NOWBOARDING WEST COAST
New this year! We’ve heard your feedback about the value of hosting TABS programming on the West Coast, and we’re thrilled to offer our signature Now Boarding program in California this August!
Have you made hires brand new to boarding school? NowBoarding will get your new hires up to speed and ready to make an impact in your boarding community!
Now Boarding is a rich, interactive onboarding into the complex world of boarding school life for employees in any functional role in a boarding environment. From understanding “in loco parentis” to building communities of belonging to promoting a culture of safety, participants will engage in training, case studies, discussions, and mentorship, equipping them to ask the right questions and hit the ground running from day one.
Participants will dive into topics including:
When
August 4–5, 2025
where
DoubleTree by Hilton Claremont
555 W. Foothill Blvd. Claremont, CA 91711
who
Any employee or volunteer new to the boarding school environment
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Examine the mosaic of boarding schools as an industry to understand why families choose boarding environments and why professionals build their careers in boarding schools.
Unpack the responsibilities of “in loco parentis” to understand the unique responsibilities and opportunities that accompany nurturing students in boarding schools.
Develop strategies for becoming a student of the culture of your new school and supporting the community you’ll help to cultivate for your students.
Take a deep dive into the cognitive, social, and emotional needs of your students and develop tools for supporting their mental health.
Learn the fundamentals of protecting students from misconduct and abuse.
Build a toolkit of practices that instill equity, justice and belonging in your community.
Download tips from employees who just finished their first year in boarding schools and develop a plan for how you can thrive within your new role.
Brainstorm, strategize, and problem-solve with a personal network of new colleagues and mentors from across the boarding school industry.
2025 FACULTY
Erin Hansen
Dean of Campus Life, Cate School, CA
Erin Hansen joined Cate in 2014 and currently serves as the Dean of Campus Life. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Communication and Comparative Literature from UCSB, her secondary teaching credential in English from Westmont College, and her master’s degree in Independent School Leadership from Columbia University.
Before Cate, Erin spent eight years in public education as an English teacher and English Department Chair. She also served as an adjunct professor at Santa Barbara City College, where she launched the first dual-enrollment freshman transition course. In addition, Erin has delivered professional development across California for the Get Focused, Stay Focused! program.
At Cate, Erin’s work spans English, Humanities, and career planning, as well as supporting students with academic tutoring and organizational skills.
Erin lives on the Mesa with her husband, Erik, and their two boys.
Yesela Tadeo
Dean of Residential Life and Dorm Head, The Webb Schools, CA
Jamie Forbes
CEO & Survivor, Learning Courage
Jamie is the founder and CEO of Learning Courage. His experience includes nearly two decades in the private sector in both finance and marketing roles, where he honed his business acumen, strategic thinking and creative approach. Jamie has also consulted with, helped start, and been involved in board leadership of a variety of nonprofit organizations.
His work with schools began when, in 2016, he shared the story of being sexually abused in 9th grade at Milton Academy. During the school’s 9-month investigation, he observed first-hand how important and yet challenging it can be for both survivors and school leaders to rebuild trust and support healing.
Learning Courage came out of his observation that schools needed guidance keeping survivors at the center of incidents of sexual abuse and misconduct. Central to his findings in this work is that being survivor-centered is in the best interests of not just survivors but also the institutions where the abuse occurred. The best way to improve the sector’s response to sexual abuse, he reasoned, was to create an organization that collected and shared what they learned.
Jamie graduated from Connecticut College and lives in Portsmouth, NH with his wife, two daughters and a dog that thinks he’s actually human.
Alisa Barnard
Director of Operations and Consultant, Learning Courage
Alisa Barnard is the Director of Operations and a consultant for Learning Courage. She has over 25 years of experience having worked as a “triple threat” Humanities teacher, dorm parent, and coach, and an administrator at Northfield Mount Hermon School, Westtown School, St. Paul’s School, and Proctor Academy where she was most recently the Assistant Head of School. She brings patience and a commitment to inclusion and collaboration to the complex work of community and institutional change.
An independent school graduate herself, Alisa has a deep understanding of the way in which the experiences that young people have in their formative years resonate throughout their lives. It is an appreciation for the unique, impactful relationships that develop in independent schools that draws her to the work of prevention, survivor care, and institutional healing.
Alisa is a graduate of Colgate University and Harvard Divinity School and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Divinity from Duke Divinity School with a focus on chaplaincy. She lives in Dublin, NH with her partner, children and two dogs.
DR. JAMES GREENWOOD
Dean of Equity and Social Justice, Northfield Mount Hermon School, MA
Dr. Greenwood brings with him a deep and rich history working in independent schools. This year marks his 21st year in independent schools, with 18 of those being in boarding schools. He currently serves as the Dean of Equity and Social Justice at Northfield Mount Hermon School in Gill, MA. In addition to his work leading DEI initiatives over the year, he has also taught history, served as a dorm head and residential life dean, and worked in admissions at various boarding schools including St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire, Northfield Mount Hermon School in Gill, MA; and Williston Northampton School in Easthampton, MA. Born and raised in Cleveland, Dr. Greenwood graduated from Kenyon College with a BA in American Studies with a concentration in African and African American Studies. He holds a Master of Arts in teaching from Brown University and a Masters of Education from Columbia University; and earned his Doctorate in Education from Boston College where his dissertation studied how teachers develop their culturally responsive practice.
KATE DANIELS
Dean of Student Support, St. Paul's School NH
GENE PHILLIPS
Director of Residential Life, St. Stephen's School, TX
Gene has been a dedicated faculty member and administrator at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Austin, Texas, for 32 years, serving in various roles, including Dean of Students, Director of Student Activities, Teacher, and Coach. Since 2000, he has led the school’s Residential Department, overseeing the boarding program and fostering a vibrant and supportive community.
Beyond St. Stephen’s, Gene served for over a decade as Headmaster and Housing Director at Youth Opportunities Unlimited at the University of Texas at Austin, furthering his commitment to student development.
An active leader in the boarding school community, Gene is the lead advisor for the TABS Foundation and Care Certification Program. His dedication to student and residential life was recognized in 2023 when he received the TABS Burch Ford Kaleidoscope Award for Excellence in Student and Residential Life.”
