2025-26 Online Governance Series
Main Registration Page
Zoom
Governance Recalibrated: Clarity, Accountability, and Healthy Board Dynamics
Heads of School and all Trustees, join us for another year of relevant, timely, practical sessions
on topics around school governance.
click the tabs above for session descriptions
October 23, 2025 | 8:00-9:30 AM
Best Practices in Governing Documents: Practical Tips
Robert Clothier, Governance Consultant
November 20, 2025 | 8:00-9:30 AM
Generative AI in Education: A Strategic Foresight Exercise For Senior Leadership Teams and Boards
Eric Hudson
January 15, 2026 |12:00-1:00 PM
Successfully Navigating the Head of School Contract Renewal Process
Cliff Kling, J.D., Senior Executive Compensation and Leadership Strategist,
Mission & Data
February 6, 2026 |12:00-1:00 PM
Session- TBA
Presenter: Mary Rose Fernandez, Chief of Staff, Strategenious
April 2026 | 8:00-9:30 AM
TBA
May 2026 | 8:00-9:30 AM
Year in Review
Debra Wilson, NAIS President
How It Works
One registration per school provides the Head of School and the entire Board with access to six live webinars, along with their recordings and supplemental resources, throughout the school year. Schools may register at any time and will receive access to all six webinar recordings and materials, regardless of registration date.
How to Register Your School and Trustees
- Only ONE Person per school needs to register ONE time for the entire Governance Series.
- At the time of registration, you MUST enter in the names and emails of your school's Head and Board Members.
- To do this, select both the "Member" and "Register Your Attendees" tickets. There are additional instructions on the registration page.
- If you do not do this, your school's Head and Board Members will NOT be able to access the Governance Series.
Additional Registration and Program Information
Thursday, October 23, 2025 | 8:00-9:30 AM
Best Practices in Governing Documents:
Practical Tips
Robert Clothier, Governance Consultant
This session will focus on key considerations for reviewing and revising school bylaws—an area often overlooked until problems arise. Many independent schools operate under bylaws that were written decades ago and amended in a piecemeal, inconsistent manner. This session will highlight essential provisions and offer practical guidance aligned with current best practices in governance, including:
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Statement of mission
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Board authority and the role of the Head of School
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Board size and composition
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Trustee and officer election, terms, and term limits
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Resignation and removal procedures
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Emeriti and classes of trustees
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Committee structure, including executive and governance/trusteeship committees
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Meeting protocols (regular/special, remote, quorum, executive sessions, pre-read materials)
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Conflicts of interest, indemnification, and insurance
In addition, the session will explore other key governance documents—such as the Statement of Trustee Responsibilities, officer role descriptions, committee charters, confidentiality and conflict of interest policies, and whistleblower policies. We’ll discuss their purpose, drafting considerations, and alignment with the bylaws.
Finally, the session will outline effective strategies for engaging the board in the process of drafting or revising these documents to ensure clarity, consensus, and compliance.
About the Presenter
Robert Clothier brings decades of expertise in nonprofit and independent school governance to his customized counseling and workshops. With a deep understanding of board dynamics, Bob guides institutions through a broad spectrum of governance issues—from board roles and fiduciary duties to strategic planning, trustee engagement, and head of school/CEO transitions.
Bob’s approach is highly tailored: he reviews relevant governance documents, interviews board members and leadership, and delivers dynamic, interactive workshops that address each institution’s unique needs. He also advises on bylaws, policy revisions, and best practices related to board structure, compliance, and risk management.
Currently Vice President and General Counsel at Ursinus College, Bob serves as the College’s chief legal officer and governance advisor to its Board of Trustees. He is a former partner at Saul Ewing LLP, where he advised higher education clients nationally, and previously served on the Board of Directors of NACUA.
Bob’s clients have included The Haverford School, Agnes Irwin School, and Philabundance, among others. He is a graduate of The Haverford School, Princeton University, and the University of Chicago Law School.
Thursday, November 20, 2025 | 8:00-9:30 AM
Generative AI in Education: A Strategic Foresight Exercise for Senior Leadership Teams and Boards
Eric Hudson, Strategic Advisor
This interactive workshop introduces board members and school leaders to the principles of strategic foresight, guiding them to imagine multiple, plausible futures their schools may face in an AI-driven world.
The session begins with a brief update on the current state of generative AI and its growing impact on education. Participants will then break into small discussion groups, each receiving a design brief and curated resources to help envision what their school could look like in the year 2050.
Groups will explore both external drivers—such as emerging AI research and societal trends—and internal considerations, including the school’s mission, strategic priorities, and market position. Participants will be encouraged to use generative AI tools as creative partners in shaping their scenarios.
The workshop concludes with brief presentations from each group, offering a range of imaginative and thought-provoking visions of the future.
About the Presenter
Eric is a facilitator and strategic advisor who supports schools in making sense of what’s changing in education. He specializes in learner-centered assessment, human-centered leadership, and strategic program design. Over the course of his career, Eric has designed and facilitated professional learning for hundreds of schools and learning organizations. Most recently, he spent a decade at Global Online Academy (GOA), first as an instructional coach and ultimately as Chief Program Officer, working with schools around the world to rethink where, when, and how learning happens. Prior to GOA, he was a teacher at the middle school, high school, and college levels. The classroom is where he developed his passion for designing learning experiences. Eric serves on the board of the Association of Technology Leaders in Independent Schools (ATLIS). His Substack newsletter “Learning on Purpose” has been featured in The Marshall Memo and The Educator’s Notebook. He has a M.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.A. from Cornell University. He lives on Cape Cod, MA, USA.
Thursday, January 15, 2026 | 12:00-1:00 PM * NOTE TIME CHANGE
Successfully Navigating the Head of School
Contract Renewal Process
Cliff Kling, J.D., Senior Executive Compensation and Leadership Strategist, Mission & Data
The negotiation and renewal process for head's contracts can be frustrating for heads and boards alike, but when handled well lead to a stronger board-head partnership. This interactive session for trustees and heads will cover the key ingredients for a successful contract renewal. The session will also provide an overview of the current marketplace for heads, examine various components of head compensation, and cover common key contract terms. Deferred compensation will be explored as a tool to motivate, reward, and retain heads.
About the Presenter
Cliff Kling, J.D., is Mission & Data’s Senior Executive Compensation and Leadership Strategist. Cliff brings a unique background and skill set to his work in executive compensation having practiced public accounting with KPMG as a CPA, practiced law with a large law firm, served 13 years as Chief Financial Officer 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, including the search and compensation committees of those boards. Given his broad experience, he understands executive compensation from many perspectives: legal, accounting and tax, school budget constraints, the board’s fiduciary and stewardship responsibilities, and from knowing well the demands and challenges of sitting in the head’s seat. Cliff graduated from Georgetown University where he majored in accounting, and he earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law.
Thursday, February 6, 2026 | 12:00-1:00 PM * NOTE TIME CHANGE
TBA
Presenter: Mary Rose Fernandez, Chief of Staff, Strategenious
About the Presenter
Mary Rose Fernandez joined Strategenius in the spring of 2015. She started her education career as a teacher at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Austin, TX. She then became the Western Regional Director of the Multicultural Alliance, an initiative by independent schools to develop a pipeline of diverse teachers through internships and fellowships. Mary Rose later co-founded and directed the TEAMS Program (Teacher Education for the Advancement of a Multicultural Society) at the University of San Francisco to recruit, train and develop teachers of color for urban public schools across California and Washington State. Serving 400 teachers a year, TEAMS was the most diverse teacher development program in the country. Mary Rose has served on several non-profit and charter and independent school boards, including currently serving on the French American International School and International High School in San Francisco. She has a BA from the University of San Francisco and a Master’s Degree in Social and Cultural Studies from UC Berkeley. She met Orpheus 20 years ago at a job fair where he recruited her for her first independent school teaching job. She has two daughters in independent schools and lives with her family in San Francisco.
April 2026| 8:00-9:30 AM
TBA
May 2026| 8:00-9:30 AM
Year in Review
Debra Wilson, NAIS President
Session description coming soon.
About the Presenter
Debra P. Wilson is the ninth president of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).
From 2019 until 2023, Wilson served as president of the Southern Association of Independent Schools (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.
In addition to serving on the boards of several schools, Debra’s board service includes The Enrollment Management Association (EMA), Global Education Benchmark Group (GEBG), Mid-South Independent School Business Officers (MISBO), and National Network of Schools in Partnership (NNSP).
Speaking frequently on topics such as leadership and governance, school safety and risk, and community health and well-being, Wilson is also co-author of the NAIS Trustee Handbook (10th and 11th editions).
Wilson received a B.A. in English from Sewanee: The University of the South and a J.D. from the University of South Carolina at Columbia. She is a graduate of the Williams School, an independent school located on the campus of Connecticut College. She is an avid reader, photographer, and cook who loves to be outdoors.
PROGRAM FEES
ADVIS Member - $550 per school
HOW IT WORKS
One registration per school provides the Head of School and the entire Board with access to six live webinars, along with their recordings and supplemental resources, throughout the school year. Schools may register at any time and will receive access to all six webinar recordings and materials, regardless of registration date.
HOW TO REGISTER
PLEASE READ EVERYTHING BELOW
- Only ONE Person per school needs to register ONE time for the entire Governance Series.
- At the time of registration, you MUST enter in the names and emails of your school's Head and Board Members.
- To do this, select both the "Member" and "Register Your Attendees" tickets. There are additional instructions on the registration page.
- If you do not do this, your school's Head and Board Members will NOT be able to access the Governance Series.
ACT 48 CREDITS
• You may request credit up to 7 days after the event.
• Per the PA Department of Education, ADVIS is required to report your successful completion of Act 48 evaluation within 30 days of the event.
• Available to members only.
• Contact Candyce Wilson for more information.
ACCESSIBILITY
We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. Please feel free to request an accommodation on the registration form. For inquiries about accessibility, please contact Membership and Outreach Manager Candyce Wilson. At least two weeks' advance notice will help us to provide seamless access.
EVENT CONTACT
Dena Torino, Director of Programming