Recenter Your School’s Purpose:
Communication Meets Innovation
If you are an independent school leader, claim one of the precious 45 seats at this year's Leadership Academy. Three transformative days will make you a more effective leader of change, giving you new clarity and direction. With supportive colleagues, you’ll learn from expert faculty from the Northwestern University Kellogg School Center for Nonprofit Management. Whether you are a head of school or a senior leader, come deepen your leadership in unique sessions not previously offered. We can't wait to see you there!
Who Should Attend
Leaders of Independent Schools; we encourage schools to send teams if possible.
Leaders of Independent Schools; we encourage schools to send teams if possible.
Certificate of Completion
The Northwestern University Kellogg School Center for Nonprofit Management will provide a certificate of completion to each participant who completes the Academy in its entirety.
Program
Day One:
Monday, June 23
Crystalize and articulate your school’s purpose, positioning, and ability to communicate it in a way that works for your audiences.
Marketing Essentials for Independent Schools | Kevin McTigue
Understand what constitutes brand positioning and the fundamentals of a strong brand positioning statement. Analyze your school’s brand position by applying the value equation. Discover why and how a brand position may be refined over time.
Messaging That Moves People | Kristian Alomá
Recognize how people think and engage with your school’s brand so your school can become a meaningful part of their personal story. Learn how to use narrative psychology to compel stakeholders to take action.
Day Two:
Tuesday, June 24
Sharing your school’s mission, culture, and purpose with stakeholders.
Crafting Your School’s Impact Story with Data | Pranav Kothari
In today’s complex social landscape, how will you tell the story of your school’s impact and how will you prove your story? Learn a powerful framework to help identify priority outcomes and performance indicators. Gain experience in analyzing school data through an equity lens and develop the skills to lead data-driven discussions and foster a deeper understanding of your school’s progress across meaningful outcomes
Communicating Change Across Complex Stakeholders | Ernest Duplessis
In the context of rapid change, develop a deliberate and compelling stakeholder engagement strategy. Gain practice identifying, prioritizing, and effectively engaging key organizational stakeholders. Deploy communications across platforms to ensure your school is visible, accessible, and accountable.
Day Three: Wednesday, June 25
Next steps won’t be easy but you’re ready and these tools will be your secret superpower as you work with and through others to move forward.
Creating Psychologically Safe Cultures | LaTonya Wilkins
Discuss the opportunities and common pitfalls when trying to create psychological safety within schools. Learn three ways to create psychological safety on your leadership team and within your school that will become part of your legacy.
Audacious Leadership | Tiana Clark
Audacious Leadership requires you to be bold, be brave, and believe. In this session, learn how to set a bold vision, bravely go after your vision, and keep your cup full as you focus on your school’s impactful mission.
Faculty
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Kevin McTigue is a clinical professor of marketing at the Kellogg School. McTigue’s background includes over ten years of award-winning teaching at one of the top marketing schools in the world and prior work in digital consulting, brand management, and advertising. Through his work experience and academic research, he helps nonprofit organizations and schools apply world-class marketing strategy to their unique challenges and opportunities. |
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Kristian Alomá has helped the world’s largest brands improve their relationships with customers by drawing on his academic experience in narrative psychology, identity, and behavioral economics. At the Kellogg School, Alomá is a lecturer who helps nonprofit and school leaders learn to improve their brand narrative and enhance the stakeholder and donor experience through mindful design. |
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Pranav Kothari is an adjunct lecturer of social impact at the Kellogg School, teaching on the education sector, social sector performance measurement, continuous improvement, and board governance. He speaks nationally on measuring social impact, education data, education philanthropy, and nonprofit effectiveness. Kothari is the founder of Revolution Impact, a firm focused on helping organizations improve results through better practices and strategies. |
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Ernest Duplessis is a lecturer at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Integrated Marketing Communications, runs his own consulting firm, ELD Communications, and is the chancellor of a K-8 private school. His career includes over 25 years of public relations, communications, investor relations, and government affairs experience spanning corporate America and the U.S. Military. |
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Tiana Clark is an adjunct professor of executive education at the Kellogg School. Clark is a veteran, entrepreneur, creator, executive producer, multi-award winner, teacher, nonprofit founder, tech leader, diversity and inclusion leader, speaker, and board advisor. She empowers career professionals to reclaim their greatness and own their careers with audacity. |
Dates & Location
Please plan your travel to be able to participate in the program in its entirety.
Location
Kellogg Center for Nonprofit Management at Northwestern University
Wieboldt Hall
339 East Superior Street
Chicago, IL
Dates & Times
Monday, June 23, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. + Dinner
Tuesday, June 24, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Wednesday, June 25, 8 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Dinner: Monday, 6:30 p.m.
ISACS invites Leadership Academy participants to attend a dinner at:
Beatrix - Streeterville
671 N. St. Clair Street, Chicago
Beatrix is walking distance from the hotel and the meeting location.
- The cost of the dinner is included in registration.
- During online registration you will be prompted to RSVP for the dinner.
Cost
Registration Fee: $2,000/person
Each participant must register themselves for the Leadership Academy.
The registration fee includes the following meals:
| Breakfast | Lunch | Refreshments | Dinner | |
| Monday | •✓ | •✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tuesday | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Wednesday | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Through the Claudia M. Daggett Memorial Grant, generously funded by the Skilling and Andrews Foundation, ISACS has already subsidized the registration fee for all participants.
No additional discounts are available.
Hotel & Travel
Hotel
Courtyard by Marriott Magnificent Mile
165 East Ontario, Chicago, IL
(Less than two blocks from Northwestern University's Chicago Campus)
Event Room Rate
$249/night* plus tax (single or double occupancy) for the nights of June 22–25.
*This rate is available until Midnight CT on Monday, June 2, 2025 or block reaches capacity.
Book Online
You must reserve online, using the 2025 ISACS Leadership Academy Online Booking Link. If availability allows, the hotel will honor extended reservations three days before and three days after the Academy.
If you have a problem securing the rate or have questions about the hotel, please email programinfo@isacs.org.
Directions, Public Transportation & Parking
View the directions to the Courtyard by Marriott, public transportation and parking options. The Leadership Academy location is just a short walk from the hotel.
***Complimentary Parking: Daily & Overnight*** from Kellogg
Kellogg will provide registrants with additional details on complimentary daily and overnight parking at nearby garages via email as the Academy approaches. Please note, if parking overnight at these garages, you will have to exit and re-enter the garage daily and receive validation each day at no expense to you.
Parking: Courtyard by Marriott
Self-parking is available at the InterPark garage located at 614 N. Saint Clair, which is attached to the hotel. The current overnight self-parking rate is $57/night OR $59/night with in/out privileges. This rate is subject to change. View InterPark rates here.
Hotel Scam Alert
ISACS does not reach out to attendees and sponsors directly to book hotel rooms. If you receive calls or emails from third-party companies, we recommend you do not provide these solicitors with any personal information including, but not limited to, making new or changing existing reservations and do not provide your credit card. If you have any doubt about the information that you are receiving regarding any ISACS room blocks, please contact programinfo@isacs.org.
How to Register & Policies
Each participant must register themselves for the Leadership Academy.
To register for ISACS events, you MUST be signed into the Members Portal.
Once you have logged into the ISACS Member Portal:
- Click on the EVENTS tab in the black tool bar
- Click on Browse & Register for Events
- Scroll & select Leadership Academy
- Once on the Leadership Academy registration page, click on the "blue" Registration under the date, follow the listed steps, making sure to answer all required questions.
- Payment can be made via credit card, ACH withdrawal, OR you may select Bill (School Name). You are responsible for forwarding the invoice to your school for payment.
Once registration is complete, the registrant will receive a confirmation email with details and a separate email that includes a paid receipt or an invoice.
For registrants: Additional communications will be forthcoming from Kellogg as the Academy approaches.
Questions? Contact programinfo@isacs.org.
- Member Portal: Creating a New Contact Record
- Member Portal: Existing Accounts
- Cancellation Policy
- Policies
Member Portal: Creating a New Contact Record
Creating a New Contact Record
- Visit the Member Portal and select the Sign-Up tab
- Enter your SCHOOL email address & create a new password
- Follow the prompts to send the verification email and then click on the “Confirm my account” link in that email, following the steps.
- Check your quarantine, spam, and junk folders
Note: If you were in the pre-2021 ISACS database, the new system will identify you based on your name and/or email domain, link your record to the school, and prompt you to update your information.
Member Portal: Existing Accounts
Log In to Your Existing Contact Record
- Visit the Member Portal and select the Log In tab
- Enter your SCHOOL email address & password
- If you forgot your password, click on reset your password*
*Resetting your password will only work if you have logged in after July 2021 and created a new password. Otherwise follow the steps to set up a new account.
- If you forgot your password, click on reset your password*
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations must be received by email at programinfo@isacs.org 15 business days prior to the event to be considered for a refund. ISACS will determine refunds, if any, at the conclusion of the event. Cancellations received within 15 days of the event will not receive a refund. However, registration may be transferred to another member from the same school. ISACS reserves the right to cancel the Leadership Academy for insufficient enrollment. In this case, participants will be notified and given a full refund.
Prior to arrival: If you experience any flu-like symptoms, please stay home.
Policies
ISACS reserves the right to revoke the registration and end the participation of any registrant who does not follow the ISACS Policies & Disclaimers for Professional Learning Events.