"I find it rewarding to meet leaders where they are and help them to take ownership of their role and lead with faithful confidence."
Serving for decades as a head of school and administrator in private independent schools, Merry shares her experiences and life lessons through stories that provide insight and spiritual inspiration to educators and those passionate about preparing the next generation for a world so completely unknown.
Keynote, Conference, and Retreat Topics
Obstacles to Opportunities: Transforming Catastrophes into Triumphs
Learn from my life’s lessons how you can apply your unique talents and traits to transform what seems earth-shattering into something groundbreaking.
Serving in school leadership is incredibly rewarding, providing educators with a pivotal role in shaping the future of our youth, community, and world. However, with the rewards come great responsibilities, including the unforeseen challenges that can thwart the efforts of even the most tenured of administrators.
I draw from my experience serving in school administration throughout the displacement, destruction, and rebuilding from Hurricane Katrina, to the revitalization of under-enrolled schools, the calamity of COVID-19, and the seemingly endless daily dramas that arise when leading schools.
Adopting an Adaptable Leadership Style: Embracing the Evolution of Education
Healthy school communities are always learning and growing. Learn how some minor adjustments to your mindset can make all the difference when faced with the challenges of an ever-changing educational environment. An expectancy of good has always lit my path and brightened the way for positive change. Two messages I share with my coaching clients are, “Expect good” and “Assume good intent.” What a difference those shifts in mindset make!
Educators face the front lines of everything that impacts their students, community, and culture. The world of education is changing at machspeed. Change is inevitable; therefore a willingness to learn, adapt, and look forward with eager anticipation unlocks boundless opportunities.
This topic is designed to inspire administrators on how to lead with confidence while navigating a landscape that seems impossible to pin down. Depending on the mindset we adopt, uncertainty and discomfort are transformed into surety and solutions.
Ethics in Education: Fundamentals for the Future with AI
Leading with integrity is our only option and it can feel lonely at times. The right choice is often the hardest one. The introduction of AI into our daily lives continues to complicate matters. The unwavering commitment to our moral compass requires a groundedness in faith, kindness, and integrity. Let’s explore together how faith and integrity are fast becoming the essential ingredients to counter the uncertainty that comes with AI. Let me help your team and community develop the tools for addressing the barrage of difficult decisions that academic leaders face that often result in lifelong consequences for students and families.
Learn how you can set the standard and expectations for a community that understands its mission and values and uses those to model excellence in ethics for the faculty and student body.
This program will give you the confidence you need to lead with unwavering integrity while helping your students develop those same values.