Please note that the ASBOA series qualifies for CPA and CPHR continuing education requirements.

Wednesday, August 13, 2025 
Instructor: Pam Penner
Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Communicating Under Pressure

Download Communicating Under Pressure Manual

As leaders, being able to make conscious choices about how we react and respond to situations and people is an important skill.

The ability to communicate as a leader starts with listening, and recognizing when you need to reframe and amend your messaging to consider the needs and concerns of your audience, having an open mind, and suspending judgments and assumptions.

Having this knowledge as a leader helps you to be more self-aware, confident in your communication and ability to influence. Leaders with strong communication skills have a greater ability to engage and connect with their teams, peers, and other stakeholders. They can effectively communicate their vision and can create meaningful relationships.

Knowing the most effective way to communicate to influence others, be assertive, and manage yourself and your impact on others can have a positive impact on business outcomes.

Presented by:

Pam Penner has worked in the field of conflict resolution and relationship building for over 25 years.

As an instructor, she specializes in helping individuals develop their communication and conflict resolution skills.  As a mediator, she works with Leaders and their teams to analyze and manage conflict in the workplace, finding creative solutions and strengthening working relationships. As a coach, she works with individuals to manage the conflict within, tap into their resourcefulness, and achieve personal goals.

She holds a Master’s degree in Conflict Analysis and Management and is a certified coach with both the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and Coaches Training Institute. She also worked (retired) at the Justice Institute of B.C. as an instructor and coach helping students develop their skills.

Thursday, August 14, 2025
Instructor: Marc Tassé

Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in Public Leadership

In an era of increasing public scrutiny and accountability, school business officials are often faced with complex ethical dilemmas that require sound judgment and principled decision-making. This session will explore real-world scenarios where competing interests, stakeholder expectations, and limited resources collide — and where the appearance of conflict can be just as damaging as a breach of integrity.

Participants will gain practical tools to strengthen their ethical decision-making frameworks, understand the impact of perception on trust and credibility, and foster a culture of ethical leadership within their institutions. Through interactive discussion and case-based analysis, this session will equip leaders with the mindset and strategies needed to uphold the public trust while navigating today’s challenging educational landscape.

Presented by:

An award-winning lecturer at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law and at the Telfer Executive MBA program, Mr. Marc Tassé has also delivered lectures on corporate ethics and financial crimes, at some of the world’s premier universities such as McGill University and Harvard University.

Over the past 30 years, Mr. Tassé has taught over 8,500 university law and business students, and also trained over 40,000 legal and business professionals across Canada and internationally. In addition, he has researched and developed numerous accredited professional development programs for legal and business professionals, as well as developed new courses for Law and MBA students.

Mr. Tassé examines domestic and transnational economic and financial crimes from different angles, and explores what motivates people to break the law, how wrongdoers cover their tracks, what can be done to put a stop to the looting, and the importance of Artificial Intelligence, Data Analytics and Machine Learning for fraud/corruption prevention and detection.

As a thought leader in the field of anti-corruption, Mr. Tassé was selected as a knowledge partner for the 2020 OECD Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum, to present a research paper on “Re-imagining Corporate Punishment on a Multilateral Scale”.

He has since been selected to present further research on the topic of tackling corruption via Supranational mechanisms at an Anti-Corruption Symposium, to be hosted by the World Bank Office of Suspension and Debarment, the OECD, and the American Society of International Law in April 2022.

Mr. Tassé was also selected in 2020 to participate in the academic roundtable discussions organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), to provide advice to the G20 Anti-Corruption Ministerial Working Group.

Mr. Tassé’s current research focuses on the actual and potential effects of allegations of corruption and improper financial reporting on publicly‐traded company’s market capitalization.

Other areas of interest for Mr. Tassé are the trends in class action litigation in the context of white collar and corporate crime, as well as the reputational risks faced by national and international corporations and their directors.

He is a recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal for his significant contributions in his field.

Friday, August 15, 2025 
Instructor: Lavesh Chattlani
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Better Productivity Through Artificial Intelligence and Automation Tools

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation tools offer incredible opportunities for all business professionals to improve productivity and accuracy. For example, generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Bard can be beneficial when conducting research or drafting reports and correspondence. Likewise, Microsoft’s Power Automate platform and similar tools such as Zapier can help you elevate efficiency to levels you may have thought unattainable.  If this sounds appealing, plan to participate in this course to modernize your workflows and take advantage of these tools.

This course will teach you practical applications of today’s AI and automation tools. Moving beyond fundamental discussions, you will learn how to use AI and automation to streamline workflows, improve internal control, maximize productivity, and even improve team member morale. In addition, you will learn about some potential pitfalls associated with these technologies and how to avoid making mistakes when using these tools.

Presented by:

Lavesh Chattlani is the founder of Scalene AI Consulting, where he helps professional service firms harness the power of AI, automation, and data to drive measurable business outcomes. With over a decade of experience in Canadian fintech — including senior leadership roles at Intuit QuickBooks and most recently as Senior Director of the Canadian Accountant Business Unit at Sage — Lavesh has worked with thousands of accountants and bookkeepers across the country, helping them modernize their practices through technology.

A natural problem-solver and educator at heart, Lavesh has spent the past 15 years delivering training across a wide range of platforms. He brings deep expertise in workflow optimization, cloud accounting ecosystems, and the practical application of automation and artificial intelligence. He is especially passionate about advancing financial literacy and enabling businesses to realize the full ROI of their technology investments.

Lavesh holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Toronto Metropolitan University and has spoken at leading industry events such as QuickBooks Connect and Accountex Canada, where he’s known for his engaging delivery, strategic insights, and — regrettably — his famously terrible dad jokes.

Outside of his professional work, Lavesh enjoys woodworking, gardening, and spending time with his wife, young daughter, and their fluffy Samoyed. Whether he’s coaching firms through change management or explaining the value of automation, he brings a thoughtful, practical, and often humorous approach to every session.

In this course, system education leaders will develop financial literacy skills and gain a comprehensive understanding of how funds are allocated to school authorities in Alberta. Participants will explore the complexities involved in managing and overseeing the finances and operations of a school authority, enhancing their capacity to support sound fiscal leadership.

CASS extends its gratitude to the Association of School Business Officials of Alberta (ASBOA) for their collaboration in the development of this course.

As a result of attending this course, participants will:

• gain a broad understanding of the flow of resources into a school authority from the province.
• identify and interpret the legal, human resource, insurance, and local requirements, processes, people and structures that guide the operations of a school authority in Alberta.
• apply strategic thinking and planning skills including the use of available data sources when determining resource allocations in a school authority and ensuring a connection with school authority priority areas.
• explain the importance of stakeholder engagement in the resource allocation process within a school authority and the opportunities this engagement provides to system education leaders.
• formulate a plan that acknowledges personal areas of strength and areas for growth in this area and identifies next steps and possible resources to support continued learning, growth, and understanding of managing operations and resources within their school authority.

Course Facilitators:

Danica Martin has over 20+ years of experience in educational leadership roles at the school and system level. Most recently, Danica was an Assistant Superintendent of Education Services with a central Alberta school authority. She has led a variety of complex teams and worked strategically with them to build leadership capacity and cohesion. Danica holds a Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership as well as a Bachelor of Education degree. Additionally, she is a certified Working Genius facilitator and a certified Professional and Business Coach. Danica believes strongly in the impact of leadership and the ripple effect that leaders can have throughout their organizations. Danica is the founder and principal coach of Danica Designs Coaching and Consulting.

Corrine Thorsteinson is the Associate Superintendent – People Services with Red Deer Public Schools. Corrine has close to 30 years in the field of education with over 20 of those in school and system leadership roles. She feels fortunate to work in Human Resources Leadership, where she has had opportunities to facilitate mentorship, empower others to navigate tricky personnel issues and oversee the implementation of vital HR processes and employment conditions. Corrine is a certified Working Genius Facilitator. Corrine holds a Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership, as well as two undergraduate degrees – a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education. She believes in empowering others to lead from where they are at.

With guest speaker Chelsey Volkman, Associate Superintendent, Business and Finance with Black Gold School Division

Central office leaders play a critical role in developing and supporting principals in their capacity to provide effective instructional leadership. This interactive course offers participants the opportunity to collaboratively share best practices and benefit from dedicated time for meaningful conversation and reflection on this important work. Activities will include working with colleagues to develop descriptions of effective instructional leadership and sharing examples of current initiatives from their respective school authorities. Participants will leave with a curated repository of best practices to support their ongoing efforts.

Note: Pre-course work is required to support active engagement in group activities.

As a result of attending this course, participants will:

• develop and model instructional leadership to assure optimum learning for students.
• utilize collaborative professional learning structures to scaffold the implementation of high-quality instructional leadership practices across the system.
• prioritize and monitor all structures and processes necessary to create the conditions necessary for instructional leadership practices to be in place.
• determine the appropriate datasets in which to measure the impact of their Providing Instructional Leadership work. In addition, they will use this data to set direction and determine priorities in relation to deepening their work in Providing Instructional Leadership.

Course Facilitators:

Shan Jorgenson-Adam has been an educator for over 30 years working in a variety of educational roles (teacher, school administrator, division principal, director, assistant and deputy superintendent) in both British Columbia and Alberta. Shan has co-authored numerous articles on leadership. As a key lead in a leadership development research project, Shan has presented at several conferences, such as uLead, CASS, and Learning Forward, on school leadership. Shan has led literacy, numeracy, inclusion, school culture, community engagement, strategic planning and leadership development in several school divisions.

Dr. Rita Marler has worked in K – 12 public education for over 30 years in central Alberta. Rita’s passion is instructional leadership and her doctoral work focused on the instructional leadership role of the assistant principal. As a superintendent for 9 years, Rita’s visionary leadership and relational approach paved the way for a collaborative culture that created connections amongst administrators and schools across her school division. She has co-written articles and presented at the University of Alberta, uLead, CASS, and Learning Forward on school leadership.

Shan and Rita are currently supporting school authorities through their joint venture, JAM Educational Consulting.

With guest speaker Ashley Floyd, Director of Teaching and Learning with Living Waters Catholic Schools.

This course, designed specifically for system education leaders, offers a powerful exploration of strategies to foster effective, authentic relationships within complex educational environments. The course is organized across five engaging and practical modules:

1. Defining Relational Leadership;
2. Empowering Positive Professional Relationships;
3. Navigating Challenging Conversations and Building Community;
4. Relational Leadership in Practice;
5. Envisioning and Committing to Meaningful Change.

As a result of attending this course, participants will:

• recognize how strong relationships impact educational communities.
• reflect on compassion, collaboration, trust, and growth to build positive professional connections.
• learn strategies for handling difficult dialogues and resolving conflicts.
• evaluate and enhance their leadership using relational tools.
• envision meaningful improvements in education, drawing from their own leadership experience.

Course Facilitators:
Dr. Christopher Fuzessy is the Superintendent of Schools and Chief Education Officer at Foothills School Division (FSD) in southern Alberta. In his role, Christopher is committed to ensuring that FSD is “A Place for All” by focusing on the empowerment and well-being of students, staff, and the broader community. He is a strong advocate for placing education at the center of a flourishing community, a responsibility he holds dearly.
With a comprehensive career spanning nearly every role within the education system, Christopher brings a wealth of experiential knowledge to his position. His practical experience is further strengthened by his academic credentials, including a Bachelor of Education and a Master’s Degree, Educational Studies from Concordia University, as well as a PhD from the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. Christopher’s dedication to education and community well-being underscores his leadership at FSD, where he continuously creates opportunities for growth and development across the entire school division.

Cynthia Glaicar had a successful career with Foothills School Division (FSD) that included school-based leadership, opening a new school, and leading system level learning in the role of Director of Staff and Wellness Learning. Cynthia retired from FSD and stepped into the opportunity to work overseas in an international school supporting a new school leadership team in the role of system instructional coach. She is now working in leadership development and coaching in both the private and educational sectors.

Guest speakers: TBD

In this course, participants will learn about over 50 hacks and heuristics they can apply to ensure their Boards are edified, engaged, constructive, and productive. These hacks and heuristics have been vetted through a committee of seven chief superintendents serving in rural, urban, and metro school authorities. The pedagogy will promote the social co-construction of meaning, yet the primary goal of the course is for each participant to leave with a personalized philosophy of how to best support effective governance in their context.

As a result of attending this course, participants will:

• learn how to insert themselves as activating presences with their Board.
• learn how to communicate with the Board and to help their Board communicate, engage, and advocate with both the public and one another.
• learn how to help the Board focus on their fiduciary duty to provide the public with assurance.
• understand the efficacy of adhering to guidelines and processes derived from several key Board policies.

Course Facilitators:

Dr. Scott Morrison is the former Superintendent of Christ the Redeemer (CTR) Catholic Schools and a former CASS President. Prior to becoming a superintendent, Scott served as a teacher and principal at both the elementary and secondary levels. Scott retired from the superintendency in 2023 and now keeps himself busy as the Executive Director of the CCSSA and teaching leadership courses at St. Mary’s University and the University of Calgary. Scott’s master’s research focus was distributed practice, and his doctoral research focus was organizational storytelling. Scott is an experienced facilitator of professional learning and has presented on various topics as far south as Lethbridge and as far north as Grande Prairie. He’s also presented at CASS’s Start Right and Leading for Learning for over a decade. Another professional interest is consulting with St. Mary’s University as they seek to establish a Master of Education in Catholic Leadership program.

Dr. Andrea Holowka is the Superintendent of Schools with Christ The Redeemer (CTR) Catholic Schools. With 30 years of service in education, Andrea brings extensive leadership experience from her roles as a teacher, principal, system leader, and superintendent. She has served as a superintendent for over ten years in various divisions, including CTR, the Calgary Board of Education, and the Calgary Catholic School District. Andrea holds a Doctorate of Education, with a dissertation focused on supporting mental health intervention services across large school authorities. She is active in leadership and cross-sector collaborations throughout Alberta and has held provincial leadership roles, including President of the Council of Catholic School Superintendents of Alberta (CCSSA) and President of the College of Alberta School Superintendents (CASS).

In this course, participants will engage in learning alongside an Elder or Knowledge Keeper, course facilitators, and peers as they reflect on Indigenous student success. Through this experience, they will situate themselves within their own professional context, unpack underlying assumptions, and examine processes, data, and accountability measures related to provincial funding that supports Indigenous students. Participants will also have the opportunity to reflect on their own positionality and privilege, and to consider the conditions necessary to carry the experiences and stories of Indigenous youth with respect and care. Guided by Indigenous thinkers and educators, participants will explore the impact of their collective efforts and leave with a renewed commitment to informed action.

As a result of attending this course, participants will:

• experience (in spirit, heart, body, and mind) safety, support, and learning in community with course participants.
• understand provincial grants received for Indigenous students.
• embody a renewed sense of leadership accountability for Indigenous students.
• relate the meaning of “never giving up” in the language of the local Elder or Knowledge Keeper to leadership actions for Indigenous student success.
• examine their own positionality in relation to leadership accountabilities.

Course Facilitators:

Elder Calvin Cardinal  is from Saddle Lake Cree Nation. He has been with the Aboriginal Teacher Education Program, or ATEP, since May 2023 as the Elder in Residence whereby he provides cultural teachings and spiritual guidance for the students and staff of the program. Elder Cal actively participates in and is a steadfast presence in the students’ journey towards becoming in-service teachers and provides guidance to advance various research initiatives within the ATEP community and educational landscapes.

Cal is a husband to Mona Cardinal, a father and a mother to many grandchildren.

Joanne Pitmanis a 4th generation settler who grew up on Treaty 8 Territory and now resides in Treaty 7. She is the Chief Superintendent of Schools for the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) and prior to that, held the role of Superintendent, School Improvement. Joanne’s career has focused on intentional practice, developing and leading effective collaborative teams, and creating a foundation for education to serve all students across all schools. She is committed to building strong relationships on behalf of the CBE within the city and across the province. Before joining CBE, Joanne held the position of Assistant Superintendent Universal Design & Learning in the Medicine Hat Public School District and began her career with the Grande Prairie Public School District as a teacher, principal, district principal, and director.

Lori Pritchard (she/her) is a proud Métis auntie, educator and leader whose family ancestry traces to the historic Red River Settlement (MB), and the Batoche, Duck Lake, St. Laurent Métis communities (SK). Lori’s paternal grandparents (Lawrence Pritchard & Verna Vandale) were grassroots organizers who contributed to advancing Métis rights and identity in Saskatchewan. Her maternal grandparents were first generation settlers from Ukraine. As a teacher, principal, and system leader, Lori has been rooted in purpose to support the holistic, lifelong learning needs of Indigenous students, Indigenous Education for all students, staff and families, and district level improvement for positive and lasting systemic change for more than 30 years. Lori is currently an Education Director in the Calgary Board of Education (CBE), carrying relational accountability guided by kinship for Indigenous Education, including Niitsitapi Learning Centre and Piitoayis Family School. As a member of the CBE senior leadership team, Lori walks alongside ally leaders to support the CBE’s shared responsibility to advance the TRC 94 Calls to Action with a focus on Education for ReconciliACTION.

Dr. Dianne Roulson is a white settler of Icelandic and French roots and a grandmother to three wonderful girls. She was born in Treaty 7 near the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers. She had the privilege of working in public education for 34 years with the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) holding various portfolios in her role as Education Director including Indigenous education, curriculum & assessment, languages, and SOGI (sexual orientation and gender identity). She has worked closely with Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers over time who opened their arms and hearts to her and shared many teachings. Because of their love and guidance, she continues to work in public education in her current role as a Leadership Consultant with the College of Alberta School Superintendents (CASS) to support success for Indigenous students and Indigenous education for the benefit of all students. Dianne is one of the course developers and will support the facilitators during the course.

This course will provide the information and support to system education leadership teams to effectively implement a continuum of support and services model within their school authority. The participant will become involved in several interactive activities to understand their beliefs about education and educational practices, as well as their own limiting beliefs which prevent them from becoming their best selves. Participants will learn about the necessary attributes in the design of a continuum of supports and services, the essential elements, and the strategies, knowledge, and skills they will need to lead this work.

As a result of attending this course, participants will:

• engage with the community in implementing a vision for optimal learning for all students that is supported by a Continuum of Supports and Services (CSS). (Leading the Process)
• challenge potential bias and reflect on their own beliefs and practices to be able to implement a CSS. (Learning to Be)
• understand the seven elements in the design of a CSS and demonstrate how these elements are reflective in showing progress of the CSS within the system. (Learning to Know)
• identify evidence to collect to provide assurance the CSS is responsive to the learners in their school authority. (Learning to Do)

Course Facilitators:

Loriann Stienwand brings experience at all levels of education, having worked as a teacher, learning coach, school administrator, Director of Inclusive Learning, and Mental Health in Schools Specialist with Alberta Education. Currently Loriann holds the position of Superintendent of Valhalla Charter School and works as an Education Consultant with Alberta Health Services. Through a systems approach she has had extensive experience enhancing individual and organizational capacity at the school, school authority and provincial levels. Loriann has led the creation of foundational educational frameworks for inclusion including Implementing a Continuum of Supports and Services: A Resource Guide for School and School Authority Leaders. She has enriched collaborative systems through the design of Alberta’s Mental Health in Schools Pilots and has provided instructional leadership in moving research to action with the University of Calgary and CBE in the provision of targeted mental health supports. Loriann holds a Master of Educational (Educational Leadership) from Gonzaga University, a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, both from the University of Saskatchewan. Loriann is passionate about and unwavering in her belief in the power of the collective in advancing equity, mental health and well-being.

Dr. Dianne McConnell began her career as a teacher with the Parkland School Division. She completed her PhD in Special Education and became a registered psychologist. Dianne has worked as a Vision Consultant (Teacher for the Visually Impaired), Director of Student Services at multiple school divisions, led the Alberta Provincial initiative for inclusion (Setting the Direction), and eight years as Associate Superintendent with Parkland School Division (retired June 2021). She is also the mother of three children, two of whom had complex health conditions, including vision loss. She has been involved in advocacy in the field of Blindness and Visual Impairment at both the provincial and national levels for over 30 years. She has been a dedicated advocate throughout her career and is passionate about making a difference for children and their families.

With Guest Speaker: Cathy Giesbrecht, Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services, Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools