This session will guide Board Chairs and governance leaders to move beyond résumés to identify and vet trustees based on leadership competencies, alignment with school values, and the personal qualities that shape strong, mission-driven board performance.

Key Topics:

• Clarifying Board Needs: Using a board composition matrix to identify gaps in skills, identity, and lived experience
• Mission- and Culture-Aligned Recruitment: Finding candidates who not only support the school’s strategy but also embody its values in action
• Key Traits of Effective Trustees: What to look for beyond résumé—active listening, humility, discernment, ability to collaborate, and commitment to group governance
• Vetting for Leadership and Behavior: Assessing a candidate’s interpersonal style, communication skills, and boardroom temperament during the recruitment process
• Behavioral Red Flags and Success Indicators: Questions to ask and scenarios to explore to gauge board “fit” and potential for constructive engagement
• Building a Talent Pipeline: Year-round strategies for identifying, cultivating, and preparing future trustees
• Partnering with the Governance Committee: Defining the Chair’s role in balancing recruitment ambition with cultural stewardship

Outcomes: Participants will leave with strategies to assess not just a trustee’s credentials, but their behavioral readiness, leadership potential, and alignment with board culture—ensuring that new trustees will contribute meaningfully to strong, respectful, and strategic governance.

Presented by Cathy Trower, Ph.D.