Pre-Conference Workshops

  • Facilities as a Strategic Asset for Independent Schools: Trends, Case Studies and Resources

    NBOA
    APPA

    Independent schools are navigating complex facilities challenges that directly impact their financial sustainability and long-term mission. Pressures such as deferred maintenance, escalating energy costs, evolving safety requirements and the demand for innovative learning spaces require strategic foresight and collaboration between business officers and operations leaders.

    This interactive, two-part workshop will begin with a landscape overview of national facilities and infrastructure trends, with relevance to independent K–12 schools. Participants will then engage with a case study from Hackley School, highlighting how strategic facilities planning has created measurable success. The case study will include utilizing resources and frameworks along with benchmarking tools and staff development. All of these can empower business officers to strengthen capital planning, align facilities operations with strategy, and maximize institutional value.

    Learning Objectives

    Participants will be able to:

    • Identify the top facilities and infrastructure challenges facing independent schools today, including financial, operational and strategic dimensions.
    • Analyze a peer case study to extract actionable insights and practical approaches for facilities planning and decision-making.
    • Understand tools, benchmarking resources and staff development to enhance collaboration between business officers and operations staff, improving long-term facilities outcomes.

    Credit Information

    CPE Credit
    Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge
    Delivery Method: Group Live Based
    Program Level: Basic
    Prerequisites: None
    Advanced Preparation: None
    Recommended CPE Credits: 3.0

    HRCI Credit
    Recommended HRCI Credits: 2.5
    HRCI Category: Business

    SHRM Credit
    SHRM PDC Credit: 2.5
    SHRM BoCK: Business Acumen

     

    Sunday, March 1

    Check-In: 1:00 PM - 1:30 PM
    Program: 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM

    Register Now

    Members: $420  |  Nonmembers: $590

    Lalit Agarwal

    Lalit Agarwal

    Chief Executive Officer

    APPA – Leadership in Educational Facilities

    Lalit Agarwal serves as the CEO of APPA. Before this role, Lalit spent two decades in the facilities operations teams at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and two-plus years at EnergyCAP, LLC in the software product team. With a deep commitment to advancing the facilities profession, Lalit brings a strategic mindset, operational clarity, and a focus on innovation to lead the organization. He is passionate about empowering teams, integrating emerging technologies, and fostering a strong professional community across institutions. Under his leadership, APPA continues to evolve as a dynamic, mission-driven organization supporting excellence in educational facilities management. Lalit enjoys mystery, comedy, and sci-fi books, TV shows, and movies. Solving Sudoku puzzles is a favorite pastime. Traveling with his wife and two teenage boys is another passion.

    David Ulmer

    David Ulmer

    Chief Operating Officer

    APPA – Leadership in Educational Facilities

    Dave Ulmer is the Chief Operating Officer of APPA. Before joining APPA, he spent more than a decade at PJM Interconnection, an electricity grid operator, leading technology projects and teams. He later served as Chief Product and Technology Officer at EnergyCAP, delivering software solutions to help educational facilities teams manage energy and sustainability. At APPA, Dave oversees daily operations, strengthens member engagement, and advances the organization’s digital transformation efforts. He is passionate about using technology to solve real-world problems, building high-performing teams, and driving initiatives that support excellence in educational facilities management. Guided by a commitment to service, collaboration, and innovation, Dave ensures that APPA remains a trusted partner for facilities leaders. Outside of work, Dave enjoys spending time with his wife and their five children, volunteering with his church and local swim team, and seeking new technology solutions that can make a meaningful impact.

    Robert Aldrich

    Robert Aldrich

    Director of Operations

    Hackley School

    Vice Chair

    APPA Board of Directors

    Robert J. Aldrich is currently serving as the Director of Operations and Campus Planning at the Hackley School. Located on a hilltop above the Hudson River in Tarrytown, New York, Hackley is an independent, college-preparatory, nonsectarian, day and boarding school for students in kindergarten throguh tewelth grade. Founded in 1899, Hackley has an enrollment of approximately 850 students. As the Director of Operations and Campus Planning, Bobby serves as a member of the School's Senior Administrative Team, reporting directly to the Head of School, and oversees the non-academic functions and logistics of the school, including responsibility for the physical plant and campus, transportation, environmental sustainability initiatives, health services, captial projects, campus safety and security, food service, school calendar, auxiliary programs, and information technology.

  • Examining Your School’s Financial Health Using BIIS Data and Tools

    EXCLUSIVELY FOR NBOA MEMBERS! Pre-registration is required due to limited capacity.

    Data can answer critical questions, inform operational decisions, support strategic conversations through goal setting and tracking, and strengthen partnerships across independent school leadership. In short, strategic data use is critical to the foundation of any school leader’s work. In this new pre-conference workshop for NBOA member schools, learn how to put your school’s data to work when you use the tools available in NBOA’s data reporting platform, Business Intelligence for Independent Schools (BIIS). Create peer groups and benchmark key data points, analyze data that should inform decision making, and communicate more effectively and efficiently about your school’s operational and financial health. You will also learn how to use the powerful tools available in BIIS, including the Composite Financial Index (CFI), NBOA Financial Dashboard, the Financial Sustainability Heat Map among others. This workshop is offered exclusively to NBOA members and will be led by NBOA’s research team. The first half of the workshop, open to all NBOA members, regardless of previous BIIS use, will provide industry insights from NBOA’s research findings as well as an overview of the most important data, benchmarking and financial health metrics schools should consider using to evaluate and communicate about their school’s financial health. The program will include an overview of the functionality and tools in BIIS, and how they can shed new light on different facets of your school's financial position. Bring your laptop for the second half, which will be dedicated to hands-on use of the BIIS tools with individualized support from the NBOA research team.

    If you plan to attend the second half of the workshop and spend time using BIIS, please log into BIIS before the workshop to ensure your access is up-to-date and to confirm that your school has data in BIIS. If you have entered sufficient data into DASL, your data should be in the BIIS platform, even if you have not previously used BIIS. Contact research@nboa.org with any questions.

    Learning Objectives

    Participants will:

    • Be inspired to use data to advance their school’s mission and be informed about how to do so.
    • Understand how DASL data entry populates BIIS tools.
    • Become familiar with BIIS tools and how to use them to measure financial health and inform strategic decisions.

    Credit Information

    CPE Credit
    Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge
    Delivery Method: Group Live Based
    Program Level: Basic
    Prerequisites: None
    Advanced Preparation: None
    Recommended CPE Credits: 3.0

    HRCI Credit
    Recommended HRCI Credits: 2.5
    HRCI Category: Business

    SHRM Credit
    SHRM PDC Credit: 2.5
    SHRM BoCK: Analytical Aptitude

     

    Sunday, March 1

    Check-In: 1:00 PM - 1:30 PM
    Program: 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM

    Register Now

    Members: Free

    There is no registration fee for this NBOA members-only program, but capacity is limited, so please register ahead of time to reserve your space. If you register and are no longer able to attend, please let us know as soon as possible so that another NBOA member may attend in your place.
    Elizabeth Dabney

    Elizabeth Dabney

    Senior Director, Research and Data Analysis

    NBOA

    As NBOA’s senior director, research and data analysis, Elizabeth Dabney leads the development, planning and management of industry research using data from the association’s Business Intelligence for Independent Schools (BIIS, pronounced “biz”) platform, in addition to other research activities as identified by the association’s strategic plan. Dabney’s research and analysis supports NBOA’s mission to inform NBOA members and other external stakeholders and encourage data-driven decision making throughout the independent school community. Dabney brings to NBOA more than 20 years of research experience. Prior to joining NBOA in 2019, she was the director, research and policy analysis, at the Data Quality Campaign, a nonprofit education policy and advocacy organization. Her prior professional work experience includes research roles at Westat and Metis Associates, Inc. She holds a B.A. in sociology from New York University.

    Micaila Schwebe

    Micaila Schwebe

    Manager, Data Quality

    NBOA

    As the manager of data quality on the research and data analysis team at NBOA, Micaila Schwebe (she/her) supports industry research projects as well as working on business analysis to ensure NBOA is serving members and its mission. She collaborates with teams across the organization to conduct internal data analysis that provides insights on how to elevate member satisfaction. She has over five years of experience in the analytics industry with a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in data science from Syracuse University. Prior to joining NBOA, she worked in the corporate sector and in public education where she provided business insights to stakeholders. As part of her role, she ensures data accuracy within the Business Intelligence for Independent Schools (BIIS) platform as well as optimizing the data entry process. She resides in Syracuse, NY with her fiancée Michelle and puppy Auggie.

    Ann Marie Tidona

    Ann Marie Tidona

    Director of Finance, Operations and Strategic Projects

    Friends Academy

    Ann Marie is a certified public accountant and an experienced finance and operations director with a demonstrated history of working in K-12 education management. Skilled in nonprofit organizations, budgeting and forecasting, strategic planning, human resources, debt financing, endowment and investments, regulatory compliance and risk management Ann Marie has served as Chair and Conference Chair of the Business Affairs Council of the New York State Association of Independent Schools, and as an Officer and Board Member of the Independent Data School Exchange. Ann Marie is a current board member of the National Business Officers Association and the past Board Treasurer. Ann Marie is the recipient of the 2008 Will J. Hancock Award and is a frequent presenter and accreditation team member.