2022 Summit
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 Curriculum
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?
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 for and Executing 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. Few campaigns follow a linear path. This session also 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.
02
Planning for and Executing 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. Few campaigns follow a linear path. This session also 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.
03
The Board's Role in a Campaign
How critical is your board to the success of your campaign? We will answer this and more in this interactive session. You will also learn an easy rule of thumb that will enable you to figure out if you have the right board and right campaign goal.
03
The Board's Role in a Campaign
How critical is your board to the success of your campaign? We will answer this and more in this interactive session. You will also learn an easy rule of thumb that will enable you to figure out if you have the right board and right campaign goal.
04
CEO- CAO- CFO Partnership
We will share scenarios and a case study in which the HOS, CEO and CAO relationship is crucial for a healthy institution, discussing what works and what does not—ultimately charting a course to the best partnership.
04
CEO- CAO- CFO Partnership
We will share scenarios and a case study in which the HOS, CEO 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
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.
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
Building Internal Strength
One key catalyst of your campaign will be your internal infrastructure. This session will provide two case studies to illustrate how to expand the major gift activity of your advancement team and how to build a broader set of internal champions, including the broader school community, to expand upon the work of the Head of School and Chief Advancement Officer.
06
Building Internal Strength
One key catalyst of your campaign will be your internal infrastructure. This session will provide two case studies to illustrate how to expand the major gift activity of your advancement team and how to build a broader set of internal champions, including the broader school community, to expand upon the work of the Head of School and Chief Advancement Officer.
07
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
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.
08
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.
08
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 completes 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 MoreFaculty
Marts & Lundy Faculty
About Alan Watkinson
Alan has worked in education for his entire career and was Head of the English Faculty at Scotch College in Melbourne for 17 years. He has been Director of Development and Advancement at Scotch College, Trinity College at the University of Melbourne and at the Melbourne Business School. In 2013, he was appointed as Director of Alumni and Advancement at La Trobe University and became Chief Advancement Officer in June 2016. Alan is a former Chairman of Educate Plus and has presented widely on advancement issues throughout Australia and internationally. He has been a regular presenter at CASE conferences and has taught at the CASE Institute for educational fundraisers in Australia. Alan is a Fellow of Educate Plus, and in 2010 was the recipient of both the Trevor Wigney Award and the Peter Crook Award for services to educational advancement in Australasia.
Alan Watkinson
About Doug Diefenbach
A key leader within Foster Avenue (Marts&Lundy’s philanthropic communications partner agency), Doug has spent nearly 40 years helping a wide range of American nonprofit institutions articulate and exceed their goals for strategic alignment, brand visibility, constituent engagement, and philanthropic revenue. He brings a deep specialization in philanthropic communications, earned as a consultant and foundation staff member serving higher education, healthcare and human services institutions. Doug joined Foster Avenue after running his own philanthropic communications consultancy for six years; before that he served as vice president of campaign strategy and communications for Advocate Aurora Health, one of the nation’s top 20 integrated health systems. He now serves as Foster Avenue’s chief message strategist, overseeing all editorial services and designing and delivering most of the firm’s campaign fluency training sessions for client staff and volunteers.
Doug Diefenbach
About Dan Martin
Dan has dedicated his career to advancing philanthropy and fostering community engagement within esteemed educational and non-profit institutions, bringing a wealth of experience in strategic leadership and fundraising excellence. He most recently served as the Director of Foundation (Chief Advancement Officer) at St Aloysius’ College in Sydney, where he orchestrated transformative initiatives that propelled the institution to new heights of philanthropic success. He is committed to driving substantial philanthropic growth and fostering strategic partnerships. During his tenure at prominent universities, including the University of NSW (UNSW Sydney) and the University of Sydney, Dan leveraged innovative fundraising strategies to achieve record-breaking results. Prior to his university roles, Dan honed his expertise in major gifts fundraising with charitable organisations, including The Fred Hollows Foundation and Children’s Cancer Institute, where he developed and implemented both organisation’s first major gifts strategies. Dan served on the CASE Asia Pacific Advancement Conference planning committee in 2024 and is a recognized leader in the field as a CASE Laureate.
Dan Martin
About Peter Hayashida
Peter joined Marts&Lundy in 2022 and was elected Chair of the Board of Directors in March 2024. Peter has deep experience in advancement leadership, organizational culture, and talent management, as well as planning for and executing university campaigns. As Vice Chancellor for Advancement at University of California, Riverside from 2009 through 2021, Peter led development, alumni engagement, and communications & marketing at a Carnegie Research 1 institution enrolling 26,000 students in Southern California. In this role, Peter led UCR’s first comprehensive fundraising campaign, surpassing its $300 million goal; oversaw an institutional rebranding and visual identity initiative; launched an alumni census and facilitated a transition away from dues-based alumni membership; and served in a campus leadership role during The Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic.
View Full BioPeter Hayashida
About Noelehua Lyons Archambault
Noe Archambault is the Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Punahou School, responsible for overseeing alumni relations, archives, fundraising and advancement services departments, which collectively marshal resources and support, advancing the mission of Punahou School. She joined the fundraising team at her alma mater in 2006, serving as Senior Director of Development before her current position. Prior to independent school fundraising, she focused on higher education advancement, serving as the Associate Director of International Initiatives at Harvard University and as the Director of Development at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa Colleges of Arts and Sciences.
Noelehua Lyons Archambault
About Shannon Cleary
As Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Mid-Pacific Institute, Shannon is dedicated to supporting innovation in education and ensuring the school’s financial sustainability. With over 20 years of experience in building schools, program development, and advocating for educational innovation, she has led various advancement efforts, including blended-learning initiatives. Shannon has served as director of advancement at several schools, and is a founding faculty member and administrator at Maui Preparatory Academy. She also is an appointed charter school commissioner for the State of Hawaii with a portfolio of 40 public charter schools.
Shannon Cleary
About Bree Muehlbauer, CFRE
Bree joined Marts&Lundy after serving as the Director of Development for the College of Education and Health Sciences at Bradley University. Bree is a lifelong educator. Formerly, she taught middle school at both private and public schools and served as a reading specialist. She now teaches nonprofit administration in the Baucus Institute Department of Public Administration and Policy at University of Montana.
View Full BioBree Muehlbauer, CFRE
About Melissa von Stade
Melissa has more than 40 years of experience helping to advance nonprofits through the design of effective fundraising strategies and strategic planning. Most recently, Melissa served as Director of Development of The Pennington School in Pennington, New Jersey.
View Full BioMelissa von Stade
About Katie Armitage
Katie has extensive experience and leadership in alumni relations and communications with a track record of delivering strategic and cultural change in complex organisations. As Associate Director of Alumni Relations at La Trobe University, Katie was responsible for designing and leading the University’s global alumni and communications program in support of the University’s philanthropic aims. Prior to La Trobe University, Katie worked within London’s finance sector at a Private Equity firm and also as Director and Business Development Manager of Reading Real Estate Foundation, an educational charity and alumni association.
Katie Armitage
About Clare Pullar
Clare is a well-known and trusted advisor in development circles, providing counsel to both public and private institutions in Australia and Asia. She joined Marts&Lundy following six years as Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Advancement), for the University of Queensland. Before joining the University of Queensland, Clare was Director of Advancement at Trinity College, University of Melbourne, where she led the inaugural comprehensive campaign for Trinity. Her career in educational philanthropy began with the establishment of the Goulburn Valley Grammar School in Shepparton, Victoria – built almost entirely with philanthropy. Clare has led the Australian sector through chairing the Go8 Chief Advancement Officers group. Through the Council for Support of Education (CASE) and EducatePlus, she has helped shape training courses to strengthen the talent pool for Australia and the region. Clare is a CASE Laureate. Clare is a Fellow of Trinity College and chairs Janet Clarke Hall University of Melbourne. She holds a Distinguished Alumni Award from La Trobe University and the Trevor Wigney and Peter Crook Awards for outstanding contributions to development in Australia.
Clare Pullar
About Ann Badger
Ann is an experienced educator and advancement professional who has worked in both schools and higher education, and she brings a deep insight of the needs and opportunities at play in community engagement and successful strategic fundraising. Ann was the director of college advancement at Ormond College at the University of Melbourne for eight years. Prior to this, she was director of community relations at Melbourne Grammar School for more than 10 years. In both positions, she was responsible for all advancement areas including fundraising, marketing, communications, and alumni relations. She led three successful campaigns during that time. Before beginning her career in development, Ann spent 17 years working as a secondary and higher education teacher, curriculum director, lecturer in education. and, finally, as a communications director for leading educational institutions in Melbourne.
Ann Badger
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 Sarah Cave
Sarah spent the last 20 years in development programs from Agnes Scott College to Holy Innocents Episcopal School and served as counsel for independent schools throughout the Eastern seaboard including Hackley, McDonogh and Westminster Schools.
View Full BioSarah Cave
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.