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Now Enrolling  •  July 2027

Institute for Crisis Leadership

Expert faculty. Extraordinary guest speakers. An eight-month certification program built for school heads and senior administrators who carry real responsibility.

2 in-person retreats and 12 hours online
Register Now See the Curriculum
Hybrid
Mix of In-Person & Online
8 mo. certification
July - March
Outstanding faculty
8+ Expert Leaders
About the Program

Built for leaders who carry responsibility.

The Institute for Crisis Leadership prepares school heads and senior administrators to lead through complex, high-stakes situations with clarity, structure, and confidence.

Over eight months, you will work alongside peers and subject-matter experts to identify real risks on your campus, build practical response systems, and develop the leadership skills to act decisively when they are needed most.

  • A comprehensive, campus-specific risk register
  • An integrated safety and crisis response plan aligned to Incident Command
  • A clear crisis communications framework
  • A curated list of key internal and external risk resources
  • A board-ready assessment of your school's risk posture
Faculty

Learn from leading experts.

Each faculty member brings hands-on expertise in a specific domain of school risk.

Chris Joffe

Chris Joffe

CEO & Founder, Joffe Emergency Services

Two decades building practical safety systems for 2,000+ schools. Author of All Clear.

Deborah Dowling

Deborah Dowling, PhD

Consultant & Coach, Deborah Dowling Consulting

Former Executive Director, CA Association of Independent Schools. PhD, certified executive coach and nonprofit board consultant.

Debra Wilson

Debra Wilson

President, National Association of Independent Schools

19 years as NAIS general counsel. Co-author of the NAIS Trustee Handbook. J.D., University of South Carolina.

Jamie Gershon

Jamie Gershon

Executive Vice President, Bolton

35+ years designing insurance and risk management programs for hundreds of independent schools.

Julia Yzaguirre

Julia Yzaguirre

Head of Finance, Joffe Emergency Services

Former CFO at two independent schools. Background at Deloitte. Certified School Risk Manager.

Lori Getz

Lori Getz

Founder, Cyber Education Consultants

Leading voice on digital safety and cyber risk for schools. Certified Internet Safety Specialist. Featured on Today Show and Good Morning America.

Myra McGovern

Myra McGovern

Founder, The Polaris Collaborative

20+ years in independent school leadership. Former VP of Media and External Relations at NAIS. Specializes in crisis communications and risk assessment.

Sara Goldsmith Schwartz

Sara Goldsmith Schwartz

Founder & President, Schwartz Hannum PC

Founder and President of Schwartz Hannum PC, a leading education law firm. Advises independent schools on employment, governance, student matters, and institutional risk.

Program Schedule

Eight months. Three phases. One certification.

Two in-person intensives in Los Angeles, with monthly virtual workshops and cohort meetings in between. Attend individually or as a team from your school.

Phase 1  •  In Person

July 29-30, 2027

Los Angeles, CA  •  Two full days

  • Systemic management of risk
  • Macro risks
  • Strategic and reputational risks
  • Health and safety
Phase 2  •  Virtual

September 2027 – February 2028

Online  •  Two sessions per month

  • Crisis communications
  • Financial risks
  • Insurance
  • Human resources
  • Operations
  • Compliance: law and accreditation
Phase 3  •  In Person

March 20-21, 2028

Los Angeles, CA  •  Two full days

  • Technology risks
  • Systems and resources
  • Reporting to your board and community
Register Now
What You Will Learn

Expertise across every dimension of school risk.

The Institute covers seven risk domains, each taught by faculty with direct, working experience in that area.

Strategic and reputational risk

Health, safety, and student wellbeing

Financial and insurance risk

Human capital and succession risk

Legal, compliance, and accreditation risk

Operational continuity and systems

Digital, cyber, and external risk factors

Institute for Crisis Leadership

Work alongside peers from across the country.

Registration

Secure your spot.

Full access to all in-person intensives, monthly virtual sessions, cohort meetings, and every deliverable you build during the program.

Tuition

One rate, full program access.

$7,000

  • In-person intensives (Jul 2027 and Mar 2028, Los Angeles)
  • Monthly virtual webinars, September through February
  • Cohort meetings throughout the program
  • Campus-specific risk register
  • Safety and security plan
  • Crisis communications plan
  • Curated list of emergency resources
Register Now

Questions about registration or group rates? Email us.

Ready to lead with confidence?

The Institute for Crisis Leadership begins summer 2027 in Los Angeles. Register today to reserve your spot.

Register Now Find a Time to Talk Call Us: 1-800-913-6270

Have questions before committing? Get in touch.