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.
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
Learn from leading experts.
Each faculty member brings hands-on expertise in a specific domain of school risk. You will not be learning from generalists. You will be learning from practitioners.
Chris Joffe
CEO & Founder, Joffe Emergency Services
Two decades building practical safety systems for 2,000+ schools. Author of All Clear.
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
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
Executive Vice President, Bolton
35+ years designing insurance and risk management programs for hundreds of independent schools.
Julia Yzaguirre
Head of Finance, Joffe Emergency Services
Former CFO at two independent schools. Background at Deloitte. Certified School Risk Manager.
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
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
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.
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.
August 3-4, 2026
Los Angeles, CA • Two full days
- Systemic management of risk
- Macro risks
- Strategic and reputational risks
- Health and safety
September 2026 – February 2027
Online • Two sessions per month
- Crisis communications
- Financial risks
- Insurance
- Human resources
- Operations
- Compliance: law and accreditation
March 15-16, 2027
Los Angeles, CA • Two full days
- Technology risks
- Systems and resources
- Reporting to your board and community
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.
Secure your spot.
Full access to all in-person intensives, monthly virtual sessions, cohort meetings, and every deliverable you build during the program.
Early Bird
Register by June 20 to lock in this rate.
$7,000
$5,500
Save $1,500 through June 20
- In-person intensives (Aug 2026 and Mar 2027, 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
Regular Rate
Available after June 20, 2026.
$7,000
Standard enrollment rate
- In-person intensives (Aug 2026 and Mar 2027, 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
Questions about registration or group rates? Email us.
Ready to lead with confidence?
The Institute for Crisis Leadership begins August 3 in Los Angeles. Early bird pricing of $5,500 is available through June 20.
Have questions before committing? Get in touch.
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