Educators Gather at MCLA for Leadership Conference July 6-8

June 23, 2026

Educators from across the region will gather at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) from July 6-8 for the Leadership Conference, the capstone of the Leadership Academy's 2025 cohort and the kickoff for the incoming 2026 cohort.

The conference will open Monday, July 6, with a keynote from Julie Haagenson, founder of New Pathways, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in Murdock Hall. Scholar Robert Putnam will give the July 7 keynote, also 6:30-8:30 p.m. in Murdock Hall. Morning presentations will follow from Leslie Blake-Davis on July 7 and Matthew Bishop on July 8.

Concurrent sessions run July 7 and 8, from 10 a.m.-3:45 p.m., led by members of the 2025 cohort. Presenters share the research, strategies, and leadership practices they built over the year.

Sessions take on the issues schools face now: building inclusive communities, strengthening instructional leadership, improving operations, and supporting every student. They are organized around the four standards of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Professional Standards for
Administrative Leadership:

• Instructional Leadership
• Management and Operations
• Family and Community Engagement
• Professional Culture

"The Leadership Conference is the culmination of a year of growth, collaboration, and commitment to educational excellence," said Marianne Young, director of the Leadership Academy. "These presentations show the talent and dedication of current and aspiring school leaders working to create better outcomes for students, families, and communities across the region."

The conference will run in a hybrid format, with sessions open on campus or remotely. Registration is encouraged.

The Leadership Academy supports educators working to strengthen their leadership skills and lead effective, equitable, student-centered schools. The annual conference both celebrates the cohort's work and gives educators a chance to learn alongside colleagues from across the region.

For more information about the conference or the Leadership Academy, contact MCLA's Division of Graduate and Continuing Education at dgce@mcla.edu or 413-662-5575.


About MCLA

At MCLA, we're here for all — and focused on each — of our students. Classes are taught by educators who care deeply about teaching, and about seeing their students thrive on every level of their lives. In every way possible, the experience at MCLA is designed to elevate our students as individuals, leaders, and communicators, fully empowered to make their impressions on the world. In addition to our 130-year commitment to public education, we have fortified our dedication to equitable academic excellence. MCLA has appeared on U.S. News & World Report's list of Top Ten Public Colleges for 11 consecutive years, earning the No. 6 spot on the list of Top Public Liberal Arts Schools in the nation for 2026. The College's focus on affordable education and economic prosperity is reflected in additional 2026 U.S. News rankings: No. 6 for Top Performer on Social Mobility for liberal arts colleges in the state and No. 4 for Top Performer on Social Mobility for public liberal arts colleges in the country. These rankings measure how well schools graduate students who receive Federal Pell Grants.