Elevating
Enrollment
2024 Annual Conference | Boston, Massachusetts
September 18-20, 2024
2024 Schedule
"Perfect balance of intensity and downtime, with just the right amount of sessions."
About EMA’s 2024 Annual Conference
In the last decade, the Enrollment Management Association (EMA) community of enrollment professionals has achieved remarkable advances both professionally and programmatically. Now, in 2024, we must ask ourselves, how can we continue to rise as leaders and strategists in support of our institution's long-term financial sustainability?
This year's conference theme Elevating Enrollment offers all conference goers the opportunity to expand their leadership and management skills, learn from one another (and from incredible speakers), collaborate on industry-wide innovations, and celebrate our accomplishments, all while planning for the future.
Join more than 1,200 of your independent school colleagues from around the U.S. (and around the world) in Boston, Massachusetts, this fall for illuminating conversations and a truly empowering community experience.
"It’s always a well-organized event and a wonderful opportunity to gather as a group professionally (and socially)."
Early Bird Registration is Now Open!
Attend in person to learn from inspiring keynotes, transformative breakout sessions, meetups, affinity spaces, and more.
$100 off each registration as part of a group. Example: Register five additional people, get $500 off.
AC24 Speakers
Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer, Enrollment Management Association
Since 2011, Heather has led EMA to modernize the organization and professionalize the admission and enrollment industry. Under Heather’s leadership, EMA has restructured management, rebuilt the IT infrastructure, enhanced the SSAT test development processes and procedures, launched an elementary level SSAT, created a new and innovative Character Skills assessment, grown the use of the Standard Application Online, and published groundbreaking research and much more. In 2025, after completing 14 remarkable years, Heather Hoerle will retire as Executive Director and CEO.
Founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative
Bryan is a widely acclaimed public interest lawyer who has dedicated his career to helping the poor, the incarcerated, and the condemned. Under his leadership, EJI has won major legal challenges eliminating excessive and unfair sentencing, exonerating over 140 innocent death row prisoners, confronting abuse of the incarcerated and the mentally ill, and aiding children prosecuted as adults. He is the author of the critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Just Mercy, which was adapted into a major motion picture starring Michael B. Jordan as Stevenson. Bryan is also the subject of the Emmy Award-winning HBO documentary, True Justice. He has received over 50 honorary doctoral degrees and in 2023 was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Biden.
President, Northeastern University
Joseph is a well-known higher education thought leader and renowned scholar in linguistics, is the seventh President of Northeastern University. He is the author of numerous articles and books, including Robot-Proof: Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (MIT Press, 2017). In it, he lays out a blueprint for colleges and universities to meet the challenges and opportunities associated with the transformative effects of artificial intelligence.
Director of Admissions, Harvard College
Prior to leading admissions at Harvard, Joy served as Dean of Admission and Financial Aid at Wellesley College for seven years. Early in her career, she held admission roles at Amherst College, Tufts University and Occidental College and worked briefly as a College Counselor and Director of Scholarships at The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, CA. She has spent twenty-five years dedicated to issues of access and diversity in college admission and higher education.
"Quality of speakers and unified sentiment across presentations was excellent."
Flagship Pre-Conference Institutes
"The ATI training was extremely helpful and where I made my best connections"
Admission Training Institute (ATI)
Are you a new admission associate with 0-3 years of experience?
Now more than ever before it will be critical to make sure the whole admission team is equipped with the best network, knowledge, and skills to help meet your school’s enrollment goals. New associates will have the chance to connect with peers from other schools, learn from industry experts, and benefit from the wisdom of experienced directors.
ALL-STAR FACULTY INCLUDE:
- Jeffrey Beaton - Chief Enrollment Manager, Choate Rosemary Hall School, CT
- David Darby - Assistant Head: Enrollment Management, Lakefield College School, ON
- Amy Graham - Dean of Enrollment Management, Stevenson School, CA
- Tiffany Nelson - Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management, Paideia School, GA
- Amy Sayfie Zichella - Director of Admission and Enrollment Management, Ransom Everglades School, FL
- Donnie Smith - Director of Admissions, Redwood Day, CA
- Kelly West - Director of K–12 Admission, The Browning School, NY
FUTURE LEADERS INSTITUTE (FLI)
Future Leaders Institute was designed specifically for aspiring directors of admission, helping to meet a professional development need in the independent school enrollment industry. The content also has universal applications that can help inform anyone seeking a leadership role in schools. The program is intentionally intimate and focuses on strategic leadership and building a career based on your individual goals and interests.
Essentially a leadership bootcamp, Future Leaders will help you determine what you need to know in order to take the next step in your career. A director of financial aid? A director of admission or perhaps even a head of school. Future Leaders is here to help guide you on your professional journey.
Join us in September and then continue the strategic learning all year through our mentor program.
ALL-STAR FACULTY INCLUDE:
- Christian Donovan - Head of School, Baltimore Friends School (MD)
- Quentin McDowell - Head of School, Mercersburg Academy (PA)
- Jill Thompson - Director of Admission, Phillips Academy (MA)
Admission Director Institute (ADI)
Are you a new admission director with 0–3 years of experience?
On average, tuition revenue accounts for 79%* of the operating budget of independent schools. And now everyone is looking to you as the new leader of the office responsible for that. You’ll need advanced skills, perspectives, data, and connections to move your school forward.
Partnering with your head of school and board, forecasting and projecting with your CFO, and building long-term enrollment management and financial strategies are key skills you will begin to develop at ADI. Over two days, you will hear from industry keynote speakers, learn from seasoned admission directors, and collaborate with fellow new directors. *National Business Officers Association
ALL-STAR FACULTY INCLUDE:
- Brad Brown - Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management at Trinity School (GA)
- Matti Donkor - Director of Admission, Phillips Exeter Academy (NH)
- David Lazo - Director of Enrollment Management, Bentley School (CA)
- Andrew Weller - Dean of Admissions and Enrollment, The Birch Wathen Lenox School (NY)
- Wellesley L. Wilson - Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, Lakeside School (WA)
New 2024 Pre-Conference Workshops
Anti-bias PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP
While meeting enrollment goals is paramount, ensuring equity should be a priority. This pre-conference workshop will challenge you to audit your process and practices with an eye toward minimizing bias. Unearth what subjectively influences your lens, explore ways to operationalize anti-bias practices, identify opportunities to use data in measuring DEIJB objectives, and assemble a toolkit containing the things you'll need to use in building a more equitable enrollment operation at your respective school.
ALL-STAR FACULTY INCLUDE the members of the EMLC Culture & Belonging Working Group:
- Rohan Arjun - Friends Select School (PA)
- Ray Cross - St. Andrew's School (RI)
- Alex Halladay - The Northwest School (WA)
- Renée Thompson - Prospect Sierra School (CA)
- David Tuttle - Canterbury School (CT)
Financial Aid PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP
Elevate Your Impact: Using Data, Levers, and Best Practices for Effective Financial Aid ManagementIn the ever-evolving landscape of independent schools, financial aid administrators play a pivotal role in shaping the future of their institutions. This workshop is designed for you—the dedicated practitioners at the forefront of equitable and accessible education, working to support enrollment goals, rising demand for aid, and budget constraints.
Join us to learn about best practices, today's challenges, and the latest trends. More importantly, equip yourself with a roadmap to optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of your financial aid program. Through interactive breakout sessions, group discussions, and case studies, you'll gain skills and knowledge to leverage your FA platform's tools and levers and establish fair, equitable, and consistent review protocols.
Whether you're new to financial aid or an experienced professional, this workshop offers practical insights and actionable takeaways to elevate your program, preparing you to navigate your upcoming financial aid season successfully.
ALL-STAR FACULTY INCLUDE Leadership from Mission Enrollment:
- Alisa Evans, Founder & CEO, Mission Enrollment
- Anita Harper, Chief Operating Officer, Mission Enrollment
- Mission Enrollment will be joined by FA practitioners from across the U.S., each using a leading FA platform.
Post-Conference Workshops
Join your peers for rich content, action-oriented learning in one of our Post-Conference 3-hour workshops. Learn from your peers, network with colleagues and bring back actionable strategies for your team and school.
Thank You to Our Conference Sponsors
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Interested in Becoming a Sponsor?
Explore Boston (it’s wicked cool!)
September is the perfect time to visit historic Boston, Massachusetts! Whether you are interested in the famous Duck tour or shopping on Newbury Street, Boston is the city for you!
