We are thrilled about our conference breakout sessions this summer, where participants will delve into engaging topics and activities tailored to their interests. These sessions promise to foster vibrant discussions and valuable networking opportunities, making for an enriching and memorable experience.
Session topics include building support networks, addressing imposter syndrome, transforming leadership through coaching, developing authentic leadership and more!
Take a peek at the sessions you’ll get to choose from!
Words to Live By: Don’t Let Someone Dim Your Light Simply Because it’s Shining in Their Eyes
Dr. Diane Wynne, Executive Director, Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The path to leadership can be especially challenging for women, both due to outside forces and internal battles within ourselves. My early career as a psychologist has inspired me to continuously reflect on why women often lack confidence in their abilities or feel hesitant to “shine too bright” in some environments. This presentation, organized around powerful inspiring quotes, will provide an opportunity for women leaders to reflect on their journeys, consider ways to remove barriers, and celebrate how we all shine when women uplift themselves and each other.
What Am I Made for?: Leadership Lessons from the Barbie Movie
Tanya Wilson-Thevanesan, Deputy Superintendent, Fairport CSD
Using the Barbie movie as a backdrop, we will unpack the stereotypes of women in leadership, breaking the mold we have been put into, being true to self, and identifying and living our authentic purpose.
Creating a Collegial Circle for Aspiring and Advancing Women
Dr. Lynn Allen, Deputy Superintendent, Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES
The purpose of the breakout session is to learn how one region created a collegial circle to support women aspiring to enter the ranks of leadership as well as pursue advanced leadership roles including the Superintendency. By using a critical friend and case study model, the supportive circle approach successfully engaged women leaders to unpack issues and challenges they encounter as educational leaders.
Breaking Barriers & Building Bridges: Strong, diverse women leading change
Kasey Dolson, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment; Dana Ziegler, Executive Director of Curriculum & Instruction; Dr. Harmony Balintfy, Associate Director of Equity, Assessment, & Accountability, Liverpool CSD
Supportive and diverse female leaders leveraging skills as change agents to grow an organization. We will be sharing stories of our DEIA journey, data and instruction, while connecting it all back to to leadership, motherhood, and friendship.
Imposter Syndrome and the Path to the Superintendency
Dr. Christine Criscione, Superintendent, Mount Sinai CSD
Delving into the heart of imposter syndrome, the session will unpack its defining characteristics, underlying causes, and the unique ways it manifests among women in leadership positions. Through a blend of personal anecdotes, empirical research, and interactive discussions, participants will gain an understanding of the systemic barriers and psychological hurdles that contribute to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. This session will not only enlighten but also empower, fostering a supportive community where participants can share experiences, strategies, and encouragement.
Build the Best Leader – How Coaching Transforms Leadership
Anita Murphy, Retired District Superintendent, Dr. Elizabeth Wood, Deputy Superintendent, Capital Region BOCES, Lynne Rutnik, District Superintendent, WFL BOCES
The best athletes in the world have coaches. Coaching transforms how we think about organizations and our leadership roles in them. In this session participants will hear about two coaching journeys from seasoned leaders and a coach who aids in their journey.
Rethinking the Role of Educational Leaders: Building a Support System That Works for Everyone
Heather Lyon, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology, Lewiston-Porter CSD
There are high levels of burnout for educational administrators. One reason is because administrators feel like they give to the point of exhaustion but their efforts are not appreciated and no one is looking out for them. I think this happens because administrators misunderstand their role and responsibilities. With that in mind, we will discuss a foundational understanding of how administrators have focused on the wrong things, provide a framework to rethink how to lead, and give suggestions on how to support this new paradigm.
Admin Burnout: Why It Matters and What You Can Do About It
Sarah Cioffi, K-12 Academic Administrator for ENL and World Languages, Shenendehowa CSD
Burnout can lead to decreased quality of life, lower personal productivity, and depression for school administrators. It can also lead to increased turnover and lower student achievement, and can have significant financial implications for districts. However, there are concrete, research-based strategies you can implement to reduce and even prevent burnout. This presentation will focus on one proven approach to managing burnout: setting limits. Participants will come away with actionable and effective strategies to set limits on workload that will enable them to manage burnout at work.
This workshop will be presented with Dr. Drew Anderson, Clinical Psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychology at UAlbany.
Authentic Leadership: Aligning Values with Actions
Kim Skillen, Deputy Superintendent of Instruction, North Babylon UFSD
This breakout session workshop will explore the concept of authentic leadership with a specific focus on women in educational leadership roles. Authentic leadership is a leadership style that emphasizes genuineness, transparency, and integrity in one’s actions and interactions with others. Attendees will gain insights into the characteristics of authentic leadership and its significance in educational settings. Practical strategies for cultivating authenticity, including self-reflection, aligning values with actions, and building trust, will be discussed. Attendees will leave with actionable steps for implementing authentic leadership practices in their own educational leadership roles.
Attendees will gain insights into the essential characteristics of authentic leadership and learn practical strategies for cultivating authenticity in their own leadership style. By aligning their values with their actions, leaders can build trust, credibility, and foster a culture of openness and transparency within their teams and organizations.
Developing Your Elevator Pitch
Amy Campbell, Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services, CVES BOCES
In the book, How Women Rise, Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith identify twelve habits that specifically hold women back from rising to the next level in their career. This session will focus on how to develop an “elevator pitch” that includes your aspirations and career goals and how to take credit for the great work you are doing. As someone who has struggled to own what she is great at, we will discuss how to get started so the next generation of leaders can claim their seats at the table.