2026 SPARC National Conference

2026 SPARC National Conference

1:00pm MST

Creating Raving Fans: Elevating Auxiliary and Camp Programs Through Exceptional Experience TBAKristi Jacobi

Earn Your SPARC MBA: Master the Business of Auxiliary TBABob Rojee

Under Construction: Building Your Strategic Auxiliary Roadmap TBADavid Sullivan

4:00pm MST

Registration TBA

5:00pm MST

Opening Reception TBA

8:00pm MST

Campfire Session TBA

7:30am MST

Continental Breakfast TBA

8:30am MST

Welcome to SPARC TBA

9:15am MST

Ignite General Session TBA

10:15am MST

SPARC Connections TBA

11:00am MST

From Data to Decisions: Systems That Save You 10 Hours a Week TBAMike Evans Little Fires Everywhere TBAJason Shuster Strategic Partnerships: Aligning Data, Marketing, and Auxiliary Programs for Growth TBACourtney Franks • Ellen Madden Streamlining Program Management with Google Workspace: A Collaborative Roundtable TBAMelissa Branigan • Elizabeth Essink The Next Generation of Building Auxiliary Programs at Independent Schools TBALeahanne Fenton • Meghan O’Leary • Sophie Paris • Pamela Torres • Bob Rojee The Parent Trap Playbook: Magic in the Middle TBAHaley "Cricket" Dickinson

12:15pm MST

1:30pm MST

Centralizing Auxiliary Programs: Leading with Clarity, Structure, and Control TBAJoe Ali From Spreadsheets to Strategy: Turning Data into Systems That Actually Work TBASabrina Raber • Jeremy Ehlers Gen Z, Decoded: Real Talk for Program Leaders TBARebecca Stokes Lessons from Bob the Builder: Designing Programs with Purpose, Play, and Sustainability TBABob Rojee • Nomi Hershman The Valley Ho Vibe: Designing Energy, Identity, and Connection at Camp TBAMichael Carmody • Katie Peterson Your Program Has a Business Model. Does Your Strategy Know It? TBADavid Hanson • Peter Baron

2:45pm MST

Afternoon Snack TBA

3:30pm MST

AI in Action: Transforming Auxiliary Programs from Planning to Performance TBACaitlin Hampton • Jana Blackwell • Jeff Bowman • Bob Rojee Empowering Future Leaders: Building an Effective CIT Program for Middle School Engagement TBAWhitney West • Mallory Davis Financial Aid for Auxiliary Programs: Partnerships, Process, and Impact TBAKatie Saylor • Tanner Taylor Get Found First: The Website Secrets That Fill Enrollment TBAJenn Richey Nicholas • Lou Stuber Top 10 Failures TBADan O'Neil Unique Program Ideas TBASarah Merianos • Sigita Newsom • Charley Pelissier

5:00pm MST

6:00pm MST

Dinner on Your Own TBA

8:00pm MST

Campfire Session TBA Karaoke TBA

6:30am MST

Fun Run TBA Yoga TBA

7:30am MST

Continental Breakfast TBA

8:30am MST

Excellence in Auxiliary Awards TBA

9:00am MST

Ignite General Session - SPARC Led TBA

10:15am MST

Coffee Break TBA

10:45am MST

AI Session TBA Beyond the Gates: Cultivating High-Impact Community Partnerships TBAKevin Babuder Budget Quest: Dollars, Decisions, and Dream Teams TBAKristi Jacobi • Kate Vizen From Good to Exceptional: Elevating the Parent Experience Through Intentional Systems TBAJulie Gomez • Keri Packman Leading auxiliary through the unexpected: educating, advocating, and adapting in a changing school environment TBANatalie Forcier People, Policies, and Protection: Employment Law Essentials for Auxiliary Leaders TBA

12:00pm MST

Lunch on the Lawn TBA

1:00pm MST

A Strategic Pivot: Maymester Pop Ups TBAJana Blackwell • Caitlin Hampton Camp Hiring- A Full Cycle Journey TBANick Tosh • Sabrina Harris Marketing Systems for One-Person Teams TBAAubrey Bursch Pardon the Interruption: Auxiliary Edition TBADan O'Neil • Bob Rojee The Dynamic Duo: Director of Summer & Auxiliary and CFO TBADanielle Tripp • Andrea Newman The Fine Print Matters: Legal Essentials for Auxiliary Agreements TBA

2:15pm MST

"Party of One": When After-School and Summer Camp Programs Land on Your Plate TBALiz Anglin • Ashley Scott Boots On The Ground Leadership: Culture. Commitment. Connection. TBADeBorah Henry Mapping the Camp Marketing Year TBAAubrey Bursch Too Cool for Camp: Summer Offerings for 7th-9th Graders TBAKat Yorks • Jim Patterson What’s Your Threshold to Change? TBALee Biear • Weston Outlaw Your Programs, Their Language: Communicating Auxiliary Value to Senior Leadership TBAEuan Oswald

3:15pm MST

Ice cream break with games TBA

3:45pm MST

Leading from the Middle: Influence, Legacy, and the Future of Auxiliary Leadership TBA After School Programs - Balancing Free Play and Structure TBADan Gilson • Zakia Vanhoose Benefits of Camp Partnerships Over Competition TBATrisha Gordon • Sophie Rothman Cost Per Camper: How Your Schedule Really Drives Your Costs TBAJake Andrus • Marcie Glad Designing for Connection: Building Collaboration, Communication, and Community in Gen Alpha TBAAlyssa Thomas Does Size Matter? Measuring Success in Auxiliary Programs TBAJenny Alario Don't Forget About Me! TBALindsay Quinn Don't put Auxiliary in the corner! Making enrichment programming part of school culture TBANathan Renstrom • Brian Turk Lead the Way & Join the Party: Camp Assistant Program Launch & Summer Bash Open House TBACherie Dioguardi Lessons Learned from Sleep Away Camp TBAColleen Borst • Christopher Malicky Maximizing Impact Without Burnout: Rethinking Teacher-Led vs. Vendor-Led Programming TBAJessica Fisher Operational Excellence in Facility Rentals: Coordinating Calendars, Staff, and School Systems for Success TBACarlos Rivera • Bruce Miller Put Down the Phone, Pick Up a Knife: One School's Answer to the Anxious Generation TBAJordan Burnham-Bialikj Scaling Training and Support for Campers with Diverse Needs TBAIsabelle Tambascio • Jackie Butler • Drew Mackay School Safety in a Complex World: A Coordinated Approach for Campus and Beyond TBABobby Brasher • Michael Dawson Stop Prompting, Start Doing: Practical AI for Program Directors TBA The Advantages of Opening AfterSchool (and Summer Camp) to All TBAAmy Pichette • Kerry Leavenworth The Art of Play TBANomi Hershman • Staci Beese The Captain’s Log: Turning Daily Chaos into Actionable Program Insight TBAAmanda Jerido-Katz The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Student Transportation: What Independent School Auxiliary Leaders Need to Know TBALeah von Eichel-Streiber • Heather Murphy Work Smarter: Making Your Registration System Work for You TBAJenny Doherty • Rachel Crosscombe

5:00pm MST

6:00pm MST

Dinner on Your Own TBA

8:00pm MST

Campfire Session TBA Game Night TBA

5:30am MST

Camelback Hike TBA

7:45am MST

Continental Breakfast TBA

9:00am MST

Beyond the Logo: Building a Lifestyle Brand for Your School TBAJennifer Turner Camp Is a Business: Building Buy-In, Driving Growth and Increasing Revenue TBALenora Sansbury From Arts Camp to Strategic Growth Engine: How Data, Market Analysis, and AI Transformed Derby Summer Programs TBATJ Coogan Metrics that Matter for your Auxiliary Programs TBAHeather Murphy Stuck or Scaling? Reimagining the Veteran Auxiliary Role TBAKate Vizen

10:00am MST

SPARC Connections TBA

10:30am MST

Ignite General Session - PechaKucha TBA

11:30am MST