ASBA Summer Leadership Institute 2023
June 8, 2023 - June 10, 2023

ASBA Summer Leadership Institute Keynote Speaker Frank Kitchen will share how to “Build Your Recipe for Leadership Success” during this eagerly anticipated conference in the cool pines of Flagstaff.
During this interactive session, you will learn about the seven skills needed to create your very own leadership style.
Kitchen’s flavorful stories of success and failure have challenged audiences to transform their professional aspirations into reality.
Registration opens Monday, April 24 on the ASBA website.
HOTEL INFORMATION
The room block for Little America is sold out.
The overflow hotel for SLI will be the Days Hotel by Wyndham Flagstaff. It is on the site and available for booking.
If someone would like to be placed on the waiting list for Little America in case there are any cancellations, please email Ellen White ewhite@azsba.org with names, arrival and departure dates.
The SLI Pre-Conference & SLI Conference will be held June 8-10, 2023, at Little America in Flagstaff. We have implemented a new hotel reservation procedure. To reserve a room, you must first register your members for the event. Once you have registered for the conference, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to register for the hotel. Please note that this link is unique to your registration, and it’s crucial that you do not share it with anyone else. Because the link is unique, sharing it with someone else could result in your reservation being overwritten and losing your room.
Hotel reservations will open on Monday, April 24, 2023. The cutoff date for reserving rooms in the block is Wednesday, May 17, 2023. After this date, the group rate will no longer be guaranteed.
To be fair to all conference attendees, we request that you only reserve the number of rooms that will be utilized.
Keynote Speaker
Additional Information

Frank Kitchen
The Mindset Master Chef, Frank Kitchen
Frank Kitchen is as memorable as his last name. His FRESH recipes on Mindset have been experienced by students and professionals around the world. He savors the opportunity to work with organizations who want to create a workplace culture their people hunger for. His flavorful stories of success and failure as a student leader, toy store manager, educator and auctioneer, and business owner have challenged audiences to transform their professional aspirations into realty. This proud husband and father was recently recognized as one of the top Professional Speakers in the world by the National Speakers Association. He has come to SLI to cook up a tasty experience that will make you laugh and learn.
Thursday, June 8, 2023 - Summer Leadership Institute Pre-Conference: New Board Member Orientation Part 2
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Summer Leadership Institute Sponsor - Chartwells

8:30 am - 9:00 am
Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:00 am - 9:15 am
Welcome
Dr. Sheila Harrison-Williams, ASBA Executive Director
9:15 am - 9:45 am
Facilitated Conversation: What is the Most Surprising, Inspiring, and Difficult Thing You Have Learned So Far?
Heidi Vega, Director of Communications
This will be an opportunity to share your most inspiring revelation and/or the most difficult thing you have faced so far in your time as a board member.
9:45 am - 10:15 am
Student Success: Issues to Consider
Tracey Benson, Associate Executive Director, Julie Bacon, Leadership Development Manager
Student success is the ultimate goal of board service. What factors impact the success of students and how can board members create the structure necessary to ensure every student is reaching their full potential?
10:15 am - 10:45 am
Conflict or Not?
Nick Buzan, Director of Legal and Policy Services
You will hear a lot of talk about conflict of interest but what is a legal conflict in board service?
10:45 am - 11:00 am
Break
11:00 am - 11:45 am
Teamwork: Essential Components
Julie Bacon, Leadership Development Manager, Amy Castellanos, Board Support and Field Services Specialist
You are but one member of a team. And you need the rest of the team to get anything done. We will take a look at communication styles and the essential components of team dynamics.
11:45 am - 12:45 pm
Lunch
12:45 pm - 1:15 pm
Superintendent Evaluation and Board Self-Evaluation
Julie Bacon, Leadership Development Manager
The board has a legal responsibility to evaluate the superintendent and negotiate their contract. In this session, we will cover the essential components of a superintendent evaluation. Best practices show us that boards need to evaluate themselves. We will take a look the ASBA Board Self-Evaluation Tool and hear from districts who have utilized it to improve their governance.
1:15 pm - 2:00 pm
School Finance and Budget
Kenneth McGovern, Chief Financial Officer, Sierra Vista USD
For this session, we will take a deeper dive into school finance but still cover the basics. It's a complicated topic but you will feel better prepared for the upcoming budget season.
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Top 3 Advocacy Issues for 2023
Chris Kotterman, Director of Governmental Relations and Devin Del Palacio, Advocacy and Strategic Initiatives Consultant
What is the ASBA governmental relations team working on this legislative session? Learn the top advocacy issues for 2023 as well as the process for ASBA's Legislative Agenda. You will also hear how you can be an advocate for your students and communities.
2:30 pm - 2:45 pm
Break
2:45 pm - 3:15 pm
Funny, Uplifting and Illuminating Stories from School Board Veterans
Tracey Benson, Associate Executive Director; Helen Freeman, Camp Verde USD; Mike Martinez, Glendale ESD; Patti Coutre, Maricopa USD
Hear from a panel of veteran school board members about their experiences serving their districts. You will learn about a variety of experiences from remote, rural, suburban and urban school districts.
3:15 pm - 3:30 pm
You Asked for It! Q&A with ASBA Staff
ASBA Staff
You may have some questions since taking office a few months ago. Our staff will tackle those questions and provide feedback and guidance.
3:30 pm - 3:45 pm
Wrap Up
4:30 pm -
Welcome Reception
Friday, June 9, 2023
8:00 am - 9:00 am
Black Alliance Meeting
8:30 am - 9:00 am
Registration and Continental Breakfast Provided
9:00 am - 9:15 am
Welcome (All Attendees)
9:15 am - 10:15 am
The Seven Skills of Fruitful Leadership with keynote speaker Frank Kitchen (All Attendees)
Frank Kitchen
Do you desire to be the leader known for producing the tasty results everyone talks about and attempts to replicate? To do this, you must focus on the results you want to produce and not the title you possess. Leadership is the ability to educate, energize and empower an individual or group to Live A Dream. Leadership and Cooking are very similar. Everyone has the ability to do it, but it is a skill that must be cultivated. In this interactive program, Frank Kitchen will teach you the seven skills needed to create your very own leadership style that produces a workplace culture where people and dreams flourish.
10:30 am - 11:15 am
Legislative and Policy Update (All Attendees)
Chris Kotterman, Director of Governmental Relations, Nick Buzan, Director of Legal and Policy Services, Devin Del Palacio, Advocacy and Strategic Initiatives Consultant
What issues are looming large at the Capitol and how might those issues impact district policies? Learn the latest scoop from our advocacy and policy teams.
11:15 am - 12:00 pm
What Do You Need to Grow Professionally? (ASAP)
The Mindset Master Chef, Frank Kitchen
Learn the five-step recipe for "Living F.R.E.S.H" and how to identify the mental barriers that are preventing you from achieving your professional dreams.
11:15 am - 12:00 pm
The Importance of "Message" in District Communications (Board/Supt.)
Heidi Vega, Director of Communications
Schools are more than places students learn. They are also the hub of many communities and often have to compete for the students they have. How can a district use the concept of "message" to increase engagement, recruit students and present a unified front from board members to students?
1:00 pm - 1:50 pm
Breakout Session Round 1
- Compare and Contrast: Your Board Agendas (ASAP) In this session, you will learn from one another. In small groups, you will look at agendas from across Arizona and discover new, and maybe, improved ways to compose a governing board agenda. Speakers - Nick Buzan, Director of Legal and Policy Services, Lynne Bondi, Policy Analyst, Dr. Charlotte Patterson, Policy Analyst
- Community Leadership Programs for Board Members (Board/Supt.) How can board members expand their knowledge of the issues facing their communities and Arizona? We'll hear from a few different community leadership programs so you can determine the best fit for your leadership style. Speakers - Scott Koenig, Executive Director, Project CENTRL; Jennifer Papworth, Program Manager, Arizona Center for Civic Leadership, Flinn Foundation
- What Boards Can Do: Strategic Planning and the Board's Role (Board/Supt.) Have you ever gotten in a car for a long road trip and your travel companion says a map isn't necessary because "I'm pretty sure I know the way?" It's not a good feeling as the passenger. Just as a roadmap is critical for a road trip, a strategic plan is imperative for school district success. Learn the strategic planning process and the new program ASBA has developed for member districts. Speakers - Julie Bacon, Leadership Development Manager
2:00 pm - 2:50 pm
Breakout Session Round 2
- Bright Lights and Dim Bulbs: Share YOUR Stories of What Works and What Absolutely Does Not (ASAP) What bright ideas have been proven brilliant and what ideas have turned out to be duds? In this session, you will share the Bright Lights and Dim Bulbs from your school district and position. Come prepared with stories to share with one another. Speakers - Julie Bacon, Leadership Development Manager and Ellen White, Director of Business and Conference Services
- The Search is On: ASBA's Executive Search Service (Board/Supt.) Superintendent turnover is at an all-time high nationally and the trend is happening in Arizona too. How does ASBA's superintendent search service work and what should boards be talking and thinking about related to their superintendent's tenure? We'll share best practices and the value ASBA brings to the search process. Speakers - Tracey Benson, Associate Executive Director; Ben Adams, Membership Services Coordinator; Sophia Carrillo Dahl, Governing Board President, Creighton ESD
- Students and Governing Board Leadership (Board/Supt.) How are Arizona school districts including student voices in board decision-making? We will hear from a number of Arizona school districts that have student members regarding the process for selecting student representatives and how students can impact the decisions boards make. Speakers - Sedona-Oak Creek, Prescott USD, Pendergast ESD, Mesa USD
- Building Relational Wealth: The Recipe for Turning Discourse into Opportunity (Board/Supt.) Ever wonder how a single comment from a colleague turned into a long dispute? The social side of board health is often overlooked, but is arguably the most significant indicator of success. This session will focus on board relationships as the backbone of the school district and uncover how investments in relational wealth can strengthen board morale and effectiveness. Speakers - Amy Castellanos, Board Support Specialist
3:00 pm - 3:50 pm
Breakout Session Round 3
- FAQs of PolicyBridge (ASAP) ALL your questions answered--or at least the most frequently asked questions! We will bring our FAQs with you and attendees should be prepared with their burning questions. Join us for this interactive session on PolicyBridge. Speakers - Lynne Bondi, Policy Analyst
- Rural Arizona: Spring Rural Town Hall Feedback and Next Steps (Board/Supt.) ASBA hosted a Virtual Rural Town Hall in March and we'd like to share the feedback from that AND facilitate conversation with rural district leaders on the issues facing Arizona's rural school districts. Speakers - Tracey Benson, Associate Executive Director, Chris Kotterman, Director of Governmental Relations and Devin Del Palacio, Advocacy and Strategic Initiatives Consultant
- Data Driven Decision-Making to Increase Student Achievement (Board/Supt.) Student success is the most important job a governing board undertakes. How does using data lead to increased growth and achievement? Speakers - Dr. Nicholas Wahl, Vice President, ERCA Group
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Bonus Opportunity: Salsa-Making Competition with SLI sponsor Chartwells and Keynote Speaker Frank Kitchen (All Attendees)

5:30 pm -
Hosted Evening Reception and Dinner sponsor - Zrpath

Saturday, June 10, 2023
8:00 am - 9:00 am
Hispanic-Native American Indian Caucus Meeting
8:30 am - 9:00 am
Continental Breakfast
9:00 am - 10:00 am
Secret Shopper Component of Customer Service Training (ASAP)
Heidi Vega, Director of Communications and Ellen White, Director of Business and Conference Services
ASBA has an added to a component to our customer service training. You will learn about customer service standards and a new "Secret Shopper" component of our service.
9:00 am - 10:00 am
County Conversations (Board/Supt.)
Join members from your county to discuss issues that are important to you!
10:30 am - 11:30 am
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions: What Should Districts Consider Before Big (and Little) Decisions? (All Attendees)
Julie Bacon, Leadership Development Manager, Devin Del Palacio, Advocacy and Strategic Initiatives Consultant, Chris Kotterman, Director of Governmental Relations, Heidi Vega, Director of Communications
Governing boards make tough decisions all the time. What issues and factors should be considered in the process of making decisions? And how do you know if a decision will be big or little in your district? Learn some tips and best practices for school districts and governing boards facing difficult decisions in today's culture.
Additional Information
SUMMER LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE PRE-CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
Please note that separate registration is required for the June 8 New Board Member Orientation Part 2 Pre-Conference. The $165/person member registration fee includes access to pre-conference materials, continental breakfast, snacks and lunch. Registration for Summer Leadership Institute is not required to register for the Pre-Conference. Non-member pre-conference fee is $330/person.SUMMER LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
Please note that separate registration is required for the June 9-10 SLI Conference. The $350/person member registration fee includes access to conference materials, continental breakfasts, lunch, reception, dinner on Friday night and snacks on both days. Registration for the SLI Pre-Conference is not required to register for the SLI Conference. Non-member registration fee is $700/person.LATE REGISTRATION & CANCELLATION POLICY
Registration for both SLI Pre-Conference and SLI Conference closes on Monday, May 22, 2023. This is also the date for cancellations to be submitted. On-site registration will be accepted at an additional cost of $50. Cancellations for both workshops must be in writing and faxed to 602-254-1177 by Monday, May 22, 2023, or emailed to Gina Moss at gmoss@azsba.org. Those registered are entitled to send substitutes in their place.HOTEL INFORMATION **NEW HOTEL RESERVATION PROCEDURE**
The room block for Little America is sold out. The overflow hotel for SLI will be the Days Hotel by Wyndham Flagstaff. It is on the site and available for booking. If someone would like to be placed on the waiting list for Little America in case there are any cancellations, please email Ellen White ewhite@azsba.org with names, arrival and departure dates. The SLI Pre-Conference & SLI Conference will be held June 9-11, 2023, at Little America in Flagstaff. We have implemented a new hotel reservation procedure. To reserve a room, you must first register your members for the event. Once you have registered for the conference, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to register for the hotel. Please note that this link is unique to your registration, and it’s crucial that you do not share it with anyone else. Because the link is unique, sharing it with someone else could result in your reservation being overwritten and losing your room. Hotel reservations will open on Monday, April 24, 2023. The cutoff date for reserving rooms in the block is Wednesday, May 17, 2023. After this date, the group rate will no longer be guaranteed. To be fair to all conference attendees, we request that you only reserve the number of rooms that will be utilized.Registration
June 8, 2023
9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Little America, 2515 E Butler Ave, Flagstaff, Arizona 86004
Event Registration