Anti-Bias Symposium

In any year it’s important to take a consistent, strategic approach to your admission process. This year it’s even more important to take a hard look at your procedures, school goals, and biases to ensure a more equitable experience.

The Anti-Bias Symposium invites attendees for an in-depth look at how we can work to make our application process more equitable. By embracing our understanding of and appreciation for the biases all around us, considering our current admission practices, and learning about tangible, actionable strategies we can create more equity in the admission process.

Included Sessions

Featured Keynote - Dr. Rodney Glasgow

Panel Discussion: Anti-Bias Training for the Admission Committee

  • Rohan Arjun, Director of Admission, George School (PA) - Moderator
  • Renee Chung, Associate Director of Admissions & Financial Aid & Dean of Parent & Student Inclusion and Belonging, The Spence School (NY)
  • Christopher Dennis, Owner/Principal Consultant, The Campus Culture Group (CA)
  • John Gentile, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, The Calhoun School (NY)
  • Yocelin Gonzalez, Interim Director of Multicultural Affairs, Meadowbrook School of Weston (MA)
  • Lisa Shambaugh, Director of Enrollment Management, St. Andrew's Episcopal School, Potomac (MD)
  • Donnie Smith, Director of Admission, Redwood Day School (CA)

Whose Business Is It Anyway?

Eight strategies for implementation today, Jen Cort, Educational Consultant (MD) 

Ride to Independent School Report Findings 2.0

Jinghua Liu, Chief Testing & Research Officer, EMA and Hans Mundahl, Director of Professional Development, EMA

Unpacking the Panel Discussion Part 1
Take a deep dive into the initiatives and structures your office implemented in the pandemic to create an equitable process that you will keep post-pandemic, Rohan Arjun, Director of Admission, George School (PA), Renee Chung, Associate Director of Admissions & Financial Aid & Dean of Parent & Student Inclusion and Belonging, The Spence School (NY) & Yocelin Gonzalez, Interim Director of Multicultural Affairs, Meadowbrook School of Weston (MA)

Unpacking the Panel Discussion Part 2
Exploring the tangible next steps that admission offices can take to create an anti-bias admission process, Christopher Dennis, Owner/Principal Consultant, The Campus Culture Group (CA), John Gentile, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, The Calhoun School (NY), Lisa Shambaugh, Director of Enrollment Management, St. Andrew's Episcopal School, Potomac (MD), & Donnie Smith, Director of Admission, Redwood Day School (CA)

Retention Symposium

Retention is an important part of your enrollment management strategy in any year but this year it will be even more important. Many schools are working to keep families who switched schools late in the summer. Other schools are simply focused on an enduring principle: it’s easier to keep the families you have than to replace them.

The Retention Symposium engages attendees with both big picture ideas as well as actionable strategies for your whole school.

Included Sessions

Featured Keynote - Tim Fish

Panel Discussion: Communications & Retention Training for the Whole School

  • Reto Camenzind - Co-Director of Admissions, Senior School, St. George’s School (BC)
  • David Darby, Assistant Head: Enrolment Management, Lakefield College School (ON) - Moderator
  • Sheriann Heath-Johnston, Director of Admissions, Hillfield Strathallan College (ON)
  • Rebecca Malotke-Meslin, Director of Enrollment and Financial Aid at The Avery Coonley School (IL)
  • Kemi Nonez - Director of Diversity, Equity & Engagement, Associate Director of Enrollment Management, Durham Academy (NC)
  • Andrew Weller, St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School, Dean of Enrollment and Strategic Marketing (VA)

A Strategic Approach to Retention

Laurel Baker Tew, Chief Enrollment Officer and Director of Admission and Financial Aid, Viewpoint School (CA) and Chad Tew, founder and Chief Disruption Navigator at LearnCollab™(CA)

Retention 101

David Darby, Assistant Head: Enrolment Management, Lakefield College School (ON)

Faculty Culture

The Secret (and Most Powerful) Weapon for Admissions and Retention - Hal Hannaford, Retired Headmaster, Selwyn House School (QC)

The Recipe for Retention

Elyn Roberts, VP of Strategy and Innovation, SchoolAdmin (TX) & Brandi Eppolito, VP of Marketing, SchoolAdmin  (TX)

Worried about Attrition and Retention? Use Engagement as a Predictor

Ian Symmonds, Chief Strategist, Ian Symmonds & Associates (CA)

Inspiring Your School Community to Keep Your Families Enrolled

Rick Newberry, President, Enrollment Catalyst (FL)

Surveys! How to Create and Use Parent Survey Results to Drive Retention Efforts

Dana Nelson-Isaacs, Founder and President, DNI Consulting (CA)