Leadership
is reaching
new heights.
About our Leadership Initiative
Missions are advanced and visions realized when the passions and talents of individuals are engaged in a common goal. This requires exceptional leadership as well as generous donors.
Though there are many experienced fundraising professionals working each day to engage new donors and steward existing ones, the magnitude and pace of philanthropic giving are amplified when the institution’s top leader becomes its top philanthropy champion.
Marts&Lundy created The Azure Summit so that leaders of mission-driven organizations can experience the highest-quality teaching on the critical role they can play in developing a deep and broad culture of philanthropy. The Summit’s leadership curriculum is tailored to high-performing professionals who expect to gain significant knowledge that drives their expertise and action to new heights.
The Azure Summit for Heads of School
July 23-25, 2023
The Westminster Schools
Atlanta, Georgia
The Azure Summit is an annual conference designed to prepare Heads of School for a campaign, hone fundraising skills, or both. Our faculty comprise experienced Independent School practitioners, Marts&Lundy consultants and Heads who have been through a campaign. We encourage you to attend with your chief development officer.
The Azure Summit 2023 will begin with our Keynote Address by Peter Upham on Sunday at 5 p.m. ET at the Hotel Indigo, followed by cocktails and dinner. We will continue the Summit’s curriculum beginning Monday morning on the campus of The Westminster Schools and will conclude the Summit on Tuesday at 1 p.m. ET.
The Curriculum
01
Keynote: What Strategy Is, Why it Matters, and How it Works: A Primer for School Heads
01
Keynote: What Strategy Is, Why it Matters, and How it Works: A Primer for School Heads
In the recurring exercise of school “strategic planning,” one crucial concept often gets lost along the way: strategy itself. In this session, we’ll cut through process and politics to isolate strategy as a core idea in business scholarship and practice. Then, we’ll explore strategy in the context of a mission-driven, value-laden school. What are the key business decisions Heads and Boards must make in order to ensure institutional vitality? And how can Heads begin to establish mechanisms for making sure strategy remains a central, not a peripheral, consideration?
02
Planning a Campaign
02
Planning a Campaign
Before hitting the go button, ensure that your School is ready to take on the rigors of a campaign. This session will take you through an assessment to determine the readiness state of your School.
03
Executing a Campaign
03
Executing a Campaign
Few campaigns follow a linear path. This session will provide an overview of what to expect in each phase and examples of course corrections when necessary. Most important, this will give you a clear sense of the roles you, your Board and your advancement team should play.
04
The CEO/CFO/CAO Relationship
04
The CEO/CFO/CAO Relationship
We will share scenarios and a case study in which the CEO, CFO and CAO relationship is crucial for a healthy institution, discussing what works and what does not—ultimately charting a course to the best partnership.
05
Campaign Realities: From the Head of School Perspective
05
Campaign Realities: From the Head of School Perspective
A campaign impacts the head differently and more deeply than any other person in the organization. We will identify and discuss these stressors and pressures to help position you to thrive in this new role.
06
Mastering a Donor Meeting
06
Mastering a Donor Meeting
Understanding what motivates donors to invest deeply in your School is critical to achieving new heights in your fundraising program. We will position you to develop effective strategies for engaging your constituents in a meaningful and ultimately productive way.
07
Case for Support
07
Case for Support
We will focus on best practices in case development, reviewing the many paths to a case. There is no one way to get there, but there are core fundamentals to consider. This session will be infused with examples of strong cases and will provide you with worksheets to guide your thinking about building the case.
Keynote Speaker
Peter Upham
Pete completed a 15-year run as Executive Director of The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS) in the summer of 2022 in order to revive a school consulting practice he paused for his work at TABS.
TABS is the voice for college prep boarding schools, with approximately 215 member institutions in the United States, Canada, and around the globe. As a “community of communities,” TABS partners with school leaders—particularly Heads and Assistant Heads of School, Residential & Student Life Practitioners, and Admission & Marketing Professionals, as well as CFO’s, Advancement leaders, and other key administrators—to drive excellence, innovation, and collaboration so that every student thrives. TABS hosts an annual conference, as well as other site-based and virtual workshops and symposia; produces industry research; supports schools and families through Tuition-Net, the association’s tuition insurance plan; and has a robust website for educators at TABS.org and for families at BoardingSchools.com.
Earlier in his career, Pete spent thirteen years in boarding school administration and teaching, six as Assistant Head of School at Asheville School in North Carolina. Before his appointment at TABS, Pete was the owner and principal of CWJ Consulting, a firm assisting schools, educational organizations, and non-profits in the areas of strategy, advancement, and planning. His current consulting and scholarly interests include educational leadership, school strategy, institutional risk management, workplace learning, organizational culture and change, advanced data analytics, and total resource development. He is a frequent speaker and presenter at education conferences, board meetings, and school ceremonies.
Pete is former Board President for Hanger Hall, an independent school for girls, and former Vice-President of the Board for the Diocese of Charlotte Schools, a regional Catholic school system. He is also a poet; his work has appeared in a number of national and international journals.
Pete was educated at Hotchkiss School. He did his undergraduate studies at UNC-Chapel Hill as a Morehead Scholar, and earned his M.S.Ed. from the University of Pennsylvania, where he is currently completing his doctoral dissertation. He lives just outside of Asheville, North Carolina with his wife and children.
Show MoreLodging
Hotel Indigo
Historic Vinings Neighborhood
2857 Paces Ferry Road SE
Atlanta, GA
About the Hotel
A unique, boutique-style hotel with unexpected touches that reflect the distinct charm and character of the historic Vinings neighborhood.
Faculty
Marts & Lundy Faculty
About Liz Ball
Liz currently serves as the Associate Vice President of Strategic Communications and Partnerships at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta, Georgia. She has spent 15 years leading marketing and communications programs as well as providing consulting support for independent schools in the Southeast. Prior to working in the nonprofit sector, Liz worked in the advertising industry as media planner and strategist representing a variety of small and mid-cap corporations and household brands.
Liz Ball
About Karen Callahan
Karen spent 25 years leading advancement programs at Northfield Mount Hermon School and Brooks School and has served more than 40 schools across the country in various stages of campaigns.
View Full BioKaren Callahan
About Emilie Henry
Emilie has deep experience in donor strategy as well as planning for and conducting several successful independent school campaigns. As Vice President for Institutional Advancement at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta, GA, Emilie is responsible for leading development and communications operations at one of the country’s largest independent day schools.
Emilie Henry
About Charlie Melichar
Charlie has worked extensively in the independent school sector, focusing on issues related to strategic communications and building the case for support.
View Full BioCharlie Melichar
About Taylor Stockdale
Taylor has 30-plus years of experience with independent schools and has served as Head of Schools at The Webb Schools since 2010.
View Full BioTaylor Stockdale
About Martha Voegeli
Martha has worked in advancement for over 30 years, serving a variety of educational institutions. Her consulting experience includes strategic counsel to more than 20 independent schools.
View Full BioMartha Voegeli
About Jim Zimmerman
Jim has spent three decades leading advancement programs at Middlesex School, Cate School, The Lawrenceville School, Francis Parker School, and currently The Branson School. He served as a trustee of his alma mater, Bucknell University. In 2021,Jim accepted the Chief Advancement Officer position at The Branson School and became a Marts&Lundy Consulting Partner.
View Full BioJim Zimmerman
Testimonials
Contact Us
If you’d like more information on our curriculum and presenters, please contact Karen Callahan at kcallahan@martsandlundy.com or by phone, 978-476-1270.
For questions or assistance with your registration or lodging, please contact Angie Sheffer at sheffer@martsandlundy.com or by phone, 434-996-8220.