2026 MISBO Annual Conference
Atlanta Marriott Northwest at Galleria
200 Interstate North Parkway East SoutheastAtlanta, GA 30339
United States
Registration is now open!
Founded in 1976. Still grooving. Still connecting the movers and shakers.
Put on your boogie shoes and your bell-bottom pants and join us in Atlanta, GA, for the 2026 MISBO Annual Conference as we celebrate 50 years of connects independent school professionals and delivers exceptional value to enrich learning.
This year’s conference is built around three themes—Momentum, Mindset, and Meaning—guiding session design to help you gain traction in your work, strengthen your leadership perspective, and reconnect with the purpose behind it all.
Tune in below MISBO’s 50th Anniversary Playlist below to get a feel for the music and moments that defined the year it all began.
Speakers and Sessions
This year’s conference is built around three core themes: Momentum, Mindset, and Meaning, shaping sessions designed to help you gain traction in your work, strengthen your leadership perspective, and reconnect with the purpose behind it all.
Simon T. Bailey
Momentum: Velcro Leader – Amplify Hope in Everyone
Thursday, October 22 - Morning Keynote
Simon T. Bailey is an award-winning keynote speaker who teaches people how to harness strengths, bounce back stronger from setbacks, and build a life of meaning.
In Velcro Leader: Amplify Hope, Simon T. Bailey launches MISBO’s 50th Anniversary by exploring the science of hope and the mindset that distinguishes transformational leaders. Drawing on research and real-world insight, he demonstrates that hope is not a soft sentiment but a measurable, strategic force that fuels performance, resilience, and innovation. Simon challenges business officers and operational leaders to see themselves as mission-driven catalysts who shape culture and possibility across their schools. Participants will leave energized, equipped with a practical understanding of how amplifying hope strengthens teams, sharpens leadership, and positions independent schools to thrive in the years ahead.
1. Identify the key components of hope as a measurable, research-based driver of performance, resilience, and innovation in organizational leadership.
2. Explain how a hope-centered leadership mindset influences school culture, team effectiveness, and strategic outcomes within independent school operations.
3. Apply practical strategies to amplify hope in their leadership approach to strengthen teams, enhance decision-making, and support long-term institutional success.
Vipul Kapadia
Mindset: How Leaders Adapt, Design, and Execute Change
Thursday, October 22 - Afternoon Keynote
Vips brings 20+ years of experience as a coach, entrepreneur, and consultant, management consulting, co-founding Qedis, and launching ThinqShift.
This program challenges independent school operational leaders to translate evolving demands into intentional leadership practices. As schools navigate increasing complexity driven by artificial intelligence, workforce shifts, economic pressures, and changing stakeholder expectations, this session explores how adaptive leadership can move beyond reactive problem-solving to the deliberate design of culture, strategy, and organizational resilience. Through practical frameworks and real-world applications, participants will gain insight into how business officers and operational leaders can step into more strategic roles.
Rob Evans
Meaning: Why This Work Matters and How We Sustain It
Friday, October 23 - Morning Keynote
Rob Evans is a clinical and organizational psychologist, school consultant, and executive coach to school leaders. He served for 40 years as the Executive Director of The Human Relations Service.
In this culminating keynote, Rob closes the MISBO 50 arc by reconnecting leaders to the deeper purpose behind their work. Framing change as a fundamentally human endeavor, he highlights how relationships, courage, and community are the true drivers of effective leadership in independent schools. The session celebrates the critical role business officers and operational leaders play in shaping lives—not just managing systems—and challenges participants to sustain their leadership through clarity of purpose, meaningful connection, and mission-centered decision-making.
1. Recognize why effective change in schools must prioritize human dynamics alongside technical solutions
2. Identify leadership practices—relationships, courage, and community—that drive meaningful impact in independent schools
3. Apply strategies to sustain leadership effectiveness through clarity of purpose and mission-centered decision-making
Kick off your 2026 MISBO Annual Conference experience with an engaging Pre-Conference Workshop taking place on Wednesday, October 21st, from 2:00–4:30 PM.
Additional information coming soon!
REGISTRATION
Add to conference registration: $79
Advanced workshop only: $99
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Member School Conference Registration
Registration Ends 10/21/26 at 11:59 PM EDT
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$565.00
Price will increase to $625.00 on
4/10/26
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Non-Member School Conference Registration
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$645.00
Price will increase to $705.00 on
4/10/26
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Pre-conference workshop
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$79.00 |
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Pre-conference workshop ONLY
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$99.00 |
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RSVP: MISBO on Tap Beer Tasting Event
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$25.00 |
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The Groovy 50th Birthday Concert Only
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$76.00 |
Check out our conference sponsors!
Founded in 1976. Still grooving. Still bringing people together.
MISBO is turning 50, and we’re ready to celebrate in true 70's style—with a far-out party surrounded by our favorite people. Slip into your bell-bottoms, dust off those boogie shoes, and join us on the evening of Wednesday, October 21 in Atlanta, GA, during the 2026 MISBO Annual Conference for our Groovy 50th Birthday Concert.
Get ready to hit the dance floor as the fabulous Susi French Connection, a high-energy 70s cover band, brings the funk, the rock, and all the classic hits that will keep the party movin’ all night long.
We’ll keep the good vibes flowing with a light buffet, a champagne toast, interactive fun, and—of course—birthday cake worthy of a 50-year celebration.
Conference attendees are already on the guest list—no ticket needed! Not attending the conference? You can still join the fun by purchasing a concert ticket or adding a guest and making it a night to remember. Grab your tickets now and let’s celebrate 50 years of MISBO in groovy style!
For More Information:
Earn credits at this conference!
CPE CREDIT
MISBO is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.
HRCI Credit
MISBO is a recognized provider of recertification credits. HR Certification Institute® pre-approved this program for credits towards aPHR™, PHR®, PHRca®, SPHR®, GPHR®, PHRi™ and SPHRi™ recertification.
SHRM Credit
MISBO is recognized by SHRM to offer SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP professional development credits (PDCs). For more information about certification or recertification, please visit www.shrmcertification.org.
Event Policies
Click here to review the Event Registration and Cancellation Policies.
Join the buzz for this event! #MISBOAC26