Nour Kteily, PhD is a professor of management and organizations at Kellogg, where he is co-director of the Dispute Resolution Research Center and co-founder of the Center for Enlightened Disagreement. His research on negotiation, conflict resolution, and intergroup relations has been published in leading psychology journals and earned him such accolades as the SAGE Young Scholar award, the James Sidanius Early Career Award, and the Janet Taylor Spence Award for Transformative Early Career Contributions. He is also an award-winning teacher.

 

Heather L. Barnes, MA is the founder and CEO of Improv@Work, LLC and is a faculty member at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. She teaches executive presence, presentation skills, and difficult conversations using improv with experience directing, producing, and delivering large scale presentations. Barnes founded Improv@Work to deliver highly experiential workshops at museums, organizations, and universities. As a director at the John G. Shedd Aquarium as well as the Museum of Science and Industry, she worked to transform communication, culture, and methods of engaging audiences using improvisational techniques. Barnes was a faculty member of the Second City Training Center Chicago and has been involved on all levels in Chicago’s sketch comedy and improvisational community. 

Ian Symmonds is founder and chief strategist for Ian Symmonds & Associates (ISA). Symmonds started ISA in 2003 with a notebook computer, cell phone, and a dream of using his skills to transform the education landscape. Over 20 years, 1,300 clients, and four million air miles traveled later, Ian has seen more schools, colleges, universities and non-profits than any other consultant in America.

 

Andy Abbott came to John Burroughs School in St. Louis (MO) in the fall of 2001 as an English teacher, coach, and principal of the upper grades. Five years later, he was named director of college counseling and assistant head of school. In July 2009, he became head of school.

 

Grace H. Lee is an independent school law attorney at Venable LLP.  With over 20 years of experience, she helps independent schools manage complex issues, offer creative solutions, and work proactively to meet standards of best practice. Previously, Lee served as vice president, legal affairs with the National Business Officers Association (NBOA) and continues to serve as NBOA’s legal counsel. She is a speaker, contributor to NetAssets magazine, author of several white papers and the book Culture Meets Compliance: The NBOA Guide to Assessing Human Resources at Independent Schools.

Mary Menacho, executive director at the Independent Schools Association of the Central States, has served independent schools as a teacher, division director, long-term head of school, trustee, board chair, association executive director, and governance consultant. A certified executive coach and certified by both BoardSource and Polarity Partnerships, she speaks and writes on leadership and best practices in independent schools.
 

Jay Rainey is currently in his sixth year as head of school at Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School (MICDS) in St. Louis. Rainey has been a school head for 11 years and has worked in independent schools as a teacher and administrator for over two decades.

 

Anne Stavney, PhD head of Blake School (MN), is a member of the ISACS board where she also chairs the ISACS Accreditation Review Committee. In addition, she is on the board of the Children’s Theatre Company of Minnesota and chairs its education committee and serves as vice-chair of the School Year Abroad board. Before joining Blake, Stavney served as assistant head of school and middle school director at her alma mater, Lakeside School (WA).
 

Amanda Tiberi has been an artist her entire life and a calligrapher for eight years, teaching for the past five years. She owns her own business, XO Art & Design, which is a full-service calligraphy, art, and design studio specializing in weddings/events, live activations, gifts, and more. Through teaching calligraphy and giving her students personalized assistance, her goal is to make this beautiful art form approachable and fun so people can fall in love with it just like she did! 
 

Amada Torres is the vice president of studies, insights, and research at the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) where she researches and reports on market and  socio-economic trends, governance and leadership, community well-being, diversity, and other studies of interest to NAIS schools. As a contributor to the NAIS TrendBook, she speaks on issues and trends related to independent education, financial sustainability, admissions and marketing, and advocacy. Torres serves as a trustee of the Keys School (CA), Tessa International School (NY), and the Association of Independent School Admission Professionals.

Elizabeth Zurlinden began her tenure as Rossman School in St. Louis eighth head of school in 2018. Prior to headship, Zurlinden served as Rossman’s lower school director and a first-grade teacher and worked in marketing and admissions.