Beyond the Retreat: An Action Lab for Future-Ready Schools
The Inn at Villanova
601 County Line RoadWayne, PA 19087-4523
United States
* Registration open until 10/14/26 at 11:59 PM (EDT)
The future of independent schools
is already here.
The Retreat has evolved. What began as our annual gathering for Heads and Assistant Heads of School is now an Action Lab for school leadership, built for the moment independent schools are facing: real pressure to respond to immediate challenges while preparing for a very different future. This one-day working experience is designed to help leadership teams examine the issues that matter most and translate insight into action.
Less passive conference, more working think tank. A working day for heads, assistant heads, trustees, CFOs and senior leaders to move from conversation to action.
Opening conversation
Three of independent education's sharpest voices open the day with a future-focused conversation designed to challenge assumptions and widen the lens.
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| John Gulla Executive Director, E.E. Ford Foundation |
Ayanna Hill-Gill |
Christian Talbot |
Not a conference. A working session.
The Action Lab marks a new kind of ADVIS leadership experience. Designed for heads, assistant heads, trustees, CFOs, and senior leaders, this one-day program will help school teams examine the changing landscape of independent education and governance, and identify the strategic choices required for the future.
Governance as a strategic lever
Presented in partnership with the Middle States Association (MSA), the day will also highlight Governance Mastery, MSA’s emerging framework for strengthening board practice, strategic alignment, and governance capacity. Rather than treating governance as a separate track, the program will position governance as a critical lever for helping schools move from future-focused ideas to meaningful institutional action.
How the day unfolds
From there, participants will move into facilitated working sessions* focused on:
What you'll leave with✓ New ideas ✓ Practical tools ✓ Clearer next steps for moving your school forward |
AGENDA
8:30 - 9:00 AM | CHECK IN & BREAKFAST
9:00 - 10:00 AM | WELCOME & OPENING PANEL
John Gulla, Executive Director, E.E. Ford Foundation
Ayanna Hill-Gill, President, ADVIS
Christian Talbot, President and CEO, Middle States Association (MSA)
Three of independent education’s sharpest voices open the day with a candid conversation about what’s changing in independent schools, what leaders should be paying attention to, and the questions that will matter most in the years ahead.
The discussion will be followed by audience Q&A, inviting participants into the conversation and setting the stage for the day ahead.10:00 - 10:05 AM | STRETCH & RECHARGE
10:05 - 10:55 AM | AI & FUTURE READINESS
Leading Schools in the Age of AI
T.J. Locke, Head of School, The Episcopal Academy
10:55 - 11:45 AM | TUITION STRATEGY
A Tuition Model for This Generation
Brandon McNeice, Head of School & CEO, Cornerstone Christian Academy
11:45 AM - 12:30 PM | WORKING LUNCH
Continue the conversation over lunch with table-topic prompts designed to encourage discussion and connection.
12:30 - 1:30 PM | CIVIL DISCOURSE & SCHOOL COMMUNITIES
Constructive Conversations on Sensitive Topics, from the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict to U.S. Elections
Peter Krause, Associate Professor of Political Science, Boston College and
Research Affiliate, MIT
1:30 - 2:30 PM | GOVERNANCE MASTERY
The Change-Ready Board: Three Tools for Governance Mastery
Amber Berry, Vice President of AI and Strategy, Middle States Association (MSA)
John Gulla, Executive Director, E.E. Ford Foundation
Christian Talbot, President and CEO, Middle States Association (MSA)
2:30 - 2:35 PM | STRETCH & RECHARGE
2:35 - 3:35 PM | BOARD MEETINGS & AGENDAS
3:35 PM | CLOSING REMARKS
AI & FUTURE READINESS
Leading Schools in the Age of AI
T.J. Locke, Head of School, The Episcopal Academy
How can school leaders stay current with AI and help their communities respond thoughtfully?
Drawing on his own leadership practice, T.J. Locke will share practical strategies for navigating AI as a school leader, including how to:
- Stay current with developments in AI and understand what matters for schools
- Use AI effectively to make everyday leadership work more efficient
- Build faculty and staff capacity through professional development that develops skills and confidence
- Advance student AI literacy with an evolving roadmap for teaching and learning
- Support thoughtful experimentation with AI across the school community
The session will emphasize why this is a moment for school leaders to lead from the front by staying informed, using AI themselves, and creating opportunities for their communities to learn and experiment.
Participants will leave with practical suggestions they can put to use right away in their own leadership work, along with ideas to adapt for their schools. The presentation will conclude with time for questions and discussion.
About the Speaker
T.J. Locke has served as Head of School at The Episcopal Academy since 2013, leading the PK-12, coeducational independent school serving approximately 1,300 students.
Prior to joining Episcopal Academy, T.J. served as Head of School at Isidore Newman School in New Orleans from 2007 to 2013, where he was responsible for all aspects of the 925-student independent school. Earlier in his career, he held several leadership roles with Cherry Hill Public Schools, including Director of Curriculum, Elementary Principal, and Middle School Assistant Principal.
T.J. has also worked with aspiring independent school leaders as a Practicum Professor at Columbia University’s Teachers College, supporting and evaluating graduate students pursuing master’s degrees in Educational Leadership through the Klingenstein Center.
Amber Berry is the inaugural Vice President of AI and Strategy for Middle States Association (MSA). She is the co-founder of RAIL: Responsible AI in Learning which is a series of endorsements for schools to have access to an implementation framework for AI. The MSA AI team is working with 80 schools in 30 different countries impacting +65,000 students since the launch in March 2024. Endorsement 1 is in AI Literacy, Safety, and Ethics and endorsement 2 is the Essential Learning Experience with AI. She is co-leading the team building MSA's Governance Mastery endorsement for boards of trustees in independent schools.
Before MSA, Amber worked in public and independent schools for 15 years. She got her start in education as a French teacher then joined the leadership team as World Language Department Chair, the Director of Teaching Fellows, and Division Head. Amber has a special interest in school change with particular emphasis on teacher growth and development. She is a member of Excelle Collective for women in educational leadership.
Amber earned a B.A. from Princeton University an M.A. from Middlebury College and an M.Ed. in Private School Leadership from Columbia University Teachers College Klingenstein Program. In commitment to continuing education, she also completed a Mini-MBA in AI for Business through Section School in 2024.
After taking control of her own health, Amber has become an advocate for healthy lifestyles by sharing her journey to reverse Type 2 Diabetes. She actively supports the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), where she and her husband serve on the Young Leadership Alliance. Amber is also a member of the foundation board of Wissahickon Charter School in Philadelphia PA. On weekends, Amber embraces her role as an NFL wife, cheering on the Philadelphia Eagles!
TUITION STRATEGY
A Tuition Model for This Generation:
Rethinking How Families Pay for Independent School
Brandon McNeice, Head of School & CEO, Cornerstone Christian Academy
Families today pay for almost everything as one predictable monthly amount — so why does the cost of independent school still arrive unevenly, unpredictably, and all at once?
Drawing on his own leadership practice, Brandon McNeice will share how schools can replace a menu of charges with one predictable price, including how to:
- See how uneven payments strain family budgets
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Design an all-inclusive tuition model
- Set that price using the fee revenue you actually collect
- Publish an income-based tuition schedule and a simple public calculator
- Answer the questions heads, CFOs, and trustees will raise
Participants will leave with practical tools and one hard question: if this wouldn't work for us, why not — and does the answer have anything to do with our mission?
About the Speaker
Brandon McNeice is a writer, speaker, and Head of School at Cornerstone Christian Academy in Southwest Philadelphia. Brandon's career spans a wide range of educational settings, from founding a BASIS Independent campus in Manhattan to admissions and school leadership roles in the San Francisco Bay Area and global recruiting at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. He is a 2026 honoree of the Philadelphia Business Journal's 40 Under 40 and a 2026 Education Policy Fellow at the Institute for Educational Leadership, and was selected for the Klingenstein Heads of Schools program at Teachers College, Columbia University, and the National Institute of Urban School Leaders at Harvard.
He writes and speaks about education, institutional renewal, and the moral demands of leadership. His essays have appeared in Commonweal, Plough, The Philadelphia Citizen, Christian Scholar's Review, and elsewhere, and his fiction and poetry in The Los Angeles Review, Hunger Mountain, and other journals. His debut essay collection, The Grief and the Gathering, is forthcoming from Party Wall Press.
CIVIL DISCOURSE & SCHOOL COMMUNITIES
Constructive Conversations on Sensitive Topics: from the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict to U.S. Elections
Peter Krause
Associate Professor of Political Science, Boston College and Research Affiliate, MIT
As educators and administrators, we have all faced the challenge of discussing sensitive political topics with students, colleagues, families, and friends. Too often, it can feel like the only options are to engage in toxic debate or avoid the conversation altogether. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Drawing on 25 years of experience as a high school teacher, college professor, and dialogue facilitator with Americans, Israelis, and Palestinians, Peter Krause will share practical tools and exercises for navigating even the most divisive issues.
Participants will learn how to:
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Recognize different types of conversations, from competitive conversations that aim to win, to clinical conversations that aim to learn, to constructive conversations that aim to share and connect
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Shift difficult discussions toward more constructive and productive dialogue
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Navigate sensitive political topics with greater confidence and intention
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Apply practical tools and exercises in conversations inside and outside the classroom
This hands-on session will equip participants with strategies they can use to transform conversations about sensitive issues across their school communities.
About the Speaker
Peter Krause is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Boston College and a Research Affiliate at MIT. He has published books and articles on Israeli- Palestinian politics, U.S. foreign policy, and difficult conversations. His current book project, "How to Have Constructive Conversations about Sensitive Topics," tackles this issue.
For over two decades, he has researched and taught about the politics and history of the U.S., Israelis, Palestinians, and the broader Middle East, including 2 years as a high school teacher and 15 years as a college professor. He lived in the Middle East for 3 years while conducting interviews and engaging in conversations with Palestinians, Israelis, and others in the region. Since 2021, he has designed and led facilitations with hundreds of Israeli and Palestinian young adults through peace-building programs. He has a Ph.D. in political science from MIT and a B.A. in political science and history from Williams College.
He is in the discovery and education business. Discovery is the search for the right answer. Education is helping others find it—or, even better, learn how to find it themselves. He focuses on this point in the process: helping people learn, develop a better understanding of each other, and identify the best paths through the challenging situations they find themselves in. Though it does not have a predetermined destination, constructive conversation points them in the right direction.
He prides himself on being a dynamic, knowledgeable, balanced, and engaging speaker and facilitator.
He believes in the importance of deeply engaging with all perspectives in his research and presentations. He warmly engages not only with the most knowledgeable and motivated people in the group, but also the attendees who may be hesitant to ask a question or share their thoughts.
GOVERNANCE MASTERY
The Change-Ready Board:
Three Tools for Governance Mastery
- Amber Berry, Vice President of AI and Strategy, Middle States Association (MSA)
- John Gulla, Executive Director, E.E. Ford Foundation
- Christian Talbot, President and CEO, Middle States Association (MSA)
What does it take for a board to lead through change, not simply approve it?
In this interactive session, school leaders and trustees will work through a real governance case involving misaligned expectations, competing incentives, and a board-head partnership out of calibration. Using three tools from the Governance Mastery framework, they’ll examine the challenges at play and identify a path forward.
The session will offer opportunities to:
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Explore the value of third-party perspective and support in strengthening governance
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Connect with peers facing similar governance challenges
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Take focused, guided action to improve governance during times of change
Attendees will leave with practical tools to help their boards govern more effectively for and through change.
About the Speakers
Amber Berry,
Vice President of AI and Strategy, Middle States Association (MSA)
Before MSA, Amber worked in public and independent schools for 15 years. She got her start in education as a French teacher then joined the leadership team as World Language Department Chair, the Director of Teaching Fellows, and Division Head. Amber has a special interest in school change with particular emphasis on teacher growth and development. She is a member of Excelle Collective for women in educational leadership.
Amber earned a B.A. from Princeton University an M.A. from Middlebury College and an M.Ed. in Private School Leadership from Columbia University Teachers College Klingenstein Program. In commitment to continuing education, she also completed a Mini-MBA in AI for Business through Section School in 2024.
After taking control of her own health, Amber has become an advocate for healthy lifestyles by sharing her journey to reverse Type 2 Diabetes. She actively supports the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), where she and her husband serve on the Young Leadership Alliance. Amber is also a member of the foundation board of Wissahickon Charter School in Philadelphia PA. On weekends, Amber embraces her role as an NFL wife, cheering on the Philadelphia Eagles!
John Gulla,
Executive Director, E.E. Ford Foundation
For the preceding 14 years, Gulla was Head of School at The Blake School, a 125 year-old school enrolling over 1400 students on, at the time, three campuses, in and around Minneapolis. He has also held administrative and teaching positions (physics, mathematics, and history of science) at Riverdale Country School, Isidore Newman, and St. Ann’s in Brooklyn.
A graduate of Teachers College, Columbia University, and Amherst College, he grew up the son of two public school teachers just outside Boston. He has served as a Board member of the Fund for Teachers organization since its inception in 1998, as well as several other Boards, such as ACLUMH, ISACS, MAIS, and Milkweed Editions.
Christian Talbot,
President and CEO, Middle States Association (MSA)
He incubated the Center for Social Impact at Malvern, and later founded Expeditionaries, a social entrepreneurship bootcamp for middle school and high school students.
Christian continues to teach through his work in the Nonprofit Leadership Program at the University of Pennsylvania, and has previously served as a judge for the Milken-Penn GSE Competition and as a mentor in Penn GSE’s Education Entrepreneurship Program. He has served on the board of trustees of several independent schools.
BOARD MEETINGS & AGENDAS
The Board Agenda Makeover: Designing Meetings That Move from Reports to Real Dialogue
What would change if your board spent less meeting time hearing updates and more time wrestling with the questions that matter most to your school?
In this hands-on workshop, heads of school and board leaders will use the Main Effort Map to focus board work on three to five long-term priorities, connect committee work to those priorities, and make room for strategic and generative conversation. You’ll explore how consent agendas and dashboards can handle routine business efficiently, then draft a sample agenda you can adapt for your own board.
Come ready to rethink where your board spends its time. Leave with a clearer meeting structure and a practical starting point for bringing it to your board.
About the Speaker
Ayanna Hill-Gill, affectionately known as Yanni, is an accomplished educator and leader with extensive experience in independent schools. She holds a Bachelor of Science from Dickinson College, where she majored in Biology and Chemistry with a concentration in Ecology and Sustainable Development. She also holds an Ed.M. from Teachers College, Columbia University, with a concentration in Organizational Leadership.Yanni has held several leadership positions in independent schools, including serving as Head of School at Purnell School in New Jersey and Atlanta Girls' School in Georgia- where she was actively involved in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in education, having integrated anti-bias work into school culture and curriculum and increasing the diversity of student and staff populations. Yanni has received numerous honors and awards throughout her career, including being named an EE FORD NAIS Aspiring Heads Fellow and a Joseph Klingenstein Fellow.
Yanni works with individual school leaders as an executive coach and, as President of ADVIS, works with Boards of schools on governance and best practices. Yanni has served on various national and local boards, including the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools, The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS), and the Emory University Visiting Board of Trustees. She is a member of the International Women’s Forum and an active member of Kiwanis International.
Registration Options
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Registration Options
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Price |
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ADVIS Member Ticket
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$250.00 |
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MSA Member Ticket
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$250.00 |
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Non-Member Ticket
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$350.00 |
We are pleased to offer convenient hotel accommodations for event participants at
The Inn at Villanova.
To reserve, call the Inn directly at 1-610-450-4953 and request a room from
the ADVIS room block.
Act 48 Credits Available
• 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.
• Contact Dena Torino (dtorino@advis.org) for more information.
ACCOMMODATIONS
We strive to make our events inclusive and accessible for all. Request accommodations on the registration form, or contact Dena Torino (dtorino@advis.org) with accessibility questions. Please give at least two weeks’ notice to help us ensure seamless access.
EVENT CONTACT
Dena Torino
Vice President of
Strategy, Learning & School Services