Leadership Partners - Florida Council of Independent Schools

October 4-5, 2026
Hyatt Regency, Orlando International Airport

Join us for a two-day workshop with the leaders of Florida independent schools. The workshop will offer strategies for strengthening the partnership and collaboration between Heads and Board Chairs.

This workshop will benefit both Heads and Board Chairs.

REGISTER HERE

EVENT DETAILS

Topics include:
• Building a Strong Partnership
• Communicating Effectively
• Addressing 21st Century Challenges in
Independent Schools
• Developing a Strategic Plan
• Understanding Head and Board Expectations
• Conducting Performance Evaluations for Heads
and Boards
• Establishing Good Governance

Feedback from participants:
What did you find most valuable about this workshop?
~ Being able to spend time with my Board Chair; current and incoming was incredibly valuable. Hearing the same information together is essential!
~ Clarity on the roles of the heads and the board
~ Spending time with fellow Heads and Board Chairs.
~ Each session was extremely informative and helpful. The camaraderie amongst FCIS colleagues is one of the many aspects of in-person events that I value.

SPEAKERS

MEET THE SPEAKER

MEET THE SPEAKER

Dr. Barbara Hodges began her tenure as Executive Director of FCIS on July 1, 2010. Before assuming her FCIS duties, Barbara served as Head of School at Holy Comforter Episcopal School for 17 years in Tallahassee and President of the FCIS Board of Directors. Her prior experience includes serving as a Curriculum Development Specialist and teacher in North Carolina, and teaching at schools in both Virginia and Florida. Currently, Dr. Hodges has served as President of the Florida Association of Academic Non-public Schools (FAANS), a member of the Board of the Independent School Association Network (ISAnet), and the Chair of the International Council Advancing Independent School Accreditation (ICAISA). Other related professional experiences include serving on the Board of Regents of the Episcopal Diocese of Florida, the Florida Council of Independent Schools (FCIS) Board of Directors and the North Carolina Association of Educators’ Board. Dr. Hodges has presented on a state and national level on the topic of governance, including being a keynote speaker of the Independent School Chairs Association (ISCA) Conference, held at the Harvard Club. In addition, she has been a presenter at the NAIS Annual Conference.

Dr. Hodges has identified her vision for FCIS “to be a premier independent school association with a strategic board, proactive legislative advocates, and a streamlined quality accreditation process that provides outstanding member services, while utilizing strong communication, up-to-date technology, and marketing to operate with efficiency and professional excellence.

MEET THE SPEAKER

MEET THE SPEAKER

Carrie White is an ambitious and highly successful Board Chair and Leadership Consultant with proven track record managing stakeholders to accomplish short-and long-term organizational goals. She is a strategic thinker with extensive non profit governance and
leadership background.

She has demonstrated leadership facilitating executive teams in non-profit and for profit environments. Carrie provides oversight and guidance for $55 million P&L. She is the recent recipient of Summa Cum Laude from The George Washington University achieving a Masters Degree in Organizational Leadership and Learning.

SCHEDULE

REGISTRATION

Registration: $569 (Members) | $669 (Non-Members)
(Includes all sessions, dinner on Sunday, and breakfast and lunch on Monday.)

Location: Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport, 9300 Jeff Fuqua Blvd., Orlando, FL, 32827

Parking:

Self Parking

$11.00 (for event only) | $19.00 (overnight)

Valet Parking

$14.00 (for event only) $28.00 (overnight)

*Parking rates are subject to change without notice

Hotel Room: from $229 (plus applicable taxes)
Hotel Reservations should be made directly through the Hyatt Regency. Use the reservation link: Leadership Partnership through Principles of Good Governance Reservations, or if you need additional assistance, please contact the hotel directly at 877-803-7534. Make sure to identify yourself as part of the FCIS group. Once the room block is sold out, there may not be rooms available at this group rate.

Registration and Hotel Deadline: September 16, 2026

Cancellation & Refunds: All hotel cancellations must be made directly through the hotel and in accordance with hotel policy. Workshop refund requests must be made in writing and emailed to Keara Danger at kdanger@fcis.org. There is a $100 per person processing fee through September 16, 2026, with no refunds after this date.

Schedule: The workshop begins Sunday, October 4, 2026, at 2:00pm and continues through Monday, October 5, 2026, at 3:15pm.

Questions? Contact Nicole Robison at nrobison@fcis.org or at 813-287-2820.

REGISTER HERE