Presenter Information

Jane McGonigal

- Futurist, Game Designer, Bestselling Author, 

and Director at the Institute for the Future

Jane McGonigal is a futurist, game designer, and bestselling author. As the Director of Game Research and Development at the Institute for the Future, her research focuses on how games are transforming the way we lead our real lives and how they can be used to anticipate hard-to-predict futures, ready ourselves for any future scenario, and increase our resilience and well-being. The games she designs, from world-renowned apps like SuperBetter to custom mini-games used in her interactive presentations, challenge players to tackle real-world problems such as their own symptoms of anxiety, depression, and chronic pain as well as larger societal issues including poverty, hunger, and climate change.

Her games have been used by organizations including the World Bank, the New York Public Library, the International Olympics Committee, and the American Heart Association. Combining decades of psychological and neurological research with extensive gaming expertise, Jane’s books bring to light the power that games have on us and the world at large.

Her newest book, Imaginable: How to See the Future Coming and Feel Ready for Anything – Even Things That Seem Impossible Today, teaches us how to train our brains to think the unthinkable and imagine the unimaginable using the same tools she used to predict the COVID-19 pandemic. SuperBetter: A Revolutionary Approach to Getting Stronger, Happier, Braver and More Resilient, which debuted at #7 on the New York Times Advice bestsellers list, explains how we can cultivate resilience in everyday life by bringing the same psychological strengths we naturally display when gaming to our real-world goals. In her bestselling first book, Reality Is Broken: How Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change The World, Jane reveals how we can use the lessons of game design to fix what is wrong with the real world and ultimately make humans happier.

Jane is a two-time winner of the Association of Professional Futurists’ Most Important Futures Work of the Year award and was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. She was named one of 50 people making the biggest impact in games by Game Developer Magazine and one of 20 most inspiring women in the world by O Magazine. She received her PhD in performance studies from University of California at Berkeley.

HR Workshop and Facilities Workshop Keynote Speaker

John Amussen, Director of Finance and Business Operations, Chaminade College Preparatory

John Amussen has been working at independent schools since 2015. He is the Vice President of Finance and Operations at Chaminade College Preparatory in Los Angeles. Previously, he was CFO/COO at Milken Community Schools. John received an A.B. in American Civilization from Brown University. He moved to Los Angeles to attend the Anderson School of Business at UCLA, and spent nearly two decades in the film industry, working for Columbia Pictures, Paramount Pictures, and 20th Century Fox. After leaving Fox in 2006, John consulted for a wide variety of clients on financial projects before focusing on the nonprofit sector. When not at work, John can be found driving his 11 year old twins to various destinations in the San Fernando Valley.

Stephanie Berger, President / Consultant,
Centered Insurance Solutions

Stephanie began her insurance career at one of California’s largest general agencies, helping build its middle market department. Since 2007, she has helped California employers find affordable, customized health care coverage while ensuring compliance with mandates and resources. An advocate for health care consumers, she engages with policymakers in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. Active in NABIP, she was California’s youngest elected president (2017-2018) and a founding member of its Women’s Leadership Summit. Now NABIP Secretary, she also leads the Elevate Foundation, supporting women entering the insurance industry.

Michael Blacher, Partner,
Liebert Cassidy Whitmore

Michael Blacher is a partner and Chair of the firm’s Private Education Practice Group. His practice is solely focused on representing California private schools. He brings passion and creativity to the practice of law and works collaboratively with clients to solve their most challenging and important issues. His approach is proactive and thoughtful. Michael works with schools on virtually every aspect of education law. He frequently advises boards on governance issues and administrators on employment and student matters.

Grace Chan, Partner,
Liebert Cassidy Whitmore

Grace specializes in education and employment law, risk management, and nonprofit governance, representing independent schools and nonprofits. She advises boards, school leaders, and HR professionals on mitigating risk and aligning operations with their mission. Her expertise includes employment agreements, policies, harassment claims, wage compliance, and employee discipline. She also counsels schools on student and parent issues, including enrollment, misconduct, privacy, and DEI considerations. Additionally, Grace provides guidance on nonprofit governance, fiduciary duties, conflicts of interest, and governance documents. She helps clients develop best practices while navigating complex legal landscapes.

Maria Chan, SVP, National Nonprofit & Institutional Banking, City National Bank

Maria Chan manages the West Region for City National’s National Nonprofit & Institutional Banking Group and serves on the Board of CN Financing, Inc. She leads City National’s Tax-Exempt lending initiatives and oversees nonprofit education and healthcare clients. With over 25 years of international banking experience, she previously worked at Wells Fargo and Citibank. Maria holds degrees from Northwestern and USC. An active community leader, she serves on the Board of Vista Community Clinic and volunteers for children’s organizations. She has earned numerous awards, including City National’s Top Relationship Manager and North County Philanthropy Council’s ‘Volunteer of the Year.’

Chad Christoff, Managing Director,
Stifel Public Finance

Chad Christoff is a Director in Stifel's Education & Nonprofit Finance practice. Mr. Christoff specializes in transactions for independent school borrowers across the country as well as private colleges and universities. He has spent more than 10 years at George K. Baum & Company (now Stifel) working with educational institutions to prepare for, evaluate, and execute tax-exempt debt financings.

Katie Convoy, Director of Advancement, St. Matthew's Parish School

Katie Convoy is the Director of Advancement at St. Matthew's Parish School in Pacific Palisades. With 15 years of independent school experience, Katie has extensive experience in capital and annual giving campaigns with over $100,000,000 raised in her tenure. In addition to all fundraising efforts at St. Matthew's Parish School, Katie manages and produces all publications, executive and emergency communications, and alumni relations. Prior to her time at St. Matthew's, Katie worked on the Advancement teams at Cate School in Carpinteria and The Buckley School in Sherman Oaks, she is also a graduate of Chaminade College Preparatory in West Hills.

Jane Davis, Associate Head of School for Finance & Operations ,The Archer School for Girls

Jane Davis is the Associate Head of School for Finance and Operations at The Archer School for Girls in Los Angeles. She has over 35 years experience working in various financial leadership roles in a variety of industries. She has been working in independent schools for the last 15 years. She has been a Cal-ISBOA board member for the last five years and currently chairs the Governance Committee. 

Heather DeBlanc, Partner,
Liebert Cassidy Whitmore

Heather DeBlanc is the Chair of the firm’s Business and Facilities Practice Group. She practices education, construction, business, contract and employment law (with an emphasis in benefits), representing both nonprofit and public entity clients. Heather has been practicing construction law for over 20 years, advising clients as to appropriate project delivery methods, contracting, the construction process, and construction disputes. Heather assists project owners in developing and negotiating design professional agreements and construction contract documents. She is adept at identifying and minimizing risk in construction contracts because of her familiarity with the construction process.

Rohan D'Souza, CEO, Avante

Sean Dwyer, Director of Human Resources and Risk Management, Polytechnic School

Sean Dwyer has been the Director of HR and Risk Management at Polytechnic School since 2015. Sean has many years of experience leading human resources teams in California in international manufacturing, warehousing, and novel chemical manufacturing. His expertise primarily focuses on process improvements, benefits strategies, recruiting, and coaching employees for performance improvement.

Matthew Gard, CPA, Partner, Audit, Armanino

Matt Gard is a partner at Armanino, serving clients in the firm’s Audit practice. He joined the firm in September 2006, and he works extensively with clients in the nonprofit, financial services, and manufacturing and distribution industries. Matt graduated from St. Mary’s College with a Bachelor of Science in accounting. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a member of both the American Institute of CPAs and the California Society of CPAs. He is also a member of the firm’s Technical Committee and Management Advisory Board.

Ann Grimmett, Chief Financial Officer, Saint Mark's School, Altadena

Ann Grimmett has been a part of the Saint Mark’s community for over 25 years, initially as a parent volunteer, and as Chief Financial Officer since 2004. Prior to Saint Mark’s, she worked in public accounting and commercial banking. After taking a brief sabbatical to be a mom, she was hired for a 3-month finance gig at Saint Mark’s and found her niche. Ann has a BBA in Accounting from Texas Tech University and an MBA from Harvard University. She currently serves on the CAIS Elementary Board of Standards. Outside of work, Ann enjoys running, hiking, and reading fiction.

Michelle Jones, Director of Human Resources, Branson High School

Michelle Jones is the Director of Human Resources at Branson, a 9-12 high school in Ross. Michelle, with over 25 years' experience in human resources, joined Branson in 2018. Her dedication to fostering positive workplace relationships is evident through her extensive professional background in both independent schools and corporate settings.

Jessie Lenhardt, PMP, Senior Manager,
Moss Adams

Jessie specializes in organizational development, including strategic and succession planning, process improvement, operational assessments, and compensation benchmarking. She identifies areas for improvement and implements solutions to enhance efficiency and innovation. Known for her collaborative and solution-oriented approach, she drives sustainable organizational improvements.

As a leader in the firm’s ESG Practice, Jessie provides strategic insights on ESG strategy, risk assessment, reporting, and governance. She supports organizations in integrating ESG into business practices. Jessie holds the IFRS Fundamentals of Sustainability (FSA) credential.

Jennifer Macias, Director of Finance & Operations, Sonoma Country Day School

Jared Mata, Director of Facilities, St. Andrew's Episcopal School

Sean McFarland, Facilities Manager, Sonoma Country Day School

Operations Manager Sean McFarland joined SCDS in 2014 after an extended stint as Chief Engineer of Madrona Manor in Healdsburg. After graduating from UC Berkeley in 1993, he caught a serious travel bug which led him to Portugal to write a guidebook on the country, then to Mexico and Central America where he ended up running the Green Tortoise Adventure Travel's Central American operations. After ten years of driving busses through the jungles of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama, he decided it was time to move to beautiful Sonoma County with his wife, who he had met on the bus.

He now enjoys a somewhat more predictable life and lives with his wife and son in Forestville. At SCDS he loves keeping the buildings and grounds running smoothly and looking beautiful as well as sharing a lifetime's worth of hands-on skills with the students.

Jerry Mullaney, CFOO, Head-Royce School

The majority of Jerry Mullaney's career has been in the for-profit world but a relocation to the SF Bay Area from Wisconsin almost 20 years ago provided an opportunity to make a career change to the non-profit sector. Jerry has served as CFO for several independent schools in the Bay Area, including Blue Oak School, Bentley School and Katherine Delmar Burke School, in addition to his current role as CFOO at Head-Royce, where he is finishing his 8th year of service. Jerry earned his undergraduate degree from Santa Clara University and completed his MBA at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, and he still holds a CPA license in the State of Wisconsin. Jerry lives in Danville with his wife Gita. They have two grown children, a son and a daughter.

Stacie Muñoz, Director of Educational Innovation & Technology Services, Oakwood School

Stacie Muñoz (she/her) is an educational technology leader with over a decade of experience in independent schools, having served as a Digital Learning Specialist at Garrison Forest School, Director of Educational Technology at Urban School in San Francisco, and currently as Director of Educational Innovation and Technology Services at Oakwood School. A frequent conference speaker on topics including media literacy, social media activism, and algorithmic bias, she is dedicated to promoting diversity and empowering women, particularly women of color, in independent school leadership. Holding a Bachelor's degree in Cinematic Arts Production from USC and a Master's in International and Multicultural Education from the University of San Francisco School of Education, Stacie combines her unique academic background to drive innovative approaches in educational technology.

Trevor Mutch, Director of Finance, St. Matthew's Parish School

Trevor Mutch currently serves as Director of Finance at St. Matthew’s Parish School and is an experienced educator. He spent over 10 years teaching Economics, Statistics, and Personal Finance at Loyola High School of Los Angeles as well as coached the boys soccer team. Before working in academia, he specialized in financial market analysis and securities litigation consulting as a Senior Economist. Trevor holds a JD/MBA from Santa Clara University and a BA in Economics and Government from Claremont McKenna College, where he was an All-American soccer player. Trevor resides in Manhattan Beach with his wife and son.

Angela Oliver, Director of Human Resources,
Sage Hill School

Angela Oliver is the founding Director of Human Resources at Sage Hill School and is in her 22nd year at Sage Hill. She started as the Controller in 2001 and moved into HR in 2007. She has served as a Board member of Cal-ISBOA and helped to launch the HR Symposium. She has presented on HR topics at both national and state conferences. Prior to being in HR, she worked at Windward School as their Business Manager. Angela enjoys watching sports of any kind and Hallmark movies!

Linda Rabitoy, Director of Finance,
Mayfield Junior School

Linda Rabitoy is the Director of Finance at Mayfield Junior School of the Holy Child Jesus. With over 20 years of experience in finance, she previously served as Chief Financial Officer at Claremont Lincoln University for nearly a decade and held key positions at Methodist Hospital of Southern California. Linda's expertise encompasses financial management, budgeting, and compliance, enabling her to drive fiscal responsibility and strategic planning within educational institutions.

Joe Rayburn, Director of Partner Development, Building Solutions

Joe Rayburn, Director of Partner Development at Building Solutions, is responsible for new sales and business development. He brings over 20 years of sales and business development experience in the A/E/C industry. Having come from a consultative background, he is well-versed in the many facets of delivering complex projects and effectively communicating those solutions to our clients. Joe has spoken to varying groups including PAISBOA, Cal-ISBOA, MISBO, TCSA, and NBOA.

Mary Beth Ricks, Head of School,
Bowman School

Mary Beth Ricks has been involved in both public and independent education for over 35 years as a teacher, division lead, Director of Curriculum, and Head of School. She has served the last 17 years as the Head of School at Bowman School in Palo Alto, Calif. and, in that time, has raised enrollment from 180 to 300 students, garnered accreditations from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), and the International Montessori Council (IMC), and brought innovative programs focused on experiential learning to the school. Bowman is a year-round, preK to 12th grade Montessori / IB program.

Demetrius Roberts, SVP, Head of Treasury Management, Poppy Bank

Mr. Roberts brings over 20 years of expertise in the financial industry, with a specialization in Treasury Management. Before joining Poppy Bank, he led the Treasury Service Department at a prominent institution. Mr. Roberts is dedicated to driving sustainable strategic growth and fostering long-lasting relationships with clients and service providers. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from California State University, Hayward, and is a graduate of the Pacific Coast Graduate School of Banking at the University of Washington. Additionally, he is a Certified Treasury Professional (CTP).

Vincent Shih, Client Accounting and Advisory Services ("CAAS") Nonprofit CFO, CLA

Vincent has more than 24 years of nonprofit experience. He supports a wide range of organizations as their fractional CFO, such as social service organizations and independent schools. More specifically, he had the opportunity to work for 12 years in school finance administration for independent and charter schools in the Greater Los Angeles Region. As part of his professional experience with schools, he oversaw the finance, accounting, budgeting and forecasting, payroll, and compliance reporting. In addition, he has collaborated closely with key operational areas, such as Human Resources, IT, and Facilities Departments. This unique experience has allowed Vincent to better understand organization's needs and to have key insights into an organization's business workflows and processes.

Julie L. Strom, Senior Counsel,
Liebert Cassidy Whitmore

Julie L. Strom, based in Liebert Cassidy Whitmore’s Los Angeles office, advises clients on education, employment, and labor law. She works closely with private schools on enrollment agreements, contracts, governance, investigations, tuition disputes, handbooks, discipline, mandated reporting, and terminations. Julie also conducts employment-related investigations for private, nonprofit, and public organizations. Additionally, she provides training on mandatory reporting, harassment, and employee evaluations.

Jessica Tam, Associate,
Liebert Cassidy Whitmore

Jessica Tam (Lee), an Associate at Liebert Cassidy Whitmore’s San Francisco office, advises independent schools, nonprofits, and school districts on education, labor, and employment law. She counsels clients on contracts, discipline, misconduct investigations, wage compliance, and employee accommodations. Jessica also advises nonprofits on governance and business matters, including contract negotiations. She provides training on professional boundaries, harassment prevention, and mandated reporting. Previously, she clerked for a Southern California school district, updating board policies. Jessica holds a B.A. from the University of the Pacific and a J.D. from UC Davis School of Law.

Mitchell Turnbow, Digital Growth Director, CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA)

Mitchell Turnbow is a dynamic technology and digital consulting professional based in Indianapolis, Indiana, with nearly 15 years of experience. Mitchell has a proven track record of successful partnerships with business owners and leadership teams, working with some of the largest and most innovative organizations globally to implement system and process improvements. He specializes in driving digital maturity within organizations. Mitchell understands the importance of fostering a collaborative environment that encourages sharing. With a deep understanding of various leading enterprise platforms, Mitchell stays up to date with the latest technologies and trends. He leverages this knowledge to develop customized solutions for clients in industries such as retail, manufacturing and Non-Profit.

Bryan Vencill, Partner - Audit & Attest, Armanino

Michael Viola, Director of Facilities and Grounds,
Carondelet High School

Michael Viola has been managing educational facilities for more than 25 years in both the secondary and higher education sectors. He joined Carondelet High School in 2022 and oversees campus facilities, capital planning, and campus security. Michael holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Counseling. Aside from his work in facilities management, he is known for his work building strong service-oriented teams. Michael also shares his skills offering personality workshops to improve overall understanding of others and their styles with students, faculty, and staff at Carondelet and beyond.

Brian P. Walter, Partner, Liebert Cassidy Whitmore

Brian Walter represents clients in all aspects of employment and labor law, including litigation, counseling on employment and labor relations matters, training and presentations, employee discipline matters, administrative hearings, and investigations. Brian has handled class actions and collective actions in federal and state courts and is Chair of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group. Brian has extensive experience handling FLSA issues and representing law enforcement agencies, including successfully defending employee discipline matters for sworn and civilian law enforcement personnel.

David Weil, CFO, Harvard-Westlake School

David has served as CFO at three independent schools in Los Angeles, coming up on his 20th year in the field. He has led design, entitlement, and financing efforts for construction projects totaling more than $250M, aligning stakeholder and programmatic interests, operational practicalities, and long-term financial sustainability. He has completed two tax-exempt bond offerings, the most recent having closed in November 2024 for $100M.

Julia Yzaguirre, CFO, Turning Point School

Julia Yzaguirre has spent nearly 30 years in independent schools, currently as the CFO at Turning Point School. Julia also served as the CFO at The Center for Early Education for four years and spent 17 years running Marlborough School's Business Office. She has consulted in various independent schools throughout Los Angeles and Orange Counties in Business Office structure, risk management assessment, and as interim CFO. A CPA by trade, Julia received her BA in Economics, with an emphasis in Accounting from UC Santa Barbara, and earned her CPA while working at Deloitte & Touche.