Maximize your learning and inspiration with this fantastic program of peer breakout sessions! 

Tracks Key
We have indicated the primary focus of each session with the follow track designations, but don't let that limit your choices; go for the topics that interest you!

• DoA/D = Directors of Advancement or Development
• AR = Alumni Relations
• AF = Annual Fund
• D = Data
• E = Events
• MG = Major Gifts
• M/C = Marketing / Communications

Monday, 9:15 - 10:15am​

• The Gift That Keeps on Giving: Raise $1 million from your Reunion Classes, in Suite 61. Presented by Ed Griffin, Director of Alumni Relations, Trinity School. Reunion giving at Trinity School over the past 2 years has increased 83% compared to the previous Reunion cycle. Start your morning off with a cup of coffee and a strategic conversation about building an effective and ongoing Reunion gift effort. Tracks: AF, AR
• Leaning into Collaborative Leadership, in Sunset 1. A conversation with Samantha Hanley, Director of Institutional Advancement, and Melissa Dan, Head of School at School of The Holy Child (Rye, NY). What is collaborative leadership? What are the benefits for your team and advancing your school's mission? Learn how Holy Child is supporting their stewardship, fundraising, and strategic goals - while also cultivating a creative, collegial team - through a collaborative model. Samantha and Melissa will be joined by Toni Santangelo Archibald '76, Director of Community Engagement and Special Events, and Jackie Ciaccia '06, Director of Admission and Financial Aid. Tracks: DoD/A
• Equity Practices for Advancement Professionals, in Mountain View. A deeper-dive workshop with keynote speaker Martha Haakmat. Take advantage of this great opportunity to work with Martha in a small group setting and take a more focused look at how you apply equity and anti-racist practices to your daily work in advancement! Tracks: All Roles
• There’s a reason it’s not called a Perennial Fund: building an appeal to keep your Annual Fund fresh and your community connected, in the Parlor. Presented by Elizabeth (Oz) Oswald, Director of Institutional Advancement and Daniel Hrdlicka, Annual Fund Manager, Cathedral School. Schools, by their nature, are cyclical. Seasons ebb and flow, and life begins again with each academic—and fiscal!—year. In Advancement circles, nowhere is this more apparent than in the Annual Fund, which, as its name suggests, happens year in and year out—for better and for worse, a tradition in its own right. But how much of your Appeal remains unchanged year over year? How much time do you invest in campaign development with so much already on our Annual Giving plates? The Appeal is one of the most easily-overlooked elements of an Annual Fund but arguably one of the most important…It not only sets the tone for the year but also—in its ideal form—efficiently and effectively conveys a unique case for giving that resonates with parents, alumni, faculty, and friends. Kickstart your 2020-2021 Annual Fund Appeal by exploring the basic principles of concept-development and copy-writing (don’t be boring!), considering organizational theory (what is mimetic isomorphism, and what does it have to do with me?), and reflecting on the one-of-a-kind value proposition and differentiating factors of your own institution (what sets us apart?) to build a fun (and functional!) Appeal that keeps your Annual Fund fresh and your community connected. Tracks: AF
• Architect out your marketing plan, in Sunset 2. Presented by Elisabeth King, Director of Communications, Lycée Français de New York. Putting your school in the decision set of prospective parents is a fundamental role for communications teams. With limited budgets, the task can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be, especially with many tools to help better target families and measure results. In this session, you will work to develop a simple, one-page plan that you can take home and flesh out with your admissions teams. Tracks: M/C​​

Monday, 10:30 - 11:30am​

Note: the Advancement + DEI teams session for this hour has been cancelled.

• ​How to Survive (And Even Thrive!) in a Small-Shop Communications Office, in Suite 61. Presented by Michelle Kiefer, Director of Communications, Calhoun School. Communications offices are in the unique position of supporting practically every department and program of an independent school, and yet are often comprised of very small teams. In this breakout session, we’ll discuss strategies for juggling it all as a small-shop communications office. We’ll cover topics such as:
  • Tips and tools for managing projects and staying organized How to anticipate and get ahead of the never-ending stream of demands on your office
  • Building and leveraging partnerships across the school in your daily work 
  • Effectively managing a team that’s goal-oriented and gets stuff done
  • We’ll also spend plenty of time sharing ideas and learning from one another. 
  • Tracks: M/C
• How to Raise $2.7 Million in Seven Days Without Losing Your Mind: Trinity Giving Days, A Case Study, in the Parlor. Presented by Myles Amend, Associate Head of School for Advancement, Trinity School. In December, Trinity School created its first-ever, totally home-grown "Giving Days" program and raised $2.7 million in a week. Come hear what led the school to mount the effort and learn the keys to success.  You can do it all on your own with careful planning, some hard work, and have fun doing it. Tracks: AF, MG, AR, DoD/A
• Engaging Alums and Alumni Families through School Change, in Sunset 2. A facilitated discussion led by Jesse Cohen, Alumni Director, Collegiate School; Bart Hale, Director of Alumni Relations, Calhoun School; and Joyce Doyle, Director of Annual Giving & Alumni Relations, Village Community School. Jesse Cohen will kick off the session by sharing his experience at Collegiate and then he, Bart, and Joyce will open it up for a facilitated group discussion sharing stories and strategies. Bring your story or big questions for this interactive session! Tracks: AR
• Make it pretty: a session for database pros, in Mountain View. Presented by Peter McKay, Development Database Manager, Brearley School. Plan on a great conversation - with others who speak your language - about how to work successfully with and for your advancement team. This session will include several real-world examples and power-user excel tools to make complex data pretty AND functional in service of fundraising and engagement goals. Tracks: D​​
• Giving Back and Building Community: Holiday Event Revamped, in Sunset 1. Presented by Marjorie Jean-Paul, Director of Development, Buckley Country Day School. In 2018, Buckley Country Day School’s Development Team set about transforming its school-wide parent holiday luncheon. Traditionally, the event was a holiday vendor fair with shopping and parent-focused activities. After several years of the same format, in 2018 the focus for this event was reimagined around community service to support local neighbors in need. Through discussions with parents and school administration, the focus and impact of the event was closely examined. Recognizing the multiple community service projects undertaken each year, the Development Team consolidated activities to create one school-wide Holiday Service Luncheon. The new event  successfully engages students, faculty, staff, and parents, and partners with the Lend A Hand Project, a nonprofit that serves families at or below the poverty level on Long Island. Learn about the key factors that were considered, how to determine when it's time to make a change, logistics and timelines, and the volunteer and administrative support needed to revamp your event into a successful new tradition! Tracks: DoA/D, E

Monday, 1:15 - 2:15pm

• You think you know, but you have no idea: Blackbaud news, latest updates, and investments in customer experience, in Mountain View. Presented by Emily Davis, Development and Communications Manager, The Town School and Sarah Sullivan, Blackbaud Solutions Engineer. This interactive session will be part “relationship therapy” focused on how to get the most out of your customer service experience, part "roadmap" of what's coming soon in Raiser's Edge and NXT, and part “ask the expert,” with ample time to pose burning technical questions and learn about often overlooked, impactful database features. Tracks: D
• Head Transitions Toolkit: honoring service, designing events, and supporting advancement goals throughout, in Suite 61. Presented by Barb Drayer, Director of Development, Windward School; Emily Eisman, Director of the Annual Fund and Trustee Relations, North Country School; and Christie Borden, Advancement Officer for Leadership Giving, North Country School. Both Windward and North Country have recently gone through Head of School transitions, and presenters served on transition committees in addition to their work in advancement roles. Join us to learn all about what should be on your to-do list, as well as plenty of advice of what do to - and what not to do. Tracks: DoD/A, E
• The Best Seat at the Table: Earning Your Head of School’s Trust as a Strategic Partner, in Sunset 1-2. Presented by Jan Abernathy, Director of Strategic Communications, Browning School. As communications and marketing are relatively new functions in many schools, these positions have not always been afforded a position of prominence. Some people work very successfully as members of a senior leadership team with direct access to the Head of School, while others find that they are limited to tactical work that is assigned by others. This workshop will address how communications professionals can help school Heads understand that they can do more than proofreading and publications. Tracks: M/C
• Building a Legacy of Ongoing Support from the Alumni community in PK-8 Schools, in the Parlor. A panel presentation moderated by Marjorie Jean-Paul, Director of Development and Alumni Relations, Buckley Country Day School, with Maureen Barry, Director of Development and Community Relations, St. David’s School; Alexandra Shaheen, Assoc. Director of Development & Alumni Relations and Lynn Dixon, Director of Development, both at Green Vale School. Working in a K-8 school we often experience the challenge of keeping once very connected parents engaged to continue to support the school after graduation, and our alumni base often move on to high school and colleges where there personal ties are stronger. Recognizing the impact that these early years make on the trajectory of students, presenters will share their experiences in creating an early and lasting legacy of giving. What programs and activities are you offering your students and alumni, and what are the results? Tracks: DoD/A, AR, AF​​

Monday, 2:30 - 3:30pm

• ​​Pay it forward: Tap the Unlimited Potential in Graduating Families: Senior Gift & 8th Grade Gift Programs, in the Parlor. Presented by Marcus De Costa, Director of Development, Trinity School and Severn Taylor, Director of Annual Giving and Stewardship, Collegiate School. In a student's culminating year at our schools, we have the occasion of their upcoming matriculation to raise funds for specific purposes that will propel your fundraising efforts forward. Senior Gift & 8th Grade Gift Programs build community, ensure graduating families feel good about the legacy they are leaving, and provide future generations of students with anything from broader support for access and inclusion, programmatic funding, and/or new/updated spaces for teaching and learning. These programs are important when schools are looking to build in budget relief and bring the community together in an effort to start alumni off with close connections to the school. In addition, these programs can and should be customized to the unique culture and needs of your school, and furthermore can directly feed into successful reunion giving possibilities. Learn how two schools approach fundraising in a student's final year on campus and pick up some ideas on how you can implement opportunities for legacy giving at your own schools. Note: This session covers fundraising with parents and does not include any fundraising from students. Tracks: AF, MG
• An Unhappy Comparison: Schools and the Self-Storage Industry, in Sunset 1. Presented by Tom Sternal and his team from Generation, a strategic branding and communication firm. At the moment when the self-storage industry is growing, many independent schools are not. Curiously, the reason for one sector’s growth may be the same reason for the other’s struggle: The unwillingness to part with things that are old, outdated, and emotionally charged. How many strategic decisions, marketing processes, and staff decisions are we holding on to that simply aren’t serving us? What would our professional lives and communication practices, (not to mention the schools that we serve) be like if we learned to let go? How much is there to be gained by emptying our psychological or spiritual storage units? This session will explore how we can abandon stale, fractured, and irrelevant practices and move ahead with fresh perspective to reshape best practices as we deconstruct institutional mythology.
  ​Tracks: M/C
• What’s in a name? How a transformational gift turned Solomon Schechter School of Westchester into The Leffell School, in Suite 61. Presented by Barbara Shapiro, Director of Advancement at The Leffell School and Lara Tilley-Bouez, Corporate VP at CCS Fundraising. We often speak about naming rights, but what does it take to rename an entire school? How do we create the opportunity? Who is the right type of donor? When is the “right” time and what’s the “right” amount? What happens after the agreement is signed and you’re getting ready for the first day of school as a community with a whole new name? In this interactive conversation, discover the behind-the-scenes story of how Solomon Schechter School of Westchester opened its doors as The Leffell School in September 2019 – and leave inspired to dream big! Tracks: DoD/A, E, MG
• Engaging Alumni of Color, in Mountain View. Presented by Michelle Palmer, Alumni Diversity Manager and Database Administrator, Germantown Friends School (Philadelphia, PA). There is a long tradition of many Alumni of Color leaving independent and private schools after graduation and never returning. Germantown Friends School started its Alumni of Color Initiative to change that narrative and bring Alumni of Color back into the life of the school. Tracks: AR
• What, no Gala this year? Let's Party! Rethink your annual fundraising event with Party Book, in Sunset 2. Presented by Maureen Sapega, Director of Advancement Events and Parent Relations, Poly Prep and Rose Barzdukas, Parent Co-Chair of Party Book at Poly Prep. Poly has successfully introduced this parent interest-driven, volunteer-hosted, community-building series of events at a variety of price-points that better serves their community and still meets fundraising goals. Learn how this approach can be scaled for your school, either as a replacement for, or complement to, your big annual fundraising event. Tracks: E, AF, DoD/A

Tuesday, 8:45 - 9:45am

• ​​Supercharge your strategy: A look at understanding donor behavior through analytics to identify trends and develop strategy, in the Parlor. Presented by Brigid Berger, Director of Annual Giving, and Victoria Felix, Prospect Management & Operations Coordinator, Chapin School. In this session, we will share tools and creative ways of looking at data to better understand donor behavior trends and outcomes that will, in turn, help guide decision-making around your annual fund strategy. You'll walk away with some compelling ways to slice and dice the data, strengthen the relationship with your database manager, engage your volunteers, and be prepared for what comes next! Tracks: AF, D
• Unfortunately CANCELLED - we will reboot for next year! Stories with a Mission: How a design-thinking approach to storytelling can meet strategic goals and drive good process and community engagement, in Sunset 1-2. Presented by Jodie Wilkerson, Director of Communications at The Town School and Heather Greer, documentarian, storytelling expert, and chair of Town's Marketing Committee. In this session we will discuss what it means to apply a design thinking lens to storytelling, to both improve the ability of your school's stories to meet strategic goals and to transform and energize your storytelling ambassadors (i.e. board members, faculty/staff, parents). We will share two examples of how this has been effective in transforming the experience and efficacy of our Marketing Committee and a recent equity-themed parent event. We are also going to guide you through trying this out for yourself; in the hands-on portion of our session you will identify the needs of your story audience, set intentional guidelines, and then actually tell a story or two that meets those goals. Tracks: M/C (all roles welcome)
• Industry Trends in Independent Schools, in Sunset 1-2. Presented by Mark Lauria, Executive Director, NYSAIS. Among the updates and new initiatives at NYSAIS, Mark Lauria will discuss:
  • NYSAIS advocacy, including a discussion of regulatory and legislative news from Albany
  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion 
  • Sustainability in independent schools
  • The importance of data collection
  • Tracks: All Roles