2026 DEIB Conference Logo

October 20 & 21, 2026
The Westin Waltham Hotel
70 3rd Ave, Waltham, MA

Come to AISNE’s annual event centered on equipping educators and school leaders with resources they need to create welcoming, inclusive schools for every child. This work runs across all aspects of a school’s operations—from student life to the business office, from academics to human resources. Bring all members of your school staff and faculty to this 2-day event and make intentional time to enrich your practice with new ideas and connections. You will come away with best practices for making your school a place of belonging for everyone in your community, and a renewed commitment for building learning environments for every student.

Pricing & Registration

Number of Attendees AISNE Member Schools Non-Member School
Early Bird*
(Through 8/31/26
$569/pp n/a
1 – 3 $669/pp $769
4 – 9 $609/pp $769
10+ $569 $769

 

*Early Bird rate may not be combined with group discounts, and is available to AISNE member schools only.

BIPOC Attendees | Bundle & Save!
Save 20% when you register for both the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging and AISNE’s 2026 BIPOC Symposium**. This bundle includes registration for both events!

Bundle & Save AISNE Member Schools Non-Member School
DEIB Conference + BIPOC Symposium Registration Bundle $999/pp $1199

 

**AISNE’s BIPOC Symposium is designed as a learning environment for independent school professionals who self-identify as people of color.

REGISTER HERE

We strive to create an inclusive learning environment for all. If you have any questions or accessibility needs, please contact us at info@aisne.org.

Hotel

We encourage you to stay on site to maximize the community feel of the event and fully experience the program. AISNE has a contracted room block with The Westin Waltham at a discounted rate of $299/nt +tax. Please book your reservation prior to Friday, September 18 using link below.

The Westin Waltham Reservations

 

Agenda at a Glance

Tuesday, October 20

  • 8:45 – 9:30 AM | Registration
  • 9:30 – 11:00 AM | Welcome & Opening Keynote with Dr. Marisa Franco
  • 11:15 AM – 12:30 PM | Topic Sessions 1
  • 12:30 – 1:30 PM | Lunch 
  • 12:30 – 1:30 PM | LGBTQIA+ Community Lunch
  • 1:45 – 3:00 PM | Topic Sessions 2
  • 3:15 – 4:15 PM | Practical Application of DEIB Principles in Your School
  • 4:30 – 5:30 PM | Happy Hour 

Wednesday, October 21

  • 7:30 – 8:30 AM | Breakfast & Community Gatherings
    • First Generation Community
    • Invisible Disabilities Community
    • Neurodivergent Community 
  • 8:30 – 9:00 AM | Day 2 Welcome + Spoken Word with Carlos Andrés Gómez
  • 9:15 – 11:15 AM | Deep Dive Sessions
  • 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Lunch
  • 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Lunch and Learn session with DEIB Practitioners and Heads of School
  • 12:30 – 1:45 PM | Closing Session & Farewell with Dr. Bertice Berry

 

General Sessions

Tuesday, October 20 | 9:45 AM – 11:00 AM
Dr. Marisa Franco | Worth and Belonging: How Identity, Attachment, and Personal Narratives Shape Leadership and School Culture
At the heart of every thriving community is a fundamental human need: to know that we matter, that we are valued, and that we belong. Yet belonging does not happen by accident. It is shaped by our relationships with ourselves, with others, and the environments we create for one another. Dr. Marisa Franco will draw from her groundbreaking research on belonging, self-worth, identity, and human connection—including insights from her books Worth and Platonic—to explore the psychological foundations that influence our own sense of self-worth and in turn, how we connect, lead, and build communities.

Through the lens of attachment theory and the science of belonging, Marisa will invite you to examine how our relationship with ourselves shapes the way we experience others. She will explore how feelings of worthiness, connection, and recognition influence relationships within schools—from classrooms and faculty teams to leadership practices and broader communities.

Dr. Marisa Franco works as a professor at The University of Maryland and authored the New York Times bestseller Platonic: How The Science of Attachment Can Help You Make—and Keep—Friends and the forthcoming Worth: The New Science of Self-Esteem and Attachment. She writes about relationships for Psychology Today and has been a featured connection expert for major publications like the New York Times, The Telegraph, and Vice. Marisa speaks on how to build relationships with yourself and others at corporations, government agencies, non-profits, and universities across the country, including Harper Collins Publishers, Cisco, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and The U.S. State Department.

Wednesday, October 21 | 12:30 – 1:45 PM
Dr. Bertice Berry | Belonging Is a Shared Responsibility: Choosing Hope, Courage, and Collective Action
In a time when many educators feel weary from the complexity of leading conversations about DEIB, Bertice Berry offers a timely and uplifting reminder: hope is not simply something we feel—it is something we choose to practice together.

Through her signature blend of storytelling, humor, wisdom, and insight, Bertice will challenge you to reimagine belonging not as the responsibility of a few, but as a collective commitment shared by everyone in a school community. Whether in the classroom, the admissions office, the business office, the dining hall, the boardroom, or the head’s office, each interaction shapes a culture where people experience either belonging or exclusion. Together, every adult plays a vital role in creating schools where students, families, and colleagues feel valued, connected, and able to thrive. You’ll leave considering what it means to remain courageous in difficult moments, to stay connected across differences, and to move from good intentions toward meaningful action. 

Bertice Berry, PhD, is an award-winning sociologist, author, lecturer, and ordained Episcopal minister. She is the co-founder of The Institute for Story, a partnership with Hospice Savannah in Savannah, Georgia. Dr. Berry has published 14 best-selling books in both fiction and non-fiction and has won numerous awards and accolades for both her writing and presentations. She has had her own nationally syndicated television show and made numerous television, documentary, and radio appearances including The Tonight Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Between the Lions, Crossfire, 20-20, NPR, PBS, Comedy Central and CNN. She is the co-host of the podcast, Doing Hopeful Things and is the writer of a soon to be announced musical produced by Tony Award-winners Jay and Cindy Gutterman.

 

Detailed Agenda 

Tuesday, October 20 

8:45 – 9:30 AM | Registration
After checking in, visit our exhibitors and conference bookshop.

9:30 – 11:00 AM | Welcome & Opening Keynote with Dr. Marisa Franco
See above.

11:15 AM – 12:30 PM | Topic Sessions 1
Sessions designed to gather practical takeaways and connect with colleagues along the way.

Cultivating Community and Belonging
Willie Adams headshot
Ivy Alphonse-Crean headshot
Presented by: Willie Adams, Assistant Director of Diversity Equity Inclusion & Belonging | The Park School (MA) and Ivy Alphonse-Crean, Assistant Head of School for Inclusive Teaching and Learning | Dedham Country Day School (MA) 
Learn how to audit your community partnerships through an equity lens. We will examine the history of independent schools and dive into what a school community is. We’ll discuss who is included and excluded in many school communities, and discuss how that extends beyond the enrolled families and into the many partnerships that are essential for schools to thrive. You will explore what makes a community partnership substantive, reciprocal, and just… rather than transactional. Together, we will review materials, engage in case studies, and ultimately use a shared framework to evaluate current initiatives. You will leave with tools to audit and evaluate school partnerships and expand your school’s community network.

“The Rainbow Dream Hair Salon”: Teaching Identity in Primary School
Jill Anthony headshot Lauren Cilley headshot Katie Knuppel headshot
Presented by: Jill Anthony,
Director of Equity and Inclusion, Lauren Cilley, Associate Director of the Early Learning Center, and Katie Knuppel, Head of Primary School | Fay School (MA)
Learn how Fay School has developed lessons for students as they navigate difference and curiosity using brain science and research surrounding early exposure to the language of identity, skin color, gender, hair texture, and ethnicity. This workshop introduces two teacher-developed projects: the Rainbow Dream Hair Salon, where the dramatic play area was transformed into a hair and nail salon; and a Second Grade identity project in which students created posters after interviewing family members about the origins of their names. Designed especially for early childhood and early elementary educators, this session will also be valuable for anyone interested in the science of “age-appropriate-ness” and how research can guide decisions about when and how to introduce conversations about identity. You will leave with practical strategies, classroom examples, and tools you can adapt for your own learning environments.

Anti-Racism & STEM: The Role of the Interdisciplinary Problem Set
Alla Baranovsky headshot Rachel Nagler headshot
Presented by: Dr. Alla Baranovsky,
Mathematic Department Head and Rachel Nagler, Director of Community, Equity, and Inclusion | Dana Hall School (MA)
Explore how STEM educators can intentionally cultivate inclusive, anti-racist classroom cultures through the use of interdisciplinary problem sets. We will examine misconceptions about neutrality in math and science—a common barrier to promoting DEIB practices in STEM classrooms—and consider how these disciplines can meaningfully engage with issues of equity and student identity. The session will highlight interdisciplinarity as a practical and flexible approach that deepens learning, promotes authentic engagement, and supports the transfer of skills without requiring major curricular overhauls. You will leave with concrete strategies for redesigning existing assessments into interdisciplinary problem sets that connect content to the real world, affirm student identities, and create space for multiple perspectives in the STEM classroom.

Designing Dialogue Spaces in the Age of Risk-Aversion
Yann Kumin headshot
Presented by: Melissa Lawlor, Director of Equity and Inclusion and Yann Kumin, Equity and Inclusion Program Manager | Milton Academy (MA)
In an age of risk-aversion, what keeps students and adults from vulnerable and authentic engagement with one another? We will discuss the barriers to meaningful dialogue and explore different types of dialogue spaces your school can intentionally design to help students build the capacity for authentic engagement. We will collaborate and reflect in small groups to brainstorm routines, structures, and strategies that help students develop the “muscle” for real conversation, and consider how schools might work together across communities to sustain this work.

Navigating the Evolving DEIB Landscape: Hot Topics for Independent Schools
Phillipa "Pippa" Gage Lilienthal headshot
Presented by: Pippa Gage Lilienthal,
Partner | Schwartz Hannum PC
We will discuss how executive orders and federal agency actions are reshaping the legal landscape for DEIB initiatives and other core school operations, including governance, employment practices, student policies, and institutional funding. After reviewing real-world scenarios, you will evaluate potential areas of exposure, address emerging risks tied to changing federal priorities, and gain actionable guidance on conducting internal risk assessments, maintaining compliance, and sustaining inclusive practices consistent with your school’s values.

Building Belonging in School Dining
Tony Maws headshot
Presented by: Tony Maws,
Director of Culinary Experience, Co-Coordinator of Sustainability | Belmont Hill School (MA)
Food is one of the few experiences every member of a school community shares, yet most schools view dining primarily through the lenses of operations, nutrition, or logistics. This session explores how food and hospitality can become powerful tools for fostering belonging, celebrating culture, building relationships, and strengthening community. Drawing on examples from independent schools across the country, you will examine practical ways to use food intentionally—from everyday meals to special events—to create more welcoming and inclusive school cultures. Learn how schools can align dining practices with institutional mission, values, and inclusion goals, and gain a framework for assessing the role food plays in creating welcoming and inclusive communities.

The Neuroscience of Cognitive Bias and Practice of Cultural Competency
Chandra Smith headshot Nick Zanussi headshot
Presented by: Chandra Smith,
Dean of Educational Innovation | Fay School (MA) and Nick Zanussi, Science Faculty | Walnut Hill School for the Arts (MA)
Discover how cognitive biases shape perception, decision-making, and relationships within school communities. Schools offer a unique context for this work, where educators serve not only as instructors but also as community stewards and daily role models in highly immersive living-learning ecosystems. This session centers on how we show up, examining how cognitive biases influence curriculum, programming, student belonging, and institutional culture. You’ll leave with tangible strategies for recognizing and interrupting bias in real time and tools to apply this understanding in the classroom, with colleagues, and in personal lives.

12:30 – 1:30 PM | Lunch & LGTBQA+ Community Lunch
While lunch is being served in the ballroom, we invite attendees who identify as LGBTQIA+ or share lived experiences within the LGBTQIA+ community to join us for a special community lunch. This gathering offers an opportunity to connect, share experiences, and engage with peers from other independent schools.

1:45 – 3:00 PM | Topic Sessions 2
Sessions designed to gather practical takeaways and connect with colleagues along the way.

Showing Up & Stepping Back: Skills for White Allies in Conversations about Race
Cali Almy headshot Marc Harrison headshot
Presented by: Cali Almy, Independent Consultant and Educator and Marc Harrison, Managing Partner | Partners for Equity, Access, & Community Engagement (PEACE Solutions LLC)
This session invites white educators and school leaders to explore how developing racial awareness, practicing humility, and making intentional choices about participation can strengthen their ability to contribute to more equitable and inclusive school communities. Through a facilitated conversation led by a person of color and a white person, we will examine common professional situations in which race and racial identity shape interactions, including DEIB-focused professional learning, affinity spaces, faculty and staff conversations, meetings addressing racial equity, and everyday interactions with colleagues and students of color. You will leave with practical tools for navigating conversations about race with greater self-awareness, humility, and purpose—and for contributing to school communities where colleagues can engage across differences with respect, trust, and a shared commitment to equity and belonging.

Pathways to Publishing: Expanding Representation, One Story at a Time
Ilduce Brandao-DaSilva headshot Valesay Collins headshot Jennifer DeLeon headshot Gwendolyn Wallace headshot
Presented by: Ilduce Brandao-DaSilva, Assistant Head of Lower Division | The Park School (MA), Valesay Collins, Author, Jennifer De Leon, Author, and Gwendolyn Wallace, Author
Join an esteemed group of educators and authors as they share their unique journeys to publication. They will talk about the opportunities, challenges, and turning points that led to their books being published, and share ways you can pursue your own writing projects. The panel will also explore the importance of increasing representation among authors of color and creating books that serve as both mirrors and windows for students. You will leave with a better understanding of the current publishing landscape, inspiration to pursue creative ideas, and practical ways to advocate for more diverse and representative books in your school.

Teaching in Urgent Times: Moving Students from Knowing to Doing
Aaliyah El-Amin headshot Scott Seider headshot
Presented by: Aaliyah El-Amin,
Lecturer in Education | Harvard Graduate School of Education and Scott Seider, Professor of Applied Developmental Psychology | Boston College Lynch School of Education and Human Development
Young people are coming of age amid mounting challenges to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. This includes questions about the value of equity and inclusion, deep political polarization, racial injustice, and profound uncertainty about the future. This workshop discusses how educators can move beyond “preparing students for the future” to partnering with them as everyday change agents and shapers of what comes next. Drawing on over a decade of research in schools, we will examine the role of critical motivation in moving students from resignation to possibility and to active disruptors of systemic injustices. You will leave with one specific, actionable change you can implement in your work with students.

Reimagining Masculinities & Gender
Carlos Andrés Gómez headshot
Presented by: Carlos Andrés Gómez
, Poet, Actor, and Author
We will examine the ways in which we have been socialized to think about masculinities and gender. More specifically: What values and assumptions have we internalized about what it means to be a man? And how do those ideas impact how we think about ourselves, navigate the world, and interact with others? This session will ask you to examine the effect of friends, family, culture, technology, and media on behavior and ways of thinking, as it relates to gender. Together, we will identify concrete strategies to counteract unconscious gender bias, sexism, and transphobia.

Creating a Gender-Affirming Closet: A Practical Model for Belonging and Dignity
Ashley Hazelwood-Cameron headshot
Presented by: Dr. Ashley Hazelwood-Cameron,
Director of Community & Belonging | Walnut Hill School for the Arts (MA)
In this session, learn how Walnut Hill School for the Arts developed its gender-affirming closet as a practical, student-led and student-centered initiative designed to support transgender, nonbinary, gender-expansive, questioning, and all students needing access to affirming clothing, accessories, and personal care items. We will cover moving from idea to implementation, touching on confidentiality, access, donations, inventory, communication, adult support, and sustainability. You will learn how to anticipate common questions or concerns from school communities and respond with clarity, care, and mission alignment—and how to create a similar program in your own school.

Inclusive Management: Strengthening Retention Across Differences
Jenny Lun-lei Kravitz headshot
Presented by: Jenny Jun-lei Kravitz, Owner and Lead Facilitator | Equity Inclusion Specialists
Retaining talented employees requires more than recognition programs and community-building events. Employees are more likely to stay when they experience effective management, meaningful work, opportunities to grow, and a genuine sense of belonging. Come learn how management practices can shape employees’ experiences of belonging, recognition, voice, access, and support—and how those experiences may differ across identities. Drawing on Google’s Project Oxygen research on effective managers and Peter Cappelli’s work on job satisfaction, we will explore the connection between management, engagement, and retention. We will also discuss employee and exit-interview feedback as tools for identifying patterns and opportunities to strengthen retention. You’ll be encouraged to apply an equity lens to real-world scenarios involving employees with marginalized and underrepresented identities. 

Identity-Conscious Practices in Early Childhood and Elementary Communities

Presented by: Dr. Liza Talusan,
Founder | LT Coaching and Consulting
Join fellow AISNE colleagues to discuss the opportunities, challenges, and strengths of leading and learning through an identity-conscious lens in Early Childhood and Elementary communities. This group will discuss age-specific strategies and initiatives to support this work of curiosity, collaboration, critical thinking, compassion, and community building!
Panelists (from left to right):
Anif MacDonald headshotClarissa Robyn headshotElyse Seltzer headshot
Anif McDonald,
Director of Community and Belonging | Derby Academy (MA)
Clarissa Robyn,
Early Childhood Principal | Jackson Walnut Park School (MA)
Elyse Seltzer, Library Director | Brimmer and May School (MA)

3:15 – 4:15 PM | Practical Application of DEIB Principles in Your School
Come together to round out our day by asking a key question: How can we take what we learn at this conference and apply it to our work back at school? Facilitators will be on hand to lead discussions and help us share our knowledge, creativity, and learning reflections. This time will be structured in group conversations where we can identify the ideas, insights, and strategies that resonated most throughout the conference day and consider how they can be applied in our day to day work. 

4:30 – 5:30 PM | Happy Hour
End our first day together enjoying drinks and light snacks, courtesy of our event sponsors.

 

Wednesday, October 21

7:30 – 8:30 AM | Breakfast & Community Gatherings
While our main breakfast is being served in the ballroom, we invite attendees who self-identify as neurodivergent, first generation, or holding an invisible disability to attend one of a trio of special breakout breakfasts: disability community, first generation community, neurodivergent community to engage with peers from other independent schools.

8:30– 9:00 AM | Beginning with Wonder, Courage, and Belonging: A Spoken Word Performance with Carlos Andrés Gómez
Join celebrated poet, actor, and educator Carlos Andrés Gómez for our Day 2 kickoff. Carlos will offer a spoken word performance that encourages us to approach the day with renewed curiosity, openness, and hope. Carlos will remind us that belonging begins with recognizing the inherent worth in every person and believing in the extraordinary possibilities that emerge when we lead with compassion, courage, and connection. Carlos’ honors include the Sandy Crimmins National Prize for Poetry, the Felix Pollak Prize, Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award, Atlanta Review International Poetry Prize, North American Book Award Gold Medal, and the International Book Award for Poetry. He is the author of the books Fractures, Hijito, Circling Fatherhood, Patrilineation, and the memoir Man Up: Reimagining Modern Manhood. Carlos is also a star of HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, TV One’s Verses and Flow, and Spike Lee’s film Inside Man.

9:15 – 11:15 AM | Deep Dive Sessions

Finding Empathy Through Our Differences
Atia Abawi headshot

Presented by: Atia Abawi, Author & Journalist, District Bear Media
Students and educators are navigating an increasingly fractured world where divisive messages, cultural misunderstandings, and miscommunication can erode trust and belonging. In this session, we’ll illustrate how “seeing humanity on all sides” becomes a powerful and practical communication tool. Through compelling stories from conflict zones and global reporting, you will see how empathetic listening can interrupt harmful narratives, reduce bias, prevent misinterpretation, and strengthen connection. You will learn strategies to cultivate understanding, navigate complexity, and foster more inclusive cultures within their own communities.

Leading Through Resistance Without Losing Yourself
Dr. Bertice Berry
Presented by: Bertice Berry, PhD
This session is designed for senior school leaders, including Heads & Assistant Heads of School, DEIB Directors, CFO/COOs other C-suite leaders.

Leading for belonging has never been more complex. Educators are navigating polarization, uncertainty, changing expectations, and increasing pressure while trying to remain grounded in their values. This interactive workshop explores what it means to lead with courage when conversations become difficult and the path forward feels unclear. Dr. Berry will help school leaders examine how fear, conflict, and discomfort influence decision-making while offering practical strategies for remaining curious, connected, and effective during challenging moments. We will explore how courageous leadership creates conditions where trust, learning, and belonging can flourish. You will gain greater confidence leading difficult conversations, learn strategies for responding rather than reacting, and a personal framework for sustaining yourself during challenging times.

Embracing Neurodiversity: A Focus on Executive Function
Brandon Boston headshot Tanya Lynch headshot
Presenter by: Brandon Boston & Tanya Lynch, Co-Founders | The Boston Group
Today’s classrooms hold remarkable variety in how students think, learn, and show what they know. This workshop centers on executive function—the planning, focus, organization, and follow-through skills that determine whether a student can act on what they know. You will engage in hands-on simulations, guided reflection, and small-group discussion, to step inside the daily experience of students who struggle with executive function challenges. You will leave with renewed empathy, as well as strategies, tools, and a concrete plan you can use in class the very next morning.

Slowing Down the Conversation When Discussing Wedge Issues: A Skills Practice
Imani Chapman headshot
Presented by: Imani Chapman, President & Founder | Imani Strategies
Have you ever been part of a conversation about a political wedge issue—racism, transphobia, Israel/Palestine—that ran off the tracks before it even got started? You are not alone. Come to this session to learn how to slow down the conversation. This tactic is hard-won when emotions are high and circumstances charged. You will be introduced to myriad tactics to help pace heated conversations, and work through complex and layered scenarios to practice those tactics. You will also be introduced to an open source technology called Vent Diagrams to explore how to move past the binary where complexity may better align interests and illuminate differences. You will come away with strategies for building broad coalitions across differences, and making necessary change.

Advancing Equity and Inclusion Across School Operations
Jen Cort Amber Stockham

Presented by: Jen Cort, School Consultant, and Amber Stockham, Senior Director of HR Programs | NBOA
Equity and inclusion are central to a healthy educational environment, yet operational departments—such as finance, admissions, advancement, and facilities—often lag behind in integrating inclusive practices because the roadmap is less defined. This session explores how school operations shape community comfort and belonging, and offers strategies to evaluate and improve inclusivity across these non-instructional areas. Jen Cort and Amber Stockham, co-designers of NBOA’s Equity and Inclusion Inventory, will guide you through assessing their current operational practices and implementing solutions that foster a more welcoming environment for all community members.

Writing as a Ritual of Reclamation
Carlos Andrés Gómez headshot
Presented by:
Carlos Andrés Gómez | Poet, Author, and Actor
This generative writing workshop explores how reclaiming language can affirm authentic identities and stories while dismantling narratives rooted in structural oppression and shame. We will engage in close readings of poems by Aimee Nezhukumatathil and Elizabeth Acevedo, then be guided through a structured prompt to create your own poem of reclamation. This is an active writing session, with ample time dedicated to the most renewable energy source—human creativity. Through writing, reflection, and the power of our own voices, you will have an opportunity to explore the stories we inherit, the narratives we carry, and the language we use to make meaning of our experiences. No prior writing or poetry experience is necessary—just curiosity, openness, and a willingness to put pen to paper.

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Lunch & Session for DEIB Practitioners & Heads of School
While our main lunch is being served in the ballroom, we invite full-time DEIB Practitioners (e.g. Directors of DEIB) and Heads of School to a dedicated lunch & learn session where school leaders can synthesize their learning into actionable plans to take back to their schools.

12:30 – 1:45 PM | Closing Keynote & Farewell: Bertice Berry
See above.

 

Join Your Peers

New England’s diverse and vibrant independent school community has shown an ongoing commitment to progressing equity in education. Join your peers from the following schools:

  • Bancroft School (MA)
  • Beacon Academy (MA)
  • Belmont Hill School (MA)
  • Berwick Academy (ME)
  • Brooks School (MA)
  • Brookwood School (MA)
  • Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School (MA)
  • Dana Hall School (MA)
  • Derby Academy (MA)
  • Eagle Hill School (MA)
  • Fay School (MA)
  • The Gordon School (RI)
  • Heronfield Academy (NH)
  • Kingsley Montessori School (MA)
  • Lincoln School (RI)
  • Noble and Greenough School (MA)
  • Northfield Mount Hermon School (MA)
  • The Park School (MA)
  • The Putney School (VT)
  • Shady Hill School (MA)
  • Touchstone Community School (MA)
  • Walnut Hill School for the Arts (MA)

Our Planning Committee

Thank you to the following diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging leaders for generously volunteering their time and experience to help to shape our program and bring our conference to life.

Caleb Collins headshotLaniesha Gray headshotJames Greenwood headshot

Cendhi Arias headshotKenneth Rogers headshotChandra Smith headshotTalya Sokoll headshot

Pictured from left to right:

  • Michael Buensuceso, Assistant Head of School for People and Culture | Berwick Academy (ME)
  • Caleb Collins, Director of Community and Diversity | Belmont Hill School (MA)
  • Laniesha Gray, Director of Equity & Inclusion | Shady Hill School (MA)
  • James Greenwood, Dean of Equity & Social Justice | Northfield Mount Hermon School (MA)
  • Cendhi Arias Henry, Early Childhood Director | The Gordon School (RI)
  • Kenneth Rogers, Assistant Head of School for Curriculum and Instruction | The Park School (MA)
  • Chandra Smith, Dean of Educational Innovation | Fay School (MA)
  • Talya Sokoll, Co-Director of the Putnam Library | Noble and Greenough School (MA)

 


Cancellation Policy

Cancellations and transfer requests must be sent via email to info@aisne.org. Cancellations received up to 14 days before the start of the event will receive a 100% refund, less a $150 administrative fee. This fee covers the cost of our minimum commitments with our hotel partners; thank you for your understanding. Transfers of registrations from one person to another are permitted up to 3 business days before the start of the event.

Note: During the Early Bird discount period (through August 31, 2026) you may purchase tickets without registering an attendee. You will be asked to name the attendees at a later date. These unnamed tickets are non-refundable.


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