Schedule & Session DescriptionsAnnual Meeting & Conference 2025 Sunday, May 4 & Monday, May 5 2025 Claremont Resort & Club, Berkeley, CA Our conference planning group has designed an outstanding program! Plan your time during the workshops and conference using the descriptions below. |
Schedule and Session Descriptions |
Pre Conference Events Sunday, May 4, 2025 |
6:30am - 7:15am Sunrise Hike - Claremont Hotel lobby Join us for a leisurely paced sunrise hike to explore the natural surroundings and gorgeous views of the Bay Area, led by Claremont's Somatics Trainers. Sponsored by our Platinum Sponsor, IMA Financial
4:30pm - 5:30pm Group Activity: Private Historical Walking Tour - Claremont Lobby - SOLD OUT! The Claremont concierge team will guide you on a Historical walking tour where you'll hear some of their favorite stories from the past, and some interesting tales along the way. Sponsored by our Platinum Sponsor, IMA Financial
Welcome Reception & Annual Meeting Kick-Off Dinner - Garden Room |
2025 Annual Meeting & Conference Monday, May 5, 2025
6:30am - 7:15am
Sunrise Hike - Claremont Hotel lobby
Join us for a leisurely paced sunrise hike to explore the natural surroundings and gorgeous views of the Bay Area, led by Claremont's Somatics Trainers.
Sponsored by our Platinum Sponsor, IMA Financial
7:30am – 8:30am
Registration - Empire Foyer
Breakfast - Claremont Ballroom
8:30am – 8:45am
Welcome and Introductions - Empire Ballroom
8:45am – 10:15am
General Session Keynote - Empire Ballroom
Urgent Optimism
Jane McGonigal, Director of Game Research and Development at the Institute for the Future
How often do you think about the future? Is what you imagine sunny or quite bleak? Or perhaps just a blank space, a void? Futurist and game designer Jane McGonigal wants you to think about the future with intention and become resilient in the face of uncertainty through urgent optimism. Urgent optimism is not a fixed personality trait that only the lucky are born with. It is a mindset that can be built in even the world’s most anxious pessimists with practice and the proper tools. In this high-energy, interactive talk, Jane will introduce you to the concepts of mental flexibility, realistic hope, and future power so that you can “unstick” your mind, find balance in the ups and downs, and discover the agency you have to make change. Through science-backed games designed by McGonigal herself, you’ll be asked to think about what could be different in the future and assess whether you are prepared for it. You’ll learn fascinating insights on why our brains have such a hard time anticipating certain kinds of futures and the neuroscience behind removing those mental blocks in order to think the unthinkable and imagine the unimaginable so you can be ready for the next great disruption.
10:15am - 10:45am
Break - Empire Foyer
10:45am – 12:00pm
Session Option 1 - Empire Ballroom
ListServ Live!
Natalie Morales, Director of Finance, Chandler School
Why reinvent the wheel when you can learn from others? This interactive session is your opportunity to ask burning questions, share challenges, and hear real-time solutions from fellow school colleagues. Just like posting on a Listserv—but live and dynamic! Key Takeaways:
- Gain insights from peers who have tackled similar financial and operational challenges.
- Exchange best practices and creative solutions to common issues in independent schools.
- Expand your network and build valuable connections for ongoing collaboration.
Come ready with questions, ideas, and an open mind. Whether you’re troubleshooting a financial, operational, or HR hurdle, navigating new regulations, or refining processes, this session will provide practical, real-world takeaways to bring back to your school.
Session Option 2 - Claremont Ballroom
Impactful Budgeting and Dashboard Strategies for Schools
Jessie Lenhardt, PMP, Senior Manager, Moss Adams and Linda Rabitoy, Director of Finance, Mayfield Junior School
This session will explore the critical components of effective budgeting and the use of financial dashboards to enhance financial oversight and decision-making. Attendees will learn how to create robust budgets, monitor financial performance, and leverage dashboards to visualize key financial metrics. The session will provide practical strategies and tools that can be implemented immediately to improve financial management in schools.
Participants will be able to:
- Identify key elements of an effective budgeting process.
- Recognize the benefits of using financial dashboards for real-time financial monitoring.
- Discuss best practices for integrating budgeting and dashboard tools into their financial management processes.
Session Option 3 - Skyline A
Navigating the Aftermath of a Disaster – Lessons Learned and Future Preparedness
Moderated Panel of school Business Officers directly impacted by the LA Wildfires
In the wake of a disaster, schools face immense challenges in rebuilding and recovery. This session will explore key takeaways from those who have navigated these difficult situations, providing valuable insights on what proved essential, what was helpful to know in advance, and what should be considered for future preparedness. We will consult with a panel of school professionals to discuss the direct and indirect consequences of disasters and how we can prepare our schools by creating robust emergency plans which encompass the physical as well as financial consequences of these events.
12:00pm - 12:15pm Break
12:15pm - 1:30pm 2025 Cal-ISBOA Annual Meeting and Lunch - Claremont Ballroom (buffet) and Empire Ballroom Annual Members Meeting Business Agenda 1. Welcome/Call to Order 2. Annual Executive Director's Report 3. Announce 2025 Election Results 4. Recognize Outgoing Board Members 5. Present Martha Ambros Community Impact Award 7. Adjourn
1:30pm - 2:00pm Break: Networking & Sponsor Showcase - Claremont Ballroom
2:00pm - 3:15pm Session Option 1 - Empire Ballroom AI in Education: A Guide for Business Officers Stacie Muñoz, Director of Educational Innovation & Technology Services, Oakwood School, Mitchell Turnbow, Digital Growth Director, and Vincent Shih, Client Accounting and Advisory Services, Nonprofit CFO at CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA) Join us for a comprehensive workshop designed specifically for independent school business officers navigating the AI landscape. This hands-on session will build your foundational understanding of artificial intelligence, exploring essential concepts like machine learning, data privacy considerations, and algorithmic bias that directly impact educational institutions. You'll gain practical experience with AI productivity tools that can streamline administrative tasks and operational workflows. Additionally, we'll explore the benefits of risk-assessment partnerships with leading vendors. Leave equipped with both the knowledge to make informed decisions about AI adoption and practical tools to enhance your daily operations. Session Option 2 - Claremont Ballroom Top 10 Financial Mistakes and Control Deficiencies: Prevention and Solutions Bryan Vencill, Partner • Audit & Attest, Armanino, and Matthew Gard, Partner, Audit, Armanino In this session, we will explore the most common financial reporting mistakes and control deficiencies faced by private schools. Attendees will gain insights into identifying, preventing, and correcting these errors to enhance their financial health and operational efficiency. With real-world examples and practical advice, this session is a must for any school looking to strengthen its financial practices. Session Option 3 - Skyline A The ABCs of Boards Leading Schools to Success Mary Beth Ricks, Head of School, Bowman School Participants will gain insight into the best practices for non-profit boards, practical plans to execute strategies, and the roles and responsibilities of the Board, the Head, and other administrative staff.
3:15pm - 3:30pm Break
3:30pm - 4:45pm Session Option 1 - Empire Ballroom Emerging Legal Issues for California Independent Schools Michael Blacher, Partner, Liebert Cassidy Whitmore and Grace Chan, Partner, Liebert Cassidy Whitmore Staying current with evolving laws and best practices is essential but can be daunting for school leaders. This interactive session is designed to equip independent school administrators with a clear understanding of the latest legal trends, new cases, statutes, and emerging developments both in California and nationwide. Tailored for California independent school leaders, this presentation will provide actionable insights to help you anticipate legal challenges, manage risks, and confidently address evolving issues.
Attendees will learn to identify current and emerging legal issues affecting independent schools. They will gain the ability to identify legal developments, assess their potential impact on school operations, and apply these insights to make informed decisions in response to them. Session Option 2 - Claremont Ballroom Financing Developments: Schools Large and Small Navigate a New Market Chad Christoff, Managing Director, Stifel, Julia Yzaguirre, CFO, Turning Point School, and David Weil, CFO, Harvard-Westlake School This session assists CFOs to better understand current market conditions and strategies used by independent schools to navigate tax-exempt financing for refinancing existing debt and/or new capital projects. Hear from two CFOs at distinctly different schools and get a better sense for the process, cost, risks, and tradeoffs of public market financing (and the credit rating process). The session's co-presenters will share direct, recent experience from two unique perspectives: one of the strongest schools in the country and a more humble school in the early stages of rebounding from a COVID-era enrollment downturn. Session Option 3 - Skyline A Take it to the Bank: Elements to Evaluate when Choosing a Bank John Amussen, VP, Finance & Operations, Chaminade College Preparatory, Maria Chan, SVP, National Nonprofit & Institutional Banking, City National Bank, and Demetrius Roberts, SVP, Head of Treasury Management, Poppy Bank. This session will provide attendees with critical areas of service to evaluate when choosing a bank, or deciding whether to change banks. These include level of service, security, user online interface, cash management, debt service, and even endowment management. At the end of the session, attendees should be able to identify critical areas of service to compare to help them choose their banking partner.
4:45pm - 6:00pm
Closing Reception - Lobby Lounge |
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| Cal-ISBOA is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities. |
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