A Training for New Independent School Board Chairs
Save the Date
April 23 & 30, 2025
12:00 – 3:00 pm ET
Live, Interactive, Online Program
Presented by:
Who Should Attend? Incoming Board Chairs who will begin their term as Chair in 2025.
April 23, 2025
12:00 – 12:10 pm ET
Welcome
Bethany Di Napoli, ISCA Executive Director
12:10 – 12:40 pm
Welcome to Your New Role as Board Chair
Amy Schneider, ISCA Board of Directors
In this introductory session, we will highlight and explore the unique elements and responsibilities of your new role as Chair. In addition, you will discover practical steps you can take now and over the coming months to prepare for a successful transition and set yourself up for success on day one.
12:40 – 1:30 pm
Organizing the Work of the Board
Samantha Cross, ISCA Board of Directors
Planning the work of the board throughout the year is the primary responsibility of the Chair. You will set the course for a productive and high-impact year. In this session, discover practical tips to stay organized and ensure your board operates with clarity, purpose, and measurable success.
1:30 – 1:40 pm
Break
1:40 – 2:30 pm
Leading with Impact: Skills for Board Leadership
Mark Frankel, Senior Consultant & Partner, Triangle Associates
As a Board Chair, your leadership sets the tone for the board’s effectiveness and overall organizational success. In this session you will learn essential skills to lead with confidence, facilitate productive board discussions, and foster a culture of engagement and accountability. This session will explore key leadership traits, strategies for effective governance, and ways to cultivate leadership within the board to ensure long-term success.
2:30 – 2:55
Panel Discussion
A panel of experienced Chairs will share valuable insights and lessons learned from their roles, offering guidance to help you navigate a successful and fulfilling tenure as Chair. The session will include an open Q&A, providing an opportunity for attendees to ask questions and gain practical advice.
2:55 – 3:00 pm
Closing Remarks
Homework: Case Study Review for Managing Trustees
April 30, 2025
12:00 – 12:10 pm ET
Welcome
Bethany Di Napoli, ISCA Executive Director
12:10 – 1:00 pm
Fostering a Healthy Board Culture
Lynn Wendell, Consultant
As Board Chair, you need to set the tone for the culture of your board. In this session we will define board culture and discuss why it is important. You will learn the key dimensions of board culture, how board culture is exhibited, and how you can improve it. You will be empowered to create the kind of board dynamics that are essential to a high performing board.
1:00 – 1:10
Break
1:10 – 2:00 pm
Boardroom Success: Managing Trustees & Driving Meaningful Conversations
Lee Dieck, ISCA Board of Directors
You will gain practical strategies for fostering both individual and collective trustee engagement and performance. Through case studies, this session will provide guidance on effectively managing trustees who may act outside the expectations of good trustee behavior.
2:00 – 2:30 pm
Strategic Partner to the Head of School**
Oliver (Gil) Prince, Principal, The Prince Group
As Board Chair, you will be supporting your Head of School in different ways at different times. You will be a sounding board, thought partner, confidante and advisor. In this session, we will explore your critical role as a strategic partner to your Head of School.
2:30 – 2:55 pm
Panel Discussion
A panel of experienced Chairs will share valuable insights and lessons learned from their roles, offering guidance to help you navigate a successful and fulfilling tenure as Chair. The session will include an open Q&A, providing an opportunity for attendees to ask questions and gain practical advice.
2:55 – 3:00 pm
Closing Remarks
Fees:
Complimentary for current ISCA members
$150.00 for non-members*
*Registrants can apply this fee towards ISCA membership for the ’25 – ’26 year when joining ISCA before June 30, 2025.
** An in-depth program, the “New Chair/HOS Partnership Series” for new Chairs with their Heads of School, will be offered in the summer.
Samantha Cross Retired from 15-year career at Gap, Inc. having worked in some of the company’s most dynamic geographies including Los Angeles, New York City, Washington, D.C., and London, UK where she was integral to the company’s international expansion. Immediate Past Board Chair of Marin Primary & Middle School, Larkspur, CA. She served 6 years as Chair and 12 years on the Board in total as Chair, trustee and Parents Association President. Sam currently serves as a trustee for Drew School in San Francisco and serves on ISCA’s Board of Directors as a member of the Program Committee.
Eileen (Lee) Mulry Dieck, M.D., practiced internal medicine until 2001 when she retired to care for her family. In 2004, she joined the faculty of The Masters School where she has held a variety of positions. She retired from the Masters School as the Ethical Leadership Coordinator, directing programs for students and faculty alike. Lee has served on a number of non-for-profit boards, including that of Northern Westchester Hospital, the Alumni Board of New York Medical College, where she is a past president and the Character Collaborative. She is the Chair Emerita of the board of Professional Children’s School where she served as a trustee until 2022. Lee currently serves as the Education Editor for the Center for Self Determination Theory, and she serves on ISCA’s Board of Directors as a Vice President and Co-Chair of the Program Committee.
Marc Frankel, Ph.D. is a Senior Consultant and partner in Triangle Associates, an international consultancy specializing in higher, independent and international education. A psychologist by training, Dr. Frankel facilitates governance workshops, leadership development programs, and strategic planning in the United States and around the world, and coaches numerous senior leaders in universities and independent schools. Marc serves as a trustee of Wildwood School in Los Angeles.
Oliver (Gil) Prince is Principal at the Prince Group providing executive coaching, strategic planning, leader/organization development, and governance consulting services. Prior corporate experience as an operations/process transformation executive and Chief Human Resources Officer. Gil is also an adjunct faculty member at Northwestern University and current Director at the Old Town School of Music in Chicago, IL. Gil is the former Board Chair and current Trustee at Asheville School, Asheville, NC. He served 5 years as Board Chair and 23 years as a Trustee of Asheville School.
Amy Schneider is retired from a career as a classical mezzo-soprano, voice teacher, and faculty member at Stanford University, North Dakota State University, and Boston University. Amy is the immediate Past Board Chair of Keys School, Palo Alto, CA, where she was a trustee for 6 years, including 4 years as Chair. She currently serves on the board of iSing Silicon Valley, and on ISCA’s Board of Directors as a member of the Program and Nominating/Governance Committees.
Lynn Wendell has been advising many independent school boards and nonprofit boards for the past 14 years. Her work focuses on board governance, board chair coaching, board development, strategic planning, head transition and many other board topics. Lynn served on the boards of trustees of three San Francisco independent schools, including serving a 5-year term as Board Chair of San Francisco University High School and now is Trustee Emerita. Lynn has presented at several conferences for the California Association of Independent Schools and currently serves on the ISCA Board of Directors as a Vice President and Co-Chair of the Program Committee.