Warren Reid

Warren Reid is the founder and CEO of NEMNET, a diversity recruitment and consulting firm that has partnered with over 600 public and private schools to build more inclusive communities. With 30 years of experience in recruitment and retention, he is a trusted voice on equity and access in independent schools. In this new age of AI, Reid is committed to helping schools navigate the integration of artificial intelligence in hiring, equipping leaders with practical frameworks and tools to adopt AI responsibly, while keeping human-centered decision-making at the core. He is a graduate of Middlebury College, Columbia University’s Institute of Urban Education, and the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

The ISACS Parent Series has become a hallmark ISACS program for independent schools, designed to strengthen partnerships with parents in support of essential school/home relationships. ISACS has created another exceptional series of six one-hour webinars for parents in all stages of their children's growth. We know you will find these new topics to be compelling and significantly important to your school and to parents and caregivers as they learn from leading experts in the fields of education, parenting, and child development. We hope your school's parents see this resource as one of the many benefits of belonging to your school community and that each session serves as a springboard to energizing conversations. Many educators also have participated!

We hope you will join other independent school parents for the six evening webinars led by a celebrated team of experts to help you support and guide your children in all areas of their development. We look forward to learning right along with you!

Dr. Lisa Damour addressed how to help children and teenagers manage uncomfortable emotions, adapt to new challenges, and cope with stress effectively. She also covered when it's time to worry about how a child or teen is doing at school and, under those circumstances, what to do.
Recording Expired: 1/31/26 | Original Presentation: 9/25/25

Lisa Damour, PhD

Lisa Damour, PhD is the author of three New York Times best-sellers: Untangled, Under Pressure, and The Emotional Lives of Teenagers, which have been translated into 23 languages. She co-hosts the Ask Lisa podcast, works in collaboration with UNICEF, and is recognized as a thought leader by the American Psychological Association. Damour authored the monthly Adolescence column for The New York Times, is a regular contributor to CBS News, and created Untangling 10to20, a digital library of premium content to support teens and those who care for them. She maintains a clinical practice and speaks around the world on the topics of child and adolescent development, family mental health, and adult well-being. Damour also works with industry leaders on topics related to adolescent mental health and was a consultant to Pixar on the film Inside Out 2.

Jonathan Haidt wrote The Anxious Generation with a firm belief that the challenges confronting our children and our families are solvable. However, addressing these challenges requires understanding the traps we have fallen into, so we can see the escape routes. The main escape routes are four new norms: delay smartphones until high school, delay social media until 16, phone-free schools, and more independence and play in the real world. Haidt shares the research that underpins the book, leaving parents with inspiration and concrete plans to facilitate change in their families and communities.
Recording available until: 6/30/25 | Original Presentation: 10/28/25
Recordings & resources are accessed through your Parent Series Zoom Lobby

Jonathan Haidt, PhD

Jonathan Haidt, PhD is a social psychologist at New York University's Stern School of Business. He received his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and taught for 16 years at the University of Virginia. In his most recent book, The Anxious Generation, he brings to light the "great rewiring of childhood" in which play-based childhood has been replaced by phone-based childhood. Haidt continues to push reforms to put an end to the youth mental health crisis through his public health campaign, The Anxious Generation. Haidt also is the author of The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom, and of The New York Times best-sellers The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion, and The Coddling of the American Mind (co-authored with Greg Lukianoff). He was chosen by Prospect magazine as one of the world's "Top 50 Thinkers."

Dr. Tina Payne Bryson shares transformative ideas that can serve as a go-to guide for parents and caregivers. With candid stories, compassion, and humor, Bryson addresses the challenges we see in everyday parenting and help us approach them from a brain-based lens. She revisits the true meaning of the word discipline—to teach so that kids learn essential skills—and show caregivers how "chasing the why" behind behaviors and combining nurture with structure can help us shift behaviors, strengthen relationships, and improve discipline.
Recording available until: 6/30/25 | Original Presentation: 1/13/26
Recordings & resources are accessed through your Parent Series Zoom Lobby

Tina Payne Bryson, PhD

Tina Payne Bryson, PhD is the New York Times best-selling author of The Whole-Brain Child and No-Drama Discipline, which are both co-authored with Dan Siegel. She and Siegel also wrote The Yes Brain and The Power of Showing Up, and Bryson is the author of The Bottom Line for Baby. Her new book, co-authored with Georgie Wisen-Vincent, is The Way of Play. Bryson is the founder and executive director of The Center for Connection. She speaks to parents, educators, and clinicians all over the world. She also consults with schools, businesses, and other organizations, including the Nike Sport Research Lab, where she is project director for Mental and Emotional Performance. Bryson earned her PhD from the University of Southern California, where her research explored attachment science, childrearing theory, and the emerging field of interpersonal neurobiology.

Young people have an innate need to be respected and admired. But few parents understand how to harness it. David Yeager can help. An expert on the psychology of grit and persistence, Yeager has spent years researching how to motivate and equip young people for success. He can show us why our conventional methods of communicating with young people aged 10 to 25 tend to leave everyone frustrated, and he can teach us a better way of ensuring the younger generation feels inspired, enthusiastic, and empowered to do their best work. Learn how to adopt what he calls the "mentor mindset," a leadership style that taps into young people's desire for respect. He offers highly effective and surprisingly easy-to-learn practices: like being transparent about your goals rather than expecting your children to read your mind or holding them to high standards rather than coddling them. This is crucial for anyone who wants to be a more effective parent.
Recording Expired: 3/11/26 | Original Presentation: 2/10/26

David Yeager, PhD

David Yeager, PhD is a professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and the co-founder of the Texas Behavioral Science and Policy Institute. He is best known for his research on powerful interventions that influence adolescent behaviors such as motivation, engagement, healthy eating, bullying, stress, mental health, and more. He is the author of the bestselling book 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People: A Groundbreaking Approach to Leading the Next Generation―and Making Your Own Life Easier. His research has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Scientific American, CNN, Fox News, and more. Clarivate Web of Science ranks Yeager as one of the top 0.1% most-influential psychologists in the world over the past decade. Prior to his career as a scientist, he was a middle school teacher and a basketball coach. He earned his PhD and MA at Stanford University and his BA and MEd at the University of Notre Dame.

Feeling overwhelmed by the unique challenges of modern parenting? Join Professor Laurie Santos of Yale University to learn science-backed strategies for happier parenting. We will tackle topics like rethinking time management, dealing with tough feelings like guilt and frustration, navigating your child's academic stress and screen time, and how to avoid the trap of overparenting. We also will see why parents need to prioritize their own well-being, not just to help themselves but to create a happier, healthier family life. This session is for parents of children of all ages with a special focus on middle-grade to teen years.
Recording available until: 6/30/25 | Original Presentation: 4/15/26
Recordings & resources are accessed through your Parent Series Zoom Lobby

Laurie Santos, PhD

Laurie Santos, PhD is the Chandrika and Ranjan Tandon Professor of Psychology at Yale University and host of The Happiness Lab podcast. Santos is an expert on the science of happiness. Her Yale course, Psychology and the Good Life, teaches students how the science of psychology can provide important hints about how to make wiser choices and live a life that's happier and more fulfilling. Her course recently became Yale's most popular course in over 300 years, with almost one of four students at Yale enrolled. Her course has been featured in The New York Times, NBC Nightly News, The Today Show, GQ Magazine, Slate and O! Magazine. A winner of numerous awards both for her science and teaching, she was recently voted as one of Popular Science Magazine's "Brilliant 10" young minds and was named in Time Magazine as a "Leading Campus Celebrity." Her podcast, The Happiness Lab, has over 100 million downloads.

Dr. Shefali will introduce the principles of conscious parenting— a revolutionary approach that shifts the traditional paradigm from control to connection. Participants will explore how their own conditioning and emotional patterns influence their parenting style, and how self-awareness is the key to raising emotionally healthy and resilient children. With practical tools and heartfelt wisdom, Dr. Shefali will guide parents to move beyond reactivity and into deeper, more authentic relationships with their children. Parents will leave feeling empowered to foster mindfulness, empathy, and independence in their homes. There will be a special focus for parents of children ages 5–18.

The recording of this presentation will be available until: 6/30/26
Recordings & resources are accessed through your Parent Series Zoom Lobby

Recording available until: 6/30/25 | Original Presentation: 5/6/26
Recordings & resources are accessed through your Parent Series Zoom Lobby

Shefali Tsabary, PhD

Shefali Tsabary, PhD (known as Dr. Shefali) received her doctorate in clinical psychology from Columbia University. Specializing in the integration of Western psychology and Eastern philosophy, she brings together the best of both worlds. She is an expert in family dynamics and personal development, and has written seven books, three of which are The New York Times best-sellers, including: The Conscious Parent, A Radical Awakening and The Parenting Map. She has been hailed by Oprah as "revolutionary" and the "best child expert" she has interviewed in her career. With over 2.5 million followers across her social media platforms and appearances on podcasts and forums, from Oprah's networks, Tedx, Masters of Scale, Dalai Lama Center, Kellogg Business School, Wisdom 2.0, to innumerable conferences all over the world, Dr. Shefali's message has transformed millions of lives. She also hosts the top-ranking podcast Parenting & You.

Debra Wilson, NAIS President, highlights and expands on the influences and data directions impacting independent schools.
Recording available until: 6/30/26 | Original Presentation: 9/18/25
Recordings & resources are accessed through your Trustee Series Zoom Lobby

Debra Wilson

Debra Wilson began her tenure as president of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) in August 2023. Previously, she served as president of the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS). Her SAIS role followed 19 years at NAIS, as assistant director of regulatory affairs and later as general counsel. She has served on several independent school and educational nonprofit boards and co-authored the NAIS Trustee Handbook (10th & 11th editions). Wilson received a BA from Sewanee: The University of the South and a JD from the University of South Carolina.

From an expert in the financial management of independent schools, explore the knowledge, skills, and capacities trustees of independent schools need to ensure their schools will be financially sustainable. During this webinar, we will examine key issues and challenges trustees face as they govern for financial sustainability, and we will also discuss specific strategies and approaches for such work.
Recording available until: 6/30/2026 | Original Presentation: 10/16/25
Recordings & resources are accessed through your Trustee Series Zoom Lobby

James P. Honan

James P. Honan is a senior lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is also a faculty member at the Harvard Kennedy School and serves on the faculty executive committee of Harvard's Advanced Leadership Initiative. Honan has served as a consultant on strategic planning, governance, and resource allocation to colleges, universities, schools, foundations, and nonprofit organizations. He holds a BA from Marist University, an MA from George Washington University, and an EdM and EdD from Harvard University.

How are independent schools navigating the evolving philanthropic landscape? Review fundraising trends and their impact on independent schools. Gain practical insights on how boards can effectively contribute to fundraising efforts, from annual funds to capital campaigns, by building a meaningful culture of philanthropy. Learn best practices for leveraging three key fundraising tools as trustees: analyzing the giving landscape, fostering a culture of philanthropy, and preparing for and executing successful campaigns.
Recording available until: 6/30/26 | Original Presentation: 11/20/25
Recordings & resources are accessed through your Trustee Series Zoom Lobby

Meghan Davison

Meghan Davison serves as executive vice president at CCS Fundraising. With over 15 years of experience in nonprofit consultation and campaign management, she has advanced projects with aggregate fundraising targets exceeding $1 billion. Davison leverages her expertise of the philanthropic landscape to foster strategic partnerships with education institutions across the central U.S. and is passionate about leveraging innovation and analysis to drive tailored solutions. She specializes in strategic planning, major gift program management, data analytics, and campaign communication.

Bob Weston

Bob Weston serves as senior vice president and independent schools practice lead at CCS Fundraising, with three decades in the independent school sector. An educator, administrator, and advancement professional, Weston has directed transformative fundraising initiatives—from $5 million to over $100 million—and advised on strategic planning, endowment growth, and donor engagement. His expertise and understanding of independent school values have elevated philanthropic outcomes and advanced institutional missions nationwide.

For current & incoming board chairs only.
A facilitated conversation on the issues confronting board chairs. 
Board Chair Roundtables are not recorded.

Georgy Ann Peluchiwski

Georgy Ann Peluchiwski is a partner at Greenwich Leadership Partners with decades of experience in financial services, nonprofit board service, strategic planning, organization design, enterprise risk management, and independent school leadership. Within her 12-year tenure as a trustee at the Latin School of Chicago, she served as board chair, treasurer, and chair of the finance committee. Currently, she co-chairs Latin's Senior Advisory Council and serves on the boards of the Independent School Chairperson's Association and High Jump Chicago.

Stephanie Rogen

Stephanie Rogen, principal and founder of Greenwich Leadership Partners, is a consultant, coach, and facilitator to educational and nonprofit boards and leaders. Rogen works with nonprofits ranging from Columbia University to The White House Project and Northwell Health and is a guest lecturer at the UPenn Graduate School of Education. She is a trustee for College Unbound and has served on the boards of the HTH Graduate School of Education, Blair Academy, St. Luke's School, Year Up, and the Greenwich United Way.

This webinar explores the key trends reshaping the landscape of independent education—from economic shifts and demographic changes to evolving admissions strategies, philanthropy, workforce dynamics, and the head-board relationship. Designed specifically for trustees, this session will equip you with timely insights and practical knowledge to help your institution navigate change and lead with confidence.
Recording available until: 6/30/26 | Original Presentation: 1/22/26
Recordings & resources are accessed through your Trustee Series Zoom Lobby

Amada Torres

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 socioeconomic 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 Keys School, Tessa International School, and the Association of Independent School Admission Professionals.

Boards that deliberately and continuously succession plan are prepared and ready for transitions because they have a firm handle on the leadership capabilities needed for a thriving organization. However, we believe succession planning is perhaps the most underdeveloped muscle in school governance. Join us for a discussion of approaches and practices to everyday succession planning.
Recording available until: 6/30/26 | Original Presentation: 2/12/26
Recordings & resources are accessed through your Trustee Series Zoom Lobby

Georgy Ann Peluchiwski

Georgy Ann Peluchiwski is a partner at Greenwich Leadership Partners with decades of experience in financial services, nonprofit board service, strategic planning, organization design, enterprise risk management, and independent school leadership. Within her 12-year tenure as a trustee at the Latin School of Chicago, she served as board chair, treasurer, and chair of the finance committee. Currently, she co-chairs Latin's Senior Advisory Council and serves on the boards of the Independent School Chairperson's Association and High Jump Chicago.

Stephanie Rogen

Stephanie Rogen, principal and founder of Greenwich Leadership Partners, is a consultant, coach, and facilitator to educational and nonprofit boards and leaders. Rogen works with nonprofits ranging from Columbia University to The White House Project and Northwell Health and is a guest lecturer at the UPenn Graduate School of Education. She is a trustee for College Unbound and has served on the boards of the HTH Graduate School of Education, Blair Academy, St. Luke's School, Year Up, and the Greenwich United Way.

Drawing on industry research and real-world experiences, Mann will share insights from her work with independent schools nationwide on governance, leadership development, legal education, and risk and crisis management. From enrollment agreement pitfalls to leadership successes, this webinar provides a platform for exploring critical issues, sharing strategies, and fostering community learning to equip schools for the road ahead.
Recording available until: 6/30/26 | Original Presentation: 3/5/26
Recordings & resources are accessed through your Trustee Series Zoom Lobby

Megan Mann

Megan Mann launched Approach in 2024, drawing on over 17 years working in the legal, nonprofit and education sectors. Her work focuses on administrative and governance leadership levels as well as faculty professional development. Previously the general counsel and vice president of legal education and support at the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), she managed intricate legal, crisis, and risk management matters, providing valuable consultation and educational support to member schools. She is an independent school alum, parent, and trustee.

How can trustees and heads anticipate beginning a strategic plan—before the planning starts? This session is for the year(s) before strategic planning—as you assess your school's readiness for strategic work, wrangle with the complexities of timing, build shared understanding with your community, and frame the questions that will matter for the future. We'll consider five critical conversations to have before ever reaching out to prospective consultants—or deciding to go it alone.
 Recording will be available until: 6/30/26 | Original Presentation: 4/30/26
Recordings & resources are accessed through your Trustee Series Zoom Lobby

Greg Bamford

Greg Bamford is a co-founder and partner of Leadership+Design. Previously he was associate head of school for strategy and innovation at Charles Wright Academy and head of school at Watershed School. In addition, Bamford recently completed two terms on the board of his alma mater, The Overlake School. He brings a strategic lens to leadership development, innovation, and change management. Bamford has been a speaker at conferences, and his writing has appeared in publications such as Independent School, Net Assets, and The Yield.

For current & incoming board chairs only.
As board chair, you bring to the role unique background, skills, and experiences that you hope (fingers crossed!) will help you lead your board well. Sometimes, we find ourselves facing unexpected or unusual circumstances for which we may feel wholly unprepared. How can you, as chair, step back to recognize what your board needs from you during those times? And what can you do to equip yourself to meet those needs?
 Board Chair Roundtables are not recorded.

Lynn Wendell

Lynn Wendell has worked as a consultant for well over 150 independent schools and nonprofits. She served as a trustee at three independent schools and as board chair at San Francisco University High School. In addition, she is currently co-chair of the program committee and on the executive committee of Independent Schools Chairpersons Association (ISCA). She has served on nonprofit boards, board committees, and advisory councils.

Trustees are charged with driving strategic change. Yet any school's history will include successful change initiatives and others that failed to thrive. This session examines stages of change and levers leaders can apply when implementing strategic changes. We'll explore how to examine the environment and community readiness for change as well as the groundwork needed prior to getting started. Learn, as change unfolds, how to monitor successes and barriers. Even as the new status is accepted and established, how does that new status become the foundation for further growth?
 Recording will be available until: 6/30/26 
Recordings & resources are accessed through your Trustee Series Zoom Lobby

Antonio Viva

Antonio Viva is a partner at Leadership+Design. He is a seasoned educator, experience designer, strategic advisor, and nonprofit leader. He served as the head of school at Walnut Hill School for the Arts for 12 years. He also served as senior research and design associate for the Education Development Center, Inc. where he worked on national school design projects. Previously, he was the executive director of Artisans Asylum in Boston, MA, one of the oldest and largest makerspaces in the US. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Union College in English and Education respectively.

The ISACS Parent Series has become a hallmark ISACS program for independent schools, designed to strengthen partnerships with parents in support of essential school/home relationships. ISACS has created another exceptional series of six one-hour webinars for parents in all stages of their children's growth. We know you will find these new topics to be compelling and significantly important to your school and to parents and caregivers as they learn from leading experts in the fields of education, parenting, and child development. We hope your school's parents see this resource as one of the many benefits of belonging to your school community and that each session serves as a springboard to energizing conversations. Many educators also have participated!

We hope you will join other independent school parents for the six evening webinars led by a celebrated team of experts to help you support and guide your children in all areas of their development. We look forward to learning right along with you!

As school begins, we focus on giving students the right tools—planners, folders, schedules, and routines—to set them up for success. What if these tools aren’t the starting point? What if they depend on executive function skills that many students are still developing? We will shift from tools to the underlying skills students need to successfully “do school.” Gain a deeper understanding of executive function skills—such as working memory, time awareness, task initiation, and organization—and why challenges in these areas can make even the best systems fall apart. Explore how everyday school demands—getting out the door with materials, recording and completing homework, managing time across the day, and following through independently—require more than reminders and checklists. Learn strategies to help start the school year strong.

Content is particularly useful to those with children in grades 3-12. 

 Recording will be available until: 12/31/26
Recordings & resources are accessed through your Parent Series Zoom Lobby

Sarah Ward

Sarah Ward, M.S., CCC/SLP has over 30 years’ experience in the treatment of executive dysfunction. She is an international expert and presents seminars on the practical strategies she has developed with her Co-Director, Kristen Jacobsen. Their latest work, The Time Tracker Program—has received high acclaim for its innovative approach to shifting students from adult-managed to self-regulated time management. Ward has presented to over 2,000 public and private schools and organizations across the globe. In recognition of their international impact on executive function skills in education, Ward and Jacobsen were named one of the Top 10 Professional Development Providers for 2023 by Education Technology Insights Magazine.

A great predictor of future educational performance is the beliefs a student holds about the world. Beliefs change the math about what is possible and probable, whether it’s making a team or getting accepted to great school or thriving with ADHD. By changing the math, beliefs change our path. Parents can actively shape those beliefs in ways that measurably increase student resilience, happiness, and long-term success, and Achor will reveal the seven core beliefs that predict educational outcomes and well-being. Gain practical tools to help kids strengthen the most predictive core beliefs like “I am not alone,” “My behavior matters,” “I have something to give” and “I matter” and leave with six research-based strategies that can rewire how their children see themselves and their world. Learn how to improve your child’s emotional immune system, especially in the midst of social media and technology. Beliefs about ourselves, our children, our work and our world don’t just reflect reality. Beliefs bend our future reality. Same world. Different beliefs. Different outcomes. 

 Recording will be available until: 3/1/2027
Recordings & resources are accessed through your Parent Series Zoom Lobby

Shawn Achor

Shawn Achor became one of the world’s leading researchers on the connection between a positive brain and success. He has traveled to more than 50 countries studying how beliefs predict performance, resilience, and well-being. Achor is a New York Times bestselling author of multiple books, including The Happiness Advantage, which has sold more than one million copies worldwide. His research has been featured on the cover of Harvard Business Review, his TED Talk is among the most viewed of all time, and his PBS program has reached millions of viewers. Achor has worked with one-third of the Fortune 100, as well as the NFL, NASA, and the U.S. Marines at Camp Pendleton. He has been interviewed twice by Oprah Winfrey and is one of only two external speakers ever invited to address the president’s staff at Camp David.

Join the conversation about digital devices and how to create healthy relationships with technology. Fights over screen time may seem like an inevitable part of raising kids. What if it were possible to transform these conflicts into conversations and work on better screen habits with your children, instead of engaging in endless battles against them? Based on the approach used in her New York Times bestselling book, The Amazing Generation (co-authored with Anxious Generation author Jonathan Haidt), Price will provide strategies to help parents connect with the young people in their lives and develop better screen habits themselves. Inspire kids to delay their access to smartphones and social media, advocate for phone-free schools, rethink relationships with technology, and prioritize real-life friendships, skills, and experiences. She’ll tackle the thorny issue of kids, social media, smartphones, and the rising issue of artificial intelligence and chatbots. Learn to help our children (and ourselves!) create healthy relationships with technology and build lives full of real friendship, freedom, and fun. 

Content is particularly useful to those with children under 13. 

 Recording will be available until: 6/30/27
Recordings & resources are accessed through your Parent Series Zoom Lobby

Catherine Price

Catherine Price is a science journalist, speaker, New York Times bestselling author, and a leading voice in the national conversation about how people of all ages can create healthy relationships with technology and live meaningful, fun lives. Her books include How to Break Up With Your Phone, The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again, and The Amazing Generation: Your Guide to Fun and Freedom in a Screen-Filled World, a book for kids and teens co-authored with Jonathan Haidt. Her work has been featured in The Best American Science Writing, NPR, The New York Times, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Wall Street Journal, Popular Science, The Los Angeles Times, and TIME Magazine, among many others. She writes the popular Substack newsletter, "How to Feel Alive," and her TED talk on fun has been viewed more than eight million times. Price’s goal is to help people of all ages scroll less and live more. For more information visit catherineprice.com and catherineprice.substack.com.

Deepfake technology is no longer a future concern. Students are encountering AI-generated scams, manipulated media, and abuse through the apps, games, and platforms they use every day. Most parents know the term but aren’t sure what it means for their family or what to do about it. Walk through the deepfake landscape in plain language: what these tools can do, where children are most exposed, and what the new federal laws mean for families. Learn how to recognize warning signs that a child may be targeted, how to have age-appropriate conversations about online manipulation, and what steps to take if an incident occurs. Leave with a framework for ongoing conversations with your children, a clear response plan, and the confidence that comes from understanding what they’re dealing with. The single most protective thing a parent can do is make sure their child knows they can come to them without fear of judgment. 

Content is particularly useful to those with children grades 4-12. 

 Recording will be available until: 6/30/27
Recordings & resources are accessed through your Parent Series Zoom Lobby

Evan Harris

Evan Harris is a national expert on emerging AI risks in schools, with a focus on deepfake abuse and digital safety. He has advised the Office of the First Lady, the Department of Education, and the General Counsel of the National Association of Independent Schools where he co-authored their legal guide on deepfake sexual abuse. A former teacher and administrator with a decade of experience in independent schools, Harris holds a master’s in Private School Leadership from Teachers College and was a Technology Ethics Fellow at Stanford’s Human-Centered AI Institute. Most recently, he developed the first national deepfake safety course for students, earning media coverage from outlets like CNN and NPR.

What if the traits that make a child more sensitive to stress are the very same traits that allow them to flourish most powerfully in the right environment? Every child is born with a nervous system uniquely wired to experience the world. Some children feel everything deeply, process intensely, and require specific conditions to thrive. Others are more adaptable, flexible, seemingly unfazed. And most fall somewhere in between. Yet, too often, we parent toward an imagined “average child”—one that doesn’t exist. Drawing on research and science around temperament, Pressman offers a clarifying lens: the goal is not to toughen children up or shield them from all stress—but to understand which stress builds resilience, which requires support, and which demands protection. This session challenges two common but costly parenting extremes—dismissing children’s experiences on one end and overaccommodating on the other. Gain a practical, science-backed approach to raising children who feel seen, understood, and capable. Because when children are known for who they truly are, they stop trying to be someone else and start becoming, fully and confidently, themselves.

 Recording will be available until: 6/30/27
Recordings & resources are accessed through your Parent Series Zoom Lobby

Aliza Pressman

Aliza Pressman, PhD is a developmental psychologist with nearly two decades of experience working with families and the health care providers who care for them. She is the cofounding director of the Mount Sinai Parenting Center and is an associate clinical professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling book The 5 Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans, and the host of the award-winning podcast Raising Good Humans. Her newest book, The Orchid Code will be published in spring 2027.

Playing with fire and gasoline at nine years old, O’Leary created a massive explosion in his garage and was burned on 100% of his body. Given less than a 1% chance of survival, O’Leary is proof of the power of the human spirit. His unlikely recovery meant a journey of pain and loss that could have easily been insurmountable. Far from simply enduring tragedy, he became a luminous example of thriving through adversity. And surprisingly, this “survivor” story isn’t focused on O’Leary—rather, it is a celebration of heroes who intimately served him and his family. Every individual involved in this fire teaches us this truth: one person can make a profound difference in the lives of others. Using emotional storytelling and unexpected humor to highlight the powerful role parents and caregivers play in shaping resilience, perspective, and hope in their children; he reminds us of the impact of our daily attitudes, the power of gratitude, and what it looks like to model courage and compassion—reinforcing that even small, intentional moments of connection can leave a lasting imprint on the lives of our kids. Reawaken a sense of purpose—both in parenting and beyond—that what we do everyday matters. 

 Recording will be available until: 6/30/27
Recordings & resources are accessed through your Parent Series Zoom Lobby

John O'Leary

At age nine, John O’Leary survived a life-altering explosion that left him burned on 100% of his body and fighting for his life. Today, he shares that extraordinary journey as a bestselling author and sought-after speaker, inspiring audiences around the world to live with greater gratitude, courage, and purpose. His story continues to impact millions through his writing, podcast, and the film adaptation of his story, Soul on Fire, which was released in theaters in October 2025.