NBOA Leadership Academy

Overview

The NBOA Leadership Academy is an immersive program designed for a select cohort of experienced independent school business professionals to explore their potential beyond the day-to-day responsibilities of their role and transform as leaders. Participants undertake a year-long journey of advanced learning through online and in-person experiences unlike any other professional development opportunity available to independent business leaders.

Throughout the year, the Leadership Academy cohort will have access to some of the country’s top academics and experts in their fields as well as gain insights from independent school thought leaders. The program kicks off online in July and continues through the following spring, with learning sessions, peer-to-peer collaboration, and individual and group mentoring throughout the year.

These virtual connection points throughout the year are complemented by the program’s in-person experiences: an exclusive 2025-26 Leadership Academy cohort conference in Nashville, Tennessee, September 3-5, 2025, followed by a pre-conference seminar and deep dive at the NBOA Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida March 1-4, 2026.* Upon completion of the Leadership Academy cohort year, participants join the esteemed community of Leadership Academy graduates and will be invited annually to a reunion reception preceding the NBOA Annual Meeting.

Participants will:

• Deepen their understanding of and experience with the complexities of leadership, including application of key concepts to independent schools, and strategize to proactively adapt to and manage change.
• Advance critical leadership skills including adaptability, decision-making, innovation, confidence, problem-solving, self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and more.
• Enhance their leadership profile and develop a personal plan of action to elevate their impact and strengthen relationships in their school communities and the industry.
• Identify pivotal challenges and opportunities facing the independent school industry in the future and, together with mentor group colleagues, determine innovative solutions that secure the future of independent schools.

*Separate registration is required for the NBOA Annual Meeting.

Who Attends?

NBOA Leadership Academy participants are self-nominated or nominated by a colleague or supervisor and selected by program leadership, who build a cohort of business leaders inspired to change their school community and impact the industry.

The Program

The Leadership Academy program is comprised of a variety of experiences, including attending an in-person program in Nashville, Tennessee, September 3-5, 2025, and the 2026 NBOA Annual Meeting, taking place March 1-4, 2026. More information on the in-person portions of the program is provided under the schedule tab. Please keep this in mind when completing the nomination process. All selected participants must be committed and willing to attend both the online and in-person portions of the program.

Program Leadership