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; foster honest introspection; and practice the habits, mindsets, and skill sets of successful leaders.

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.  They'll also have an opportunity to work collaboratively on a real-world design challenge to help move the needle on equity in school leadership.

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;
  • Discuss and tackle real-world challenges related to equity in school leadership;
  • 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/Collaborative Problem-Solving
  • Getting and Giving Critical Feedback that Matters
  • Self-Reflection and Awareness
  • Leveraging the Strengths of Female Leadership
  • Mentorship and Sponsorship
  • Equity, 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:

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


The 2018 Team of Facilitators:

Carla Silver - Executive Director, Leadership+Design

Erin Cohn - Senior Partner, Leadership+Design

Tesha McCord Poe - Chief Advancement Officer, Castilleja School

Jennifer Bryan - Team Finch Consultants

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.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you plan to attend, please make travel arrangements so you can be present for the full program.  This is a hands-on, cohort-based experience, and we promise you won't want to miss any of it!

Schedule Overview
Day 1:
8:30-4:00pm
  • Welcomes, Orientation, Introductions
  • Setting Learning Goals
  • Defining Signature Leadership Presence
  • Collaboration and Group Dynamics
4:00-6:00pm Opening Reception

Day 2
8:30am-5:00pm 
  • Storytelling - Signature Presence Practice
  • Rapid Fire Speakers
  • Begin Design Challenge
  • Power, Status, and Influence

Day 3
8:30am-5:00pm 
  • Design Challenge, Part Two
  • Developing an Improv Mindset
  • Rapid Fire Speakers
  • Giving and Receiving Feedback
6:00pm Cohort Dinner in Providence

Day 4
8:30am-3:00pm
  • Group Presentations and Feedback
  • Collaboration and Group Dynamics
  • Action Planning
  • Closing Circle and Reflections

The fee for the conference is $1299.00 if registered before January 1; $1399.00 from January 1-May 1. Thereafter, registration will be $1499.  The fee covers all materials and supplies, as well as breakfast and lunch during the conference.  It also includes appetizers and drinks at our Monday reception, and dinner out as a cohort on Wednesday evening.

Lodging is not included in the registration fee.  We have partnered with Hotel Providence in downtown Providence to offer a group rate of $189 per night.  (Please note valet parking is an additional $28 per night.) To book a room, click here or call the hotel directly at 1-800-861-8990.  The block rate expires on May 24, 2018, so be sure to book your room before then.

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