Previous to working at Hanger Hall, Jennifer worked at schools serving students diagnosed with learning differences in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Jennifer holds a Master’s in Counseling Psychology from the University of San Francisco and enjoys working with students (and their parents!) on post-secondary pursuits in a small private practice. Her undergraduate years were spent at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Brendan Schneider is the founder and CEO of SchneiderB Media, a digital marketing agency for schools that focuses on increasing inquiries through his Fractional Digital Marketing program and his SEO software, SEO Coach. He is one of the leaders in the field for teaching on and knowledge about inbound marketing for schools. Brendan is also the founder of The MarCom Society, a community created exclusively for Marketing and Communication (MarCom) Professionals at schools.

ISM Consultant Shannan Boyle Schuster  

Shannan shares her expertise in school management, Board/Head relations, hiring, scheduling, and new head of school support. She worked in public, private, and independent schools for 25 years before joining ISM in 2020.

Shannan previously served as Head of The Swain School, PA, where she executed a strategic plan that included facility renovation and addition, multiple curricular initiatives, auxiliary programming and revenue, increased support services, and the merger with another local independent school. Before that, she was Assistant Head Friends’ Central School, PA, and the Dean of Faculty at Flint Hill School, VA; where she oversaw the school’s adoption of a 1:1 iPad /MacBook program, an increase in support services, the academic program for grades PS – 12 and development of a comprehensive Maker program. She has also served in division leadership, department chair, and grade level leadership while teaching and coaching.

In addition to working in K-12 schools, Shannan has also served as an adjunct faculty member at The University of Virginia and a presenter at conferences and workshops across North America on various topics. Shannan earned her Doctorate of Education at The University of Virginia, and her master’s degree in Private School Leadership at The Klingenstein Center, Columbia University, Shannan’s two bachelor’s degrees are in Mathematics and Secondary Education from Vanderbilt University.

Dale Seabury has spent over 15 years working in the independent school world. Thirteen were spent at The Pingry School, a K-12 of over 1,000 students in NJ. At Pingry, Dale served as Assistant Director of Admission, Director of Financial Aid, and, most recently, Director of Communications and Marketing.

Now, as a consultant, she helps schools take their marketing, communications, and admission practices to the next level—everything from vision and strategy to day-to-day, detailed support—to enroll more mission-aligned students and maximize retention and engagement of their current community. 

A seasoned advisor to upper schoolers, Dale continues to enjoy working with students by providing support to an admission counseling firm that serves college and independent school applicants. These conversations offer her valuable insight into the perspective of the students and parents applying to schools like yours—and she brings that insight to bear to help her school clients connect with the students whose lives they are best poised to transform!

Tanya Sheckley is Founder and President of UP Academy, an elementary lab school which values innovation, empathy and strength. Tanya’s vision and mission show it’s possible to celebrate differences, challenge what’s broken in the American education system, and that all children can receive a rigorous, well rounded education.  She is an Edupreneur,  Author of Rebel Educator: Create Classrooms Where Imagination and Impact Meet and host of the Rebel Educator podcast.  She speaks frequently on the future of education and entrepreneurship. She is a rebel educator who works with new and existing schools to question the status quo and develop innovative student experiences through inclusion and project based learning.

Miriam Stein is a graduate of an independent day school, and believes in the importance of day school education to our future. After working in education and in strategic enrollment for more than 20 years, she founded Saddlerock Strategies, a boutique consulting service that offers enrollment strategy, program design and professional development. She lives outside Washington, DC with her family (and dog), and loves working with school leaders on helping them do what they do, better.

Matt has been working in various educational settings for over 25 years and currently as the Director of Admissions at the progressive school, Robert C. Parker School, near Albany. His passion for progressive and inquiry based education has evolved over the years in roles as a Teaching Fellow with Citizen Schools in Boston, MA, a Teacher/Director at the Cofradia Bilingual School (B.E.C.A.) in Honduras, a Center & Volunteer Director at the Higher Achievement Program in Washington, D.C. and more recently as the inaugural Head of School of the nature-based Mountain Village Charter School in Plymouth, N.H. He holds a Non-Profit Management Executive Certificate from Georgetown University, a Masters Degree in Education for Curriculum & Instruction from Lesley University, and a B.A. in Biology from Hamilton College.

[email protected]

Angie has spent the last 12 years helping schools identify their enrollment marketing challenges in order to develop a strategic campaign to achieve their goals. With a knack for digital strategy and analytics, Angie has helped over 250 colleges, universities, and K-12 schools with result-driven digital marketing solutions. She co-founded Enroll Media in 2018, and they currently partner with over 75 schools across the US and Europe. She also co-hosts the Upgrade School Marketing Podcast.

Dr David Willows is Co-founder and Strategic Director at [YELLOW CAR], the world's leading experience strategy training and consultancy firm for schools. Between 2005 and 2022, he was Director of Advancement at the International School of Brussels, Belgium. During this time, he grew to be widely regarded as one of the most innovative practitioners in the field, helping to shape and define the future of Advancement (admissions, marketing & communications, fundraising & alumni relations) in schools. He was recently listed as one of the world’s Top 10 Global Educational Influencers. An author and regular keynote speaker & trainer at international events around the world, David is passionate about helping schools advance in ways that are relevant for today’s educational landscape.

YES! We are thrilled to announce our Early Bird Pricing, available until December 6, 2023. Take advantage of a 20% discount on Individual, Team, VIP, and Association Tickets. Our aim is to make this conference accessible to everyone. Make sure to reserve your spot early and enjoy the savings! Use code 'LEADER' at checkout to receive 20% any ticket.

Fantastic question! We understand the diverse needs of small schools, and thus, we offer four ticket options tailored to your requirements. We offer an Individual Ticket, Team Ticket, VIP Ticket, and ASsociation ticket.

Here's a breakdown of each option:

Individual Ticket: $57

✅ One registration

✅ Access to all live sessions 

✅ Post-event access to recordings, slide decks, and other resources provided by speakers 

✅ Bonus Day Access (more invaluable speaker sessions on February 15!)

✅ Pre-Conference Workshop Access

Team Ticket:  $127

✅ Unlimited Attendees from Your School

✅ Access to all live sessions 

✅ Post-event access to recordings, slide decks, and other resources provided by speakers 

✅ Bonus Day Access  (more invaluable speaker sessions on February 15!)

✅ Pre-Conference Workshop Access

NEW! VIP Ticket: $375

✅ Unlimited Conference Attendees from Your School

✅ Access to all live sessions 

✅ Post-event access to recordings, slide decks, and other resources provided by speakers 

✅ Bonus Day Access  (more invaluable speaker sessions on February 15!)

✅ Pre-Conference Workshop Access

✅ One-Year Access to Small School Solutions Professional Development Membership

✅ 12 Monthly Live Guest Expert Trainings on Marketing, Enrollment, Development & Leadership Topics 

✅ 12 Monthly Training & Coaching Sessions with Aubrey Bursch

✅ 12 Monthly Community Q&A Sessions with like-minded school leaders and Aubrey Bursch

✅ Access to Exclusive Offers and Experiences 

Association Ticket: $697

✅ Unlimited Attendees from Every School in Your Association 

✅ Access to all live sessions 

✅ Post-event access to recordings, slide decks, and other resources provided by speakers 

✅ Bonus Day Access  (more invaluable speaker sessions on February 15!)

✅ Pre-Conference Workshop Access

Upon purchasing the Team Ticket, you'll obtain a distinctive registration code for your school within 48 hours. Colleagues can use this code to register, completely free of extra charges.

After purchasing the Association Ticket, you'll receive an exclusive registration code for your school within 48 hours. Schools associated with your organization can utilize this code for registration, with no additional costs involved.

Within one week after the conference, you'll receive session recordings and resources directly in your online portal. These valuable materials will remain accessible for up to a year following the event! 

Added Bonus: VIP registrants will have the exclusive opportunity to participate in Guest Expert trainings and group coaching sessions led by Aubrey Bursch and select presenters over the next 12 months.

Unfortunately, we do not offer refunds for the event. However, if you are unable to attend, don't worry! Within one week after the event concludes, you can access recordings and resources in the conference portal.

Certainly! Reach out to our team at [email protected], and we'll assist you. We can generate invoices and explore alternate payment methods tailored to suit your school's needs.

This event page provides details about every session, including information about the speakers and the scheduled times. You can also find this information in the conference portal.

Kindly be aware that session details are subject to change.