We understand both the complexities of organizational culture and the human side of change. We have experience working with both the internal community and in guiding a board of trustees through change.

Align and Advance Strategic Planning - Our Signature Approach

A school embarks on strategic planning to map out a journey to become the best version of itself. We facilitate a process centered on alignment, establishing a shared reality so a community can discover the most exciting and actionable opportunities for the school’s continued success.

We combine community-based strategic design with a full communications audit so your school is aligned on in its strengths, will advance with confidence into the future and can communicate a compelling vision to families and donors.

Find more information and a downloadable PDF here.

We are proud to collaborate with our strategic partner Caravan Brand Partners to deliver this service.

Additional Strategy Services

We love to be fresh eyes. Reach out to discuss a "Strategy Refresh" for a more focused approach to school strategy. We are also happy to assist with very specific projects such as supporting an analysis and redesign of your admissions yield efforts, reinvigorating recruting of excellent new faculty or rethinking your internal communications channels.

Workshops for Schools and Administrative Teams

We design and implement customized workshops for clients and also regularly collaborate with regional and national associations, including the Association for Academic Leaders, to create new and innovative offerings.

Sample Workshops

Managing Complicated Parents -Tough Talks: Challenging Conversations with Direct Reports -Tools for Managing Up - Getting Clarity and Using Strategy to Increase Enrollment - Building Better Teams - Putting Success in Succession Planning

Customized workshops and trainings also available.

Contact usfor more information.

Building Better Teams retreat facilitation
Spend a full or half day with a leadership team, board of trustees or faculty leaders increasing trust and creating better connections for more effective collaboration, problem solving and overall team performance. No trust falls or personality tests, our approach centers on coaching the team in processing a real issue facing your school or organization while highlighting principles that will improve your group dynamics. Virtual workshop version available. Read more about our approach to team retreats here.

Keynotes and Speaking Engagements
Julie presents on topics related to communications, leadership, emerging trends and school change for groups across the United States, including NAIS, TABS, NEASC and the Association of Academic Leaders Forum. She is happy to work with you to speak onsite or virtually on any topic that has appeared in the Talking Out of School newsletter. Contact us for more information.

Leadership Coaching
We believe coaching can be a powerful professional development experience, going beyond providing a "management sounding board" to become a pathway to gain clarity and reflect on both your strengths and your growing edge as a leader. We focus on supporting you putting your insights into practice to be both a more effective leader and to find balance and boundaries between the professional and the personal.

Group Leadership Development Programs
Women's Leadership Cohort: Stepping into your Authentic Authority
in collaboration with Jane Moulding of Smarter Wisdom
This cohort brings together a small number of senior administrators in student-facing roles to support and elevate each other with a core goal of exploring the complexities in day-to-day work while developing your best self as a leader within your community. Offered remotely - next session begins in August, 2026.

NEW Boss Skills Lab - a virtual management training pilot for 25-26

The Boss Skills Lab is designed to introduce concepts based in organizational psychology that are both “bite sized” and significant enough to move you forward. It will allow room to process these concepts in small groups with peers and then return to your job and experiment applying the concepts and building your skill set.

Inspired organizational leadership and mission-enhancing change starts at the top with good governance practices. We take into account the complicated ways the "lanes" of day-to-day operations and governance intersect as well as the stress on trustees occupying several different roles at once within a community.

Our training, advising and support, with options for stand-alone workshops and ongoing coaching, honestly acknowledges complexity and aims to provide trustees will skills and tools to productively partner with heads of school.

Governance Training Sample Workshops

Principles of Independent School Governance: Mission, Money, Momentum

Governance in Action I: Balancing Board and Community Membership

Governance in Action II: Practical Communication Skills