Registration opens November 1, 2017.  
Join  Leadership+Design for an experiential learning adventure for fearless women leaders. This is not your typical conference for women leading in schools. This is an opportunity for bold and daring women to come together for four days to build their leadership capacity, to foster honest introspection, and to practice the habits, mindsets, and skill sets of successful leaders.

In Summer 2018 will will offer Wonder Women! Stay tuned for dates and locations.  Registration will open November 1, 2017.  , Through spirited conversation and active participation in an experiential learning laboratory, participants will have the unique opportunity to deepen their understanding of their own signature leadership presence and how they can lead with their authentic voice and style.

Expect to be challenged.  Expect to be pushed.  Expect to step out of your comfort zone.

Goals+Topics


Participants will:

  • Leave with a deepened and renewed sense of confidence and self awareness;
  • Uncover and refine their signature leadership presence and “ideal way of being” a leader;
  • Connect anew with like-minded women leaders and enhance their network of female peers;
  • Acquire a tool kit of resources and scripts for challenges they might face in their work;
  • Practice the habits, mindsets, and skill sets of successful leaders in a laboratory environment.

This conference is  full of rich conversation.  More importantly, however, this conference is designed to allow participants to have a highly experiential opportunity to dig into some of the following topics:

  • Defining and Practicing a Signature Leadership Presence
  • Risk Taking and Vulnerability in Leadership
  • Managing Perfectionism
  • Design Thinking/Entrepreneurship
  • Getting and Giving Critical Feedback that Matters
  • Self-Reflection and Awareness
  • Leveraging the Strengths of Female Leadership
  • Mentorship and Sponsorship
  • Taking up Power, Authority and Ambition
  • Body Language and Dress
  • Designing an Intentional and Decisive Career Path

Wonder Women Who Should Attend

This workshop is designed for women who identify themselves as leading or aspiring to lead in their school communities in any capacity and want to develop their ability to perform as authentic, creative, capable, and effective leaders.

We encourage women leaders at all points in their careers and serving in many different roles to attend this conference including:

  • Division Directors and Deans
  • Admission and Development Professionals
  • Heads and Assistant Heads of School
  • Department Chairs
  • Program Directors
  • Classroom teachers who are interested in seeking administrative or other leadership roles




The 2017 Team of Facilitators:

Erin Cohn, PhD - Senior Partner, Leadership+Design

Tesha McCord Poe - Chief Advancement Officer, Castilleja School

Jennifer Bryan, PhD - Team Finch Consultants

Crystal Land - Head of School, Head Royce School

Brenda Leaks - Head of School, Seattle Girls' School

The Experience


No experience is ever the same twice, but this overview provides a general framework for the 2018 program.


Schedule Overview
Day 1:

9:00-4:00pm Welcomes, Orientation, Introductions, and Defining Signature Leadership Presence

4:00-6:00pm Opening Reception

Day 2

9:00am-5:00pm A Deep Dive into the challenges and opportunities of women's leadership

5:00pm-7:00pm Prepare for simulation

7:00pm Dinner

Day 3

9:00am-5:00pm A day-long simulation and laboratory experience

6:00pm Dinner

Day 4

9:00am-3:00pm Unpacking the simulation experience, crafting a plan for your year ahead, final reflections and goodbyes.

The fee for the conference is $999.00 if registered before January 1, $1299.00 thereafter.  The fee covers all materials and supplies and meals during the conference. Lodging is not included in the registration fee.

Scholarships are available. Contact carla@leadershipanddesign.org to request information.

 Cancellation Policy:

L+D  reserves the right to cancel this seminar if there is insufficient enrollment. In this unlikely event, participants will be notified well in advance of the institute and given a full refund. L+D, however, cannot be responsible for any financial obligation incurred by participants because of travel cancellations.

Refund Policy:

When requested in writing, L+D will refund registration fees as follows: 75% of registration fee when requested 45 days or more from first day of institute; 50% of registration fee when requested 31–44 days from first day of institute; no refund within 30 days of the first day of institute.
​