Leadership Conference 2025
Includes a Live In-Person Event on 10/09/2025 at 8:30 AM (EDT)
Date: 10/09-10/2025
Location: Renaissance Columbus Westerville-Polaris Hotel | 409 Altair Pkwy | Westerville, OH | 43082; Captain Ballroom
Fee: $300 (Member) / $600 (Non-Member)
Join us October 9-10 for a hands-on, interactive session with Dr. Marguerite Roza focused on navigating our complex financial landscape. We are operating in a new landscape, and success will require a proactive approach as federal funding shifts, state and local budgets grow tighter, and community engagement remains challenging for school leaders. Dr. Roza will deliver an overview of the financial outlook for K-12 education and present tools to assist leaders in managing compensation systems, leveraging data to prioritize student needs, and ensuring the financial sustainability of school districts.
On day two, we will shift focus to communications. Media and messaging experts will guide participants on how to answer tough questions from the press and the community, and how to communicate consistently and effectively.
Participants will learn how to:
- Prioritize spending on student needs and sustain high-impact investments
- Use data to communicate financial decisions and improve outcomes
- Explore innovative compensation strategies that support student success
- Strengthen messaging with media and the public
Thursday, October 09
8:30 am - 9:30 am
Registration Desk Open/Breakfast
9:30 am - 10:00 am
Welcome and Program Overview
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Program
Dr. Marguerite Roza, Edunomics Lab
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Lunch
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Program
Dr. Marguerite Roza, Edunomics Lab
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Program Re-Cap & Wrap Up
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Reception/Dinner
Friday, October 10
8:00 am - 9:00 am
Breakfast
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Media/Public Relations Training
Emily Smith, Emily Smith Coaching
Patti-Jo Burtnett, Lorain County Children Services
12:00 p.m.
Adjourn
Hotel Reservations
OASBO has secured a special hotel room rate at the Renaissance Columbus Westerville-Polaris Hotel of $179 + 16.5% tax per night for your stay.
Reservations may be made be calling the Hotel directly at 614-882-6800 or 833-427-0292. You need to identify as being with the Group of OASBO's Leadership Conference in order to receive the special Group rate.
OR
You may make a reservation through the following link:
Group's cut-off date is 4:00 PM, Wednesday, September 17, 2025.
Dr. Marguerite Roza
Director, Edunomics Lab / Research Professor, McCourt School, Georgetown University
Dr. Marguerite Roza is Research Professor at Georgetown University and Director of the Edunomics Lab, a research center exploring and modeling complex education finance decisions to inform policy and practice. She leads the McCourt School of Public Policy's Certificate in Education Finance, which equips participants with practical skills in strategic fiscal management, policy analysis, and leadership. Her research traces the effects of fiscal policies at the federal, state, and district levels for their implications on resources at the school and classroom levels. She is author of the highly regarded education finance book, Educational Economics: Where Do School Funds Go?
Roza was a Senior Economic Advisor to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and a Lieutenant in the US Navy teaching thermodynamics at the Naval Nuclear Power School. She earned a PhD in Education from the University of Washington, a BS from Duke University, and studied at the London School of Economics and the University of Amsterdam.
Emily Smith
Career, Executive, and Team Effectiveness Coaching, Emily Smith Coaching
Emily Smith is a certified professional coach dedicated to helping people thrive in their careers by becoming more confident and effective communicators. After 14 years in a successful legal and business career, she launched her coaching practice in 2016 to guide clients in identifying their natural strengths and values and applying them to everyday interactions. Emily helps clients build self-awareness, articulate their goals clearly, and communicate with confidence in professional settings.
Patti-Jo Burtnett
Director of Operations and Special Projects, Lorain County Children Services
Patti-Jo Burtnett brings over thirty years of experience serving on the management team of a county government agency. Her expertise includes stakeholder relations, reputation management, crisis communications, and government relations. As a skilled storyteller, she effectively communicates organizational mission and priorities while engaging audiences to inspire action. She is highly valued for her timely and insightful advice.
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