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Trustee 101

For: Newly Appointed Board of Trustee Members of Independent Schools or those in their first or second year serving on the Board

Thursday, August 21, 2025; 

7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

This session is for Board of Trustee members in their first or second year of service on the Board, or for those who want a reminder of the principles of good governance.  You will be presented with an overview of the basic concepts and complexities of independent school governance.  Case studies provide an interactive session.

Presented by:

Dr. Jennifer C. Galambos is Head of School at Kent Place School, an all-girls nonsectarian K - 12 school. She understands the need for an approachable, innovative, and creative leader who is dedicated to advancing Kent Place School’s mission and to preparing girls and young women for a global future. She earned her doctorate in education from Teachers College, Columbia University; her master’s degree in education with a concentration in private school leadership from Loyola University; and her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Franklin and Marshall College. Early in her independent school career, Jennifer was the Middle School principal at the Bullis School (MD); Director of Admission at Green Farms Academy (CT); Director of Admission and Financial Aid at Saddle River Day School (NJ); and a history teacher, dorm parent, and coach at the Perkiomen School (PA). More recently, she spent nine years at Bryn Mawr School, in Baltimore, as the Assistant Head of School and Upper School Director. Before that, she was its Middle School Director. In addition, Jennifer has served on numerous Boards, is the current Board Chair of the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools, presented at annual conferences, and been a nationally ranked tennis player.

Dr. Kevin Ruth is the Executive Director of the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools (NJAIS).  He previously served as Managing Director of Westlake Global, an innovation and growth firm for K-12 independent and international schools, as well as domestic and international post-secondary institutions and institutions of higher education. His leadership roles have included President of Moreland University (Washington, DC) and Chief Executive of the Educational Collaborative for International Schools (London). In addition to 26 years in education, he has given 23 years of service as a Board member on non-profit boards, including four years as an independent school Trustee. Kevin Ruth is a Fellow in the UK-based Royal Society of Arts; member of the Online Executive Panel (Education) for McKinsey & Company; judge for the International School Awards; past lecturer for the National Endowment for the Humanities; and an advisor to multiple international education projects, including contributions to the OECD Future of Education and Skills 2030. He holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Rutgers University, as well as executive education credentials from Stanford University, and the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford. A polyglot with seven languages, Kevin is a Stanford Certified Project Manager®, a Certified Merger & Acquisition Advisor®, and holds citizenship in the US and UK.

Registration Fee:

$100 per Participant, Member Schools;
$200 per Participant, Non-Member Schools

Registrant 1:

MEMBER INFORMATION: If your school is a member of NJAIS, upon receipt of your registration, we will automatically generate an invoice and send it to your Business Office. Payment is not required at the time of your registration. Your school will have 30 days to pay the invoice.

NON-MEMBER INFORMATION: If you are an employee of an organization or school that is NOT a member of NJAIS and you are registering for this workshop, please provide the company/school address. We will automatically generate an invoice and send it to your Business Office. Payment is not required at the time of your registration. Your school will have 30 days to pay the invoice. Thank you.

Registration fees will only be refunded if NJAIS is notified of your cancellation two weeks prior to the program. You may transfer your registration to a colleague in your school at no cost.

Cancelation requests should be sent via email to Rachel Folan, rfolan@njais.org.