2024 Annual conference

Dallas Joseph, COO/CFO
Baylor School

Dallas Joseph is COO/CFO at the Baylor School in Chattanooga, TN. Joseph entered the independent school sector after serving in financial leadership positions at three higher education institutions. In 2000, he joined the Baylor School as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, where he oversees
accounting, dining operations, spirit store, summer programs, swim club,
technology, security, transportation, and physical plant operations.  His career in education includes 10 years in higher education administration. Dallas is the former Vice President of Finance at Fisk University in Nashville, Suomi College in Hancock, Michigan and Shaw University, Raleigh North Carolina.  

Mr. Joseph holds Bachelor of Accounting Systems degree from the University of North Texas and a Master of Business Administration from Campbell University. He is a member of several professional organizations.
On the national level, he has held leadership roles in the areas of finance and enrollment management and served as board chair of the National Business Officers Association and the Enrollment Management Association. He serves on numerous boards, including RockPoint Bank, Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, the Hunter Museum of American Art, and Shaw University.

Nishant Mehta, Founder & President
MEHTA Cognition

After seven impactful years as head of The Children’s School in midtown Atlanta, Nishant founded MehtaCognition in spring 2020 as a leadership and management consultancy to better serve our educational and non-profit leaders and boards on their journey of innovation, inclusion, and strategic transformation. 

Over a career spanning two decades, Nishant has worked in or consulted nationwide with schools and other organizations, big and small, on issues of leadership, culture, strategy and change management, and equity and justice. He has lived in four countries and is fluent in several languages. He is a sought-after writer, speaker, and presenter on advancing cultures of inclusion, learning, and leadership in organizations

Nishant has served on many national, regional, and local boards. He shares his thoughts on leadership in inclusive communities, identity and belonging at https://still-day-one.ghost.io. You can follow him on LinkedIn. 

Jeff Shields, President & CEO
NBOA

 Jeff Shields, FASAE, CAE, has served as president and CEO of NBOA since March 2010. Shields is a sought-after speaker delivering keynotes and educational sessions to numerous independent school audiences that include business officers and business operations staff, heads of school, trustees and other school leaders on the state, regional and national levels.
Prior to his current role, Shields was employed by the National Association of College and University Business Officers for 10 years. At the time of his departure, he served as the organization’s senior vice president and chief planning officer. He began his career in association management as the assistant director for leadership training at the National Association of Home Builders. 

An active member of the American Society of Association Executives, Shields has been recognized as an ASAE Fellow (FASAE) and has earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation. He holds a BA from Shippensburg University and an MA from The Ohio State University.

He resides in DC and is the proud father of his 17-year-old daughter Samantha.

Russ Webb, Executive Director
Bay Area Apartment Association

Russ Webb is the Executive Director of the Bay Area Apartment Association, moving south in 2020 to the Tampa Bay Area after 21 years of managing the Atlanta & Georgia Apartment Associations. A tech junkie and speaker extraordinaire. For more than two decades Webb has taken on the challenge of a constituency of more than 2000 member companies and is passionate about helping other organizations reach their potential. He is a teacher at heart and the originator of edu-tainment – making people laugh while learning. Russ has presented to dozens of industry groups across the country and facilitated strategic planning and board visioning for more than 30 associations. Russ says that his goal when presenting is to make his session useful, impactful…and always memorable.  

Debra Wilson, President
NAIS

In August 2023, Debra P. Wilson began her tenure as the ninth president of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).
From 2019 until 2023, Wilson served as president of the Southern Association of Independent Schools(SAIS), where she led the organization through a period of growth and supported school leaders in her region through the COVID - 19 pandemic. Her SAIS role followed 19 years at NAIS, first as assistant director of regulatory affairs and later as general counsel. 

Before joining the NAIS staff, Debra was a tax litigator at the Department of Justice.  Wilson received a B.A. in English from Sewanee: The University of the South and a J.D. from the University of South Carolina at Columbia. She is a graduate of the Williams School, an independent school located on the campus of Connecticut College. She is an avid reader, photographer, and cook who loves to be outdoors.

Scott Wilson, Consultant & Executive Coach 
ISM

Scott, a 40-year leader in independent schools, joined ISM in summer 2021. Before that, he served as President and Headmaster of Baylor School, Tennessee, from 2009 to 2021. Scott understands the unique demands of independent school leadership and the skills necessary for navigating headship effectively—from strategic planning to the realities of working daily with the myriad constituencies of today’s complex school world. Above all, he retains his passion for independent schools and the services they provide for their students. Scott leads ISM’s Boarding School Cohort of School Heads.

He enjoys working with School Heads and their Trustees on all facets and challenges of school leadership.

Empty heading

Erik Brown, IT Director - Cybersecurity
FACTS Management

Erik Brown is a seasoned cybersecurity leader with 25 years of experience in IT operations, network administration, and cybersecurity. At FACTS, he directs a team overseeing network, infrastructure, and code security. His career spans domestic and international roles, driven by a passion for continuous learning and process improvement. Based in Texas with his wife and three children, Erik has completed 10 marathons and an ultra-marathon, including the NYC Marathon in 2022.

Empty heading

Jennifer Carroll, Partner
Fisher Phillips

Jennifer Carroll is a partner in the firm's Fort Lauderdale office and a co-chair of the Education Industry group. Jennifer counsels independent and private educational institutions on employee, student and board matters, in addition to litigating matters on behalf of school clients. Jennifer frequently presents at local and national conferences for various industry groups on employment issues, and regularly conducts school trainings. 

Brian Clark, Senior Vice President
OneDigital Retirement 

Brian Clark currently serves as a Senior Vice President of the Retirement + Wealth division and brings over 36 years of experience in ERISA 403(b) plan consulting to his role as Practice Leader. His team advises close to 6 billion in retirement plan assets covering over 100,000 employees. 

Empty heading

William Dillard, Director of Partner Awareness
Building Solutions

William Dillard brings over 25 years of experience in marketing and business development in a myriad of industries including over 20 years within the A/E/C and Real Estate industries. His focus the past 15 years has been with independent schools and colleges/universities. William has spoken to varying groups including MISBO, PAISBOA, Cal-ISBOA, NWAIS, TCSA, and NBOA. As the Director of Partner Awareness and member of the Executive Leadership Team for Building Solutions, he drives the firm’s strategies and tactics in all marketing related activities. 

Empty heading

Ilanit Fischler, Partner
Fisher Phillips

Ilanit Fischler is an employment and education attorney with Fisher Phillips. She represents schools in a broad range of matters relating to the workplace, including claims of unlawful discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour, and contract disputes before federal and state courts, and administrative agencies. A significant portion of Ilanit’s practice is also devoted to counseling schools on preventive measures they may take to avoid or reduce legal claims, including counseling on day-to-day issues. Ilanit also provides employee training, conducts audits, prepares and reviews policies (such as handbooks), and drafts of contracts. 

Tom Franz, Senior Associate of Partner Development
Building Solutions

Tom served a variety of schools during his thirty-nine years as a teacher, coach, mentor, division head, assistant head for academic affairs, head of school, and interim head of school. He served a variety of schools including Woodward Academy, St. Christopher’s School, Ravenscroft School, Trinity Episcopal School and High Point Friends School. Tom currently serves the North Carolina Association of Independent Schools Board, and for the past twenty years, he has served many schools as part of the VAIS, SAIS and SACS accreditation and re-accreditation processes. Tom loves working to help organizations grow and improve in support of their missions. 

Joaquin Infante, Director of Technology
Jewish Leadership Academy

Joaquin Infante is a visionary technology leader with over 15 years of experience in leading and directing technology initiatives. Throughout his career, Joaquin has demonstrated an exceptional ability to leverage cutting-edge technologies to deliver innovative solutions that meet the unique needs of the schools. As an expert in education technology, Joaquin has a deep understanding of best practices for edtech integrations. His mission is to empower students with tools they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world. Committed to transforming education, Joaquin focuses on delivering solutions that enable students to achieve their academic goals and fully engage in learning. 

Peter Kaihani, Solutions Consultant/SVP
Truist Bank

Pete Kaihani is a seasoned Solutions Consultant, with over 20 years of experience, on Truist’s Wholesale Payments Solutions Consulting team. He specializes in healthcare payments, practice management integrations, information reporting, and fraud prevention measures. Pete leverages his extensive expertise to deliver strategic solutions that optimize working capital and enhance operational efficiency for clients. His career spans various roles in the financial sector, where he’s worked in Consumer Lending, Bank Operations, Commercial and Business Banking, and Treasury & Payment Solutions. Pete holds a strong track record of understanding payment complexities and a commitment to driving impactful outcomes for clients.  

Veronique Kessler, CFOO
San Francisco Friends School

Veronique Kessler has been working in the independent school space for more than 10 years. She started her career at Deloitte where she obtained her CPA license and has since worked in both corporate and non-profit settings. She holds a Master's degree in Education and Human Development and is the current CFOO of San Francisco Friends School. 

David Lee, Partner
Smith + Howare

David joined Smith + Howard in 2005, is now a partner in the Assurance practice and leads the firm's independent school practice. He oversees audits of many of the firm’s employee benefit plan and nonprofit engagements, as well as engagements that service various other industries. David has participated in MISBO’s CFO Thursday Roundtable discussions, where he has been a featured speaker on the Paycheck Protection Program and related legislation, as well as best practices for capital campaigns and regularly takes part in discussions involving the independent school community. David, his wife and their twins live in Lawrenceville, Georgia. 

John Lynch, Education Industry Manager
Truist Bank

John Lynch brings over 28 years of banking experience to his role as head of Truist Bank’s Education Industry Specialty practice. John partners with teammates to provide tailored solutions to organizations operating in this critical and dynamic industry. John’s efforts focus on delivering commercial and capital markets banking solutions to the public and private higher education sector and the K-12 independent school sector across the Truist Bank coverage markets. Prior to joining Truist's Industry Specialty Team, John held a variety of positions with increasing responsibility and leadership including roles in Equipment Finance, Specialized Industries and Business Banking.

Charles Maumus, Director of Finance
Oak Hill School

Charles Maumus, after answering an ad for part-time accounting clerk at St. Martin’s Episcopal School in Metairie, LA, 30 years ago, has spent his career in independent school administration as an accountant, human resource manager, director of annual fund, director of admissions, and currently director of finance at Oak Hill School in Nashville, TN. An avid sports fan who loves U.K. basketball, Charles has coached high school softball and middle school baseball. He and his wife, Sharon, have a high school and college student. In his free time, Charles makes hot sauce and can always be found with a bottle of it wherever he goes. 

Cheryl McDowell, Senior Vice President, Education Practice Group
IMA

Cheryl McDowell has over 35 years of experience in insurance and risk management. She has served clients in industries ranging from aviation to technology, with a specialized focus on educational institutions. She holds Associate in Risk Management (ARM), Certified Insurance Services Representative (CISR) and Certified School Risk Manager (CSRM) designations, and has served as a national faculty member for the National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research. Cheryl works with an array of both non-profit and for profit organizations, including educational Institutions to provide strategic risk management and insurance solutions, through a forensic audit process that she developed.  

Kevin Melvin, Risk Management Advisor
IMA

Kevin Melvin has over 18 years of industry experience as it pertains to insurance and risk management. Kevin has been developed a passion working with school business officers and has exclusively been working with schools exclusively for the last 12 years of his career. Kevin holds a certified school risk management designation and is ALICE certified. Kevin also works closely with state associations as it pertains to educational risk 

Dave Michelman, President
Michelman Consulting

Dave Michelman crafted a career in independent schools including as a teacher, administrator, and a HOS for 21 years. He now partners with senior leaders and their teams to ensure they are serving themselves and their schools at the highest levels. 

Claudia Perez, Senior Manager
Smith + Howard

Claudia Perez joined Smith + Howard in 2017 and is a Senior Manager in their Assurance Practice. She serves clients in a variety of industries, including nonprofit, independent schools, real estate, manufacturing and distribution. Claudia is also a member of Smith + Howard's employee benefit plan audit practice. Claudia earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from The Ohio State University. She is a member of the Pension Education Council of Atlanta, Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. 

Beth Lucas, Director of Human Resources
Charlotte Latin  Day School

A native North Carolinian, Charlotte Latin’s Director of Human Resources Beth Cox Lucas attended an independent school in Winston-Salem. She not only is a product of the UNC system as a student in Greensboro, but much of her career before joining Charlotte Latin in 2014 was also spent working in the UNC system – specifically in Human Resources at UNC-Chapel Hill and at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. In addition, she taught a master’s level Human Resources Management course at UNCSA. She heads a department of three and together they manage a team of faculty and staff numbering close to 300.  

Anita Pittman Director of Human Resources
Carrollwood Day School

Anita Pittman is the Director of Human Resources at Carrollwood Day School in Tampa, Florida. She has a BA in Business Administration from Baldwin-Wallace University and she has a diverse business background, including managing finances and human resources for a number of small businesses. Before joining CDS in January 2021, she was at Oak Hall School in Gainesville for 9 1/2 years, and at Maclay School in Tallahassee for 3 ½ years.  

Amy Todd, Retirement Plan Consultant
OneDigital 

Amy Todd joined OneDigital as a Retirement Plan Consultant in July 2022 after spending 11 years supporting institutional clients at Vanguard. In her current role, Amy acts as a co-fiduciary for several 403(b) and 401(k) clients in which she consults with plan sponsors and investment committees, monitors investment lineups, and provides employee education. Amy holds the Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor designation, earned a spot on the National Association of Plan Advisors Top Women Advisors list, and holds FINRA Series 7, 63, and 65 licenses. 

Mark Vosskamp, CFO/COO
Girls Preparatory School, Inc

Mark Vosskamp holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Duke University and MBA from UNC-Chapel Hill. He remains a devoted Blue Devil basketball fan. Vosskamp’s professional experience in independent schools began as a high school math teacher throughout the ’90s. He has since worked in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors, executing for-profit mergers and acquisitions, developing innovative solutions in the publishing industry, and managing finance and operations for a human services organization. Mark is on the Board of Directors of MISBO (an association of business officers) and serves as treasurer of a couple other boards. 

Peter Winebrenner, Principal
Hord Coplan Macht

Peter Winebrenner is a Principal in Hord Coplan Macht’s Education Studio, and the Independent School practice leader. He has nearly 30 years of experience in planning and designing independent K12 campuses and buildings. As an active member in several educational planning organizations, he frequently gives speeches and shares insights on topics affecting independent school planning and design. He strives to create transformative learning environments for the clients, students and faculty on all his independent school projects. Peter grew up on the campus of and attended Mercersburg Academy, further informing his unique understanding of independent schools. 

Kaitlin Windle, CEO & Founder
Apte

Kaitlin Windle, a proud Hathaway Brown School alum, is a former professional ballerina turned Wall Street investment banker. She later entered the nonprofit sector as a Development Director and then CFO. Combining her investment banking skills with data analysis, Kaitlin standardized board reports, driving organizations to record fundraising and financial success within a year. This experience inspired her to found Apte, aiming to empower independent schools through data-driven strategic decision-making.