The application period for the 2026–2027 Leadership Certificate cohort has now closed. We hope you will apply next year! For more information please email Brandon Jacobs, Leadership Certificate Program Manager, at brandon@episcopalschools.org.
Program Overview
The NAES Episcopal School Leadership Certificate is a one-year professional development opportunity designed to equip current and aspiring heads of school, chaplains, administrators, and future Episcopal school leaders with the knowledge, skills, and commitment needed to lead with moral and ethical integrity.
Through a blend of online coursework, webinars, facilitated discussions, virtual and in-person gatherings, and a capstone school-based project, participants will engage in sustained formation focused on ethical leadership, spiritual grounding, and the cultivation of thriving school communities.
Grounded in Episcopal identity, the certificate program is designed to help form leaders who foster moral clarity, professional excellence, and a deep connection to the mission of Episcopal schools.
FAQs
The NAES Episcopal School Leadership Certificate is a one-year professional development opportunity designed to equip Episcopal school leaders with the knowledge, skills, and commitment needed to lead with moral and ethical integrity. Grounded in Episcopal identity, the certificate program is designed to help form leaders who foster moral clarity, professional excellence, and a deep connection to the mission of Episcopal schools.
Unlike traditional leadership programs, this experience is rooted in:
- The four principles of Episcopal identity (Nurturing Community, Practicing Faith, Deepening Wisdom, and Honoring Dignity)
- An enhanced view of spiritual formation with a directed leadership framework
- A focus on moral and ethical leadership
- A cohort-based model that builds lasting relationships
- Dedicated and expert industry-leading faculty who lead you through all course content
Participants leave the program with:
- Greater confidence and clarity in communicating the Episcopal leadership context and language
- Practical tools for leading mission-driven schools
- A deeper understanding of faith in action
- A trusted national network of peers and mentors
- A tangible and applicable capstone project that you can take back to your school community
This program is designed for current and aspiring leaders—including heads of school, division leaders, chaplains, and emerging leaders—who are ready to deepen their impact and lead with intention within Episcopal school communities.
- Current and aspiring heads of school
- School chaplains
- Administrators
- Future leaders currently working in NAES member schools who want to enhance their commitment to moral and ethical leadership.
The program is intentionally designed for busy, full-time educators and professionals. Over the course of one year, participants engage in a thoughtful blend of online learning, live sessions, and periodic gatherings—structured to be both rigorous and sustainable. The program is broken into four five-week modules focused on the principles of Epsicoapl identity and will ask participants to commit 20 hours per module (4 hours per week).
The program uses a “blended” learning model to accommodate full-time working professionals. It includes:
- Facilitated virtual discussions
- Once a semester virtual meetings (One optional in-person meeting will take place at the 2026 NAES Biennial Conference)
- Faculty member office hours for optional check-ins
- Online coursework and interactive class discussions
- A capstone school-based project where participants apply their learning to their own school community
The Capstone Project is the culminating experience of the program, designed to ensure you apply your learning in a meaningful, measurable, and mission-aligned way. You will develop a school-based initiative that addresses a real leadership challenge and deliver a short presentation at the end of the year to demonstrate your growth and impact.
The program costs $4,000, with payment due by July 10, 2026. Participants will be asked to secure or purchase a few course book materials at a nominal cost. A limited amount of financial aid is available for those who demonstrate need. This fee does not include an optional in-person meet at the NAES Biennial Conference, November 18-20, 2026, Los Angeles, CA.
The program will begin in August 2026 and culminate in April of 2027. academic year, with a carefully designed rhythm that supports both deep learning and professional balance. The four course modules will be broken into five-week classes.
If you are feeling called to:
- Lead with greater purpose and integrity
- Align your leadership with your values and faith
- Make a lasting impact in your school community
…then this program is for you.
Spaces are intentionally limited to preserve the quality of the cohort experience.
The 2026–2027 cohort has a capacity of 35 students. Applicants not accepted will be encouraged to apply for a future cohort.
Curriculum
The Episcopal School Leadership Certificate will launch in the 2026–2027 school year. Taking place over the course of a year, the certificate is divided into four main modules, each centered on a key aspect of Episcopal identity. Each module integrates learning, reflection, and practical application within participants’ own school communities.
Module 1: Nurturing Community
Instructor: The Very Rev. Roger A. Ferlo Ph.D., D.D.
This module invites participants into a deep exploration of the theological, historical, and pedagogical foundations required to sustain life-giving Episcopal school communities. We will pay close attention to the ways that the Anglican and Episcopal ethos of community has shaped our schools’ identities both now and in the past. Drawing on examples of covenant and community in both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, as well as in Anglican and Episcopal history, the course will explore how covenantal communities of practice differ from contractual, transactional, and hierarchical models. Using case studies drawn from our own school experiences, we will also explore the Episcopal ethos of community in the broader context of contemporary learning theory and historical practice. The course will pay special attention to the concept of “Beloved Community,” articulated by Josiah Royce, Howard Thurman, and Martin Luther King, examining the ways it can help deepen our commitment to nurturing community in our own Episcopal school contexts.
Module 2: Practicing Faith
Instructor: The Rev. David A. Madison, D.Min.
Practicing Faith invites students into a dynamic exploration of the Episcopal tradition, where faith is understood not as a static noun, but as an active, lived verb. Anchored in the historical foundations of The Book of Common Prayer and the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral, the course bridges the gap between orthodoxy (right belief) and orthopraxis (right practice), emphasizing that faith and reason are complementary partners in the pursuit of an “abundant life” (John 10:10). Through the lens of unapologetic Anglican identity and a lively engagement with diverse religious traditions, participants examine how spiritual formation, communal storytelling, and worship foster a deep sense of humility and connection to something greater than themselves. By prioritizing “faith in practice,” the curriculum empowers young people to navigate the world with moral grounding, a commitment to inclusion, and a clear-eyed perspective on their unique place within a global community.
Module 3: Deepening Wisdom
Instructor: The Rev. Barbara Talcott
Deepening Wisdom invites students to consider the academic programs in their schools, and to identify the opportunities that Episcopal Identity offers to add the teaching of Wisdom to the teaching of Knowledge. The Anglican and Episcopal traditions, with their origins in Renaissance Humanism, encourage rigorous, critical thinking and open-minded experimentation, and place a high value on the application of human reason. This is because Knowledge, which can sometimes stop at the instrumental and transactional level, can also lead to the kind of deep Wisdom that encourages human flourishing. In his Essay on Criticism, Alexander Pope wrote, “a little learning is a dang’rous thing,” insisting that one must drink deeply from knowledge in order to access true wisdom and creativity. Episcopal Schools are well positioned to encourage that kind of deep, wise learning, and in this unit students will have the opportunity to explore that dynamic for themselves.
Module 4: Honoring Dignity
Instructor: Yerko Sepúlveda, Ph.D.
Honoring Dignity centers on the Episcopal conviction that every person bears inherent worth as a child of God, a truth grounded in the Baptismal Covenant’s call to strive for justice and peace. This module situates conversations about diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging within a deeper scriptural and theological tradition, drawing from prophetic voices such as Micah and Amos and the vision of the Beloved Community as articulated by The Episcopal Church. Through the lives and leadership of figures such as Pauli Murray and Desmond Tutu, among other dignity scholars, participants examine what it means to lead with dignity in complex and often polarized contexts. The module introduces a model of moral courage and practical wisdom, one that calls leaders to honor difference, engage tension with integrity, and remain grounded in a shared commitment to human dignity. Participants will leave with a clear framework for cultivating communities that engage difference with care. They will learn to use tension as a catalyst for growth and to practice dignity intentionally as a condition for thriving.
Program Faculty
The Very Rev. Roger A. Ferlo Ph.D., D.D.
The Very Rev. Roger A. Ferlo Ph.D., D.D. is President Emeritus of Bexley Seabury Seminary and a distinguished scholar, priest, and educator. Currently a Scholar in Residence at Chicago’s Newberry Library and Priest Associate at the Church of St. Paul and the Redeemer, Rev. Dr. Ferlo previously served as Associate Dean at Virginia Theological Seminary and taught English literature at Yale University, where he received the Yale Faculty Prize for Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching. Over a 32-year ministry, he has served parishes in Georgia, Pittsburgh, and New York, including a ten-year tenure as Rector of the Church of St. Luke in the Fields, in addition to serving as the NAES Governing Board President. A graduate of Colgate University and Yale (Ph.D.), he is the author of Sensing God and Opening the Bible, and he continues to contribute to numerous publications while serving as a Trustee Emeritus of Colgate University.
Module: Nurturing Community
The Rev. David A. Madison, D.Min.
The Rev. David A. Madison, D.Min., is the Executive Director of the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES), a role he assumed in 2022 after serving as the Executive Director of the Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools (SAES). A former attorney who practiced law after graduating from Baylor University, Fr. Madison transitioned to ministry, earning his Master of Divinity from Nashotah House and later a Doctor of Ministry in educational leadership from Virginia Theological Seminary. His extensive background in Episcopal education includes tenures as a teacher, chaplain, and Assistant Head of School at All Saints’ Episcopal School in Fort Worth, as well as leadership roles within the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. Known as a servant leader and a “lifelong learner,” Dr. Madison brings a unique perspective to his work, combining legal expertise with a deep pastoral commitment to the transformational mission of Episcopal identity and governance in schools nationwide.
Module: Practicing Faith
The Rev. Barbara Talcott
The Rev. Barbara Talcott is a recently retired Episcopal priest, educator, and administrator with a diverse career spanning international relief, healthcare management, and spiritual leadership. An ordained priest since 2009, she most recently served for 15 years as Head Chaplain and Chair of the Religion Department at St. Mark’s School in Southborough, Massachusetts, where she taught humanities and philosophy while directing the school’s spiritual life. Her unique professional background includes working for Save the Children in Sudan and a 12-year career in non-profit healthcare management, where she oversaw large surgical practices. A graduate of Princeton University, she holds an M.B.A from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. Known for her “servant-leader” approach, Rev. Talcott remains active in the Dioceses of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, bringing a wealth of experience in counseling, interfaith dialogue, and organizational leadership to her ongoing ministry.
Module: Deepening Wisdom
Yerko Sepúlveda, Ph.D.
Yerko Sepúlveda, Ph.D. is a distinguished educator, researcher, and consultant, currently serving as the Head of Community Engagement and Wellness at Porter-Gaud School and the Chief Culture and Learning Architect at Next World Learning Lab. His work focuses on educational innovation, student-centered learning, and human dignity, culture, and belonging. He has served in several prestigious programs, including Lead Faculty for the NAIS Diversity Leadership Institute, faculty member for the NAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference, mentor with the Association of International Educators and Leaders of Color (AIELOC), and instructional coach for Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. A published author of peer-reviewed and magazine articles and book chapters, he has facilitated professional learning in more than 25 countries, bringing a global perspective to his work. He holds a Ph.D. in Spanish Linguistics with a specialization in intercultural communication, along with master’s degrees in Applied Linguistics and Bilingual Education & Diversity Studies. He is currently developing his first full-length book, introducing a leadership framework for Episcopal schools.
Module: Honoring Dignity
2026–2027 Program Schedule
The following dates are tentative and subject to change.
Module 1: Monday, September 7 – Friday, October 9
Module 2: Monday, October 19 – Friday, November 20
Optional:
In-person gathering at Biennial Conference (Nov. 18–20, 2026)
Specific Time & Date TBD. Not covered in program fees/cost.
Module 3: Monday, January 11 – Friday, February 12
Module 4: Monday, February 22 – Friday, March 26
Final Capstone Project Due: End of April 2027
Application Details
Applications for the 2026–2027 NAES Episcopal School Leadership Certificate are now being accepted!
The 2026–2027 Leadership Certificate will have a capacity for 35 students. Participants will be accepted based on application materials and program criteria. Those who are not accepted into the program will be encouraged to apply for future program cohorts.
Please click here for the full application and details regarding applying.
Applications are due by Friday, May 29, 2026. All selected applicants will be notified of the decisions by Friday, June 12, 2026.
Program Cost
The cost of the 2026–2027 Episcopal School Leadership Certificate program is $4,000, with all payments due by July 10, 2026. A limited amount of financial aid is available for applicants who demonstrate need. For questions or to express interest in financial assistance, please contact NAES Leadership Certificate Program Manager, Brandon Jacobs (brandon@episcopalschools.org).
*Program costs do not include an option in-person meet at the NAES Biennial Conference, November 18-20, 2026, Los Angeles, CA.
Eligibility
Eligible NAES Leadership Certificate participants must:
- secure the backing of your school head (including financial support, if applicable)
- have worked as a faculty member or administrator in NAES member school for at least one year
- commit to completing all the components of the Leadership Certificate program in the course calendar year
Information Sessions
The NAES team is excited to offer two opportunities to learn more about the program’s overview, application process, and curriculum. These sessions will be led by key members of the NAES leadership team, providing attendees with direct insight into the program’s vision and structure. Participants will hear from NAES Executive Director Rev. David A. Madison, D.Min., Associate Director Dr. Monica M. Gillespie, and the Leadership Certificate Program Manager, Brandon Jacobs.
Whether you are looking to deepen your own spiritual grounding as a leader or seeking to support the formation of your staff, these sessions offer a comprehensive overview of how this certificate integrates Episcopal identity with professional excellence. To register for the information sessions, please click below.
Information Session 1: Thursday, April 2nd – 1:00 PM EDT
Information Session 2: Wednesday, April 15th – 6:30 PM EDT
About the Program Manager
Brandon Jacobs
Brandon Jacobs serves as the inaugural Program Manager for the NAES Episcopal School Leadership Certificate.
Brandon brings more than a decade of experience supporting independent and mission-driven schools across the United States and internationally as an education leadership consultant. Most recently, he served as Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Practice Leader and Search Consultant at Carney, Sandoe & Associates (CSA), leading over forty national and international searches and overseeing professional development initiatives and other strategic projects.
Prior to his work at CSA, Brandon held senior DEIB leadership positions at The Shipley School and The Hill School, his alma mater, where he also taught upper school, coached athletics, and served as an advisor and college counselor.
He holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from Saint Joseph’s University and is currently completing doctoral studies in curriculum studies at the University of South Carolina.
Email: brandon@episcopalschools.org