People

David Sullivan

Senior Advisor

SPARC

David Sullivan is currently a senior advisor at SPARC. Previously he served as executive director of Breakwater Learning, principal at The Brooklin School, on the faculty at Milton Academy and Northfield Mount Hermon School and as associate director at the Exploration School. Sullivan has an M.Ed. from Harvard and a B.A. from Hampshire College. He served chaired the Commission for Independent Schools at New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Sullivan is passionate about finding strategic pathways and creating sustainable models for independent schools.

Online Courses

Budget Meets Mission: School Finance for Non-Business Leaders

Understand the independent school business model, learn to be a good steward of your school's financial resources and work more collaboratively around financial issues.
Considerations for Employee Benefits: Taxability, Compliance, Culture

Discover the most common benefits programs and structures as well as emerging ones, best practices to stay in compliance, and cultural considerations for implementation.
Engaging in Difficult Conversations with Employees

Learn to engage with employees in an empathetic manner while still clearly conveying important information and safeguarding your school from liability.
Essentials of the Business Office

Explore the many responsibilities of business office professionals — from day-to-day finance, operation and risk management to strategic leadership — and how to manage key relationships with the greater school community.
Human Resources Fundamentals for Independent Schools

Learn how to address day-to-day human resources challenges such as evaluation and termination, FMLA, the ADA and employee classification.
Leave Law Boot Camp

Learn about best practices related to employee leave and how federal leave laws intersect and overlap.
Long-Range Financial Modeling

Learn how to customize and manipulate NBOA's Long-Range Financial Model, a powerful financial planning tool for your school.
Measuring Financial Health with the Composite Financial Index

Calculate your school's Composite Financial Index (CFI) score — a tool trusted in higher education for decades — and learn how you can use the score and its 4 underlying ratios to think strategically about your school's financial strengths and weaknesses.
Payroll Best Practices for Independent Schools

Learn about best practices related to payroll including employee classification and overtime pay, deductions and taxability and the complexity of calculating a faculty member’s final paycheck when they leave mid-year.
Stewarding Donor Dollars: Financial Principles for Contributions

Learn best practices related to gift reporting, compliance and donor stewardship, as well as how to develop a successful and strategic partnership between the financial and development functions at your school.
Strategic HR Leadership

Learn to develop and communicate your school's personnel management strategy and to be responsive to a changing market.
The Business and Art of Financial Aid

Learn tactical best practices related to the financial aid process to enhance the strategic partnership between the business and admissions offices and ensure long-term success.
Wage and Hour Boot Camp

Learn the ins and outs of wage and hour law, including the aspects that are unique to educational environments.

Past Webinars

Essential Considerations for Auxiliary Programs at Independent Schools This item is protected

March 7, 2025

Drawing on case studies, national trends and proven best practices, this session will address five key high-level factors to consider before investing in auxiliary programs.
Capital Advice on Facilities Planning: RFPs, Consulting, Opportunities This item is protected

February 14, 2025

A panel of school leaders will provide a behind-the-scenes look into the world of capital facilities and planning consultants, who serve independent schools in matters of planning, developing, funding and delivering capital projects.
Top Financial Mistakes & Control Deficiencies: Prevention and Solutions This item is protected

February 3, 2025

Learn the most common financial reporting mistakes and control deficiencies for independent schools. Gain insights into identifying, preventing and correcting these errors to enhance your school's financial health and operational efficiency.
Adapting Workforce Strategies for a Changing Landscape This item is protected

January 17, 2025

In a rapidly evolving work environment, independent schools face unique challenges in hiring, onboarding, and retaining top talent. Explore actionable strategies for leaders centering a culture of belonging throughout a workforce development lifecycle.
How to Save Your School Money with PurchasingPoint This item is protected

December 6, 2024

This webinar provides an overview of the PurchasingPoint program, tour of the PurchasingPoint portal and examples of vendor discounts and sign-up processes. Webinar recorded on November 7, 2024

Net Assets Articles

Navigating Two-Household Families This item is protected

March 12, 2025

Strong policies are critical when parents have different ideas about applications, financial aid and enrollment contracts.
The Gender Gap in the Business Office This item is protected

March 11, 2025

Men and women in the business office have different professional experiences, according to new data.
What Goes Into Strong Financial Governance?

March 7, 2025

It’s clear that our schools need strong financial governance, but what is it and how can we support it?
Preparing for Change: 2025 NBOA Annual Meeting Takeaways

March 4, 2025

Both keynote speakers offered strategies for thinking creatively and thinking ahead in an uncertain future.
20-Year Net Returns on Endowment Average 6.9% Per New Research This item is protected

March 4, 2025

New Commonfund Study of Independent Schools on the latest endowment trends is now available.

FEATURED

Complimentary Resource for NBOA Members: Operational Equity and Inclusion Inventory

A tool for independent school professionals to assess the inclusivity of operational policies and processes. Thirteen simple checklists allow school leaders to understand where the school is thriving and where they might improve.

RECENT DISCUSSIONS

NBOA CAREERS

Lower School Judaic Studies Substitute Teacher

Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School
HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL (Grades 9-12)

The Hewitt School
High School Counselor

Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School

VISIT CAREERS

David Sullivan

Online Courses

Budget Meets Mission: School Finance for Non-Business Leaders

Considerations for Employee Benefits: Taxability, Compliance, Culture

Engaging in Difficult Conversations with Employees

Essentials of the Business Office

Human Resources Fundamentals for Independent Schools

Leave Law Boot Camp

Long-Range Financial Modeling

Measuring Financial Health with the Composite Financial Index

Payroll Best Practices for Independent Schools

Stewarding Donor Dollars: Financial Principles for Contributions

Strategic HR Leadership

The Business and Art of Financial Aid

Wage and Hour Boot Camp

Past Webinars

Essential Considerations for Auxiliary Programs at Independent Schools This item is protected

Capital Advice on Facilities Planning: RFPs, Consulting, Opportunities This item is protected

Top Financial Mistakes & Control Deficiencies: Prevention and Solutions This item is protected

Adapting Workforce Strategies for a Changing Landscape This item is protected

How to Save Your School Money with PurchasingPoint This item is protected

Net Assets Articles

Navigating Two-Household Families This item is protected

The Gender Gap in the Business Office This item is protected

What Goes Into Strong Financial Governance?

Preparing for Change: 2025 NBOA Annual Meeting Takeaways

20-Year Net Returns on Endowment Average 6.9% Per New Research This item is protected

FEATURED

Complimentary Resource for NBOA Members: Operational Equity and Inclusion Inventory

RECENT DISCUSSIONS

NBOA CAREERS

Lower School Judaic Studies Substitute Teacher

HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL (Grades 9-12)

High School Counselor

Become an NBOA Member