New Administrator Institute

Talented leaders are often promoted into administrative roles with loads of new responsibilities and little opportunity to develop the skills needed to lead effectively.

Join TABS faculty for this special institute for new boarding school administrators, where you’ll build a cohort of colleagues beginning their administrative journeys alongside you in the unique setting of a boarding school, where you likely live alongside your team.

With seasoned TABS leaders, you’ll delve into essential leadership skills, including leading with emotional intelligence, delegating effectively, providing and gathering feedback, developing strategy, and managing your reports, collaborating with colleagues and supervisors.

When

July 21–22, 2025

where

Miss Porter’s School in Farmington, CT

WHO

Boarding school leaders taking on an administrative role for the first time

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Identify and employ leadership frameworks for crafting vision, building alignment, and designing an effective implementation strategy in support of your school’s strategic vision.

Explore strategies for “managing up, down, and across” as you collaborate with your own supervisor, your colleagues in other departments, and the team members you lead.

Develop strategies for day-to-day leadership of your team, including setting clear expectations, gathering and providing feedback, and motivating to surpass your goals.

Build your network of fellow new administrators so that you can continue to brainstorm, share resources, and find and offer support well beyond the institute.

Learn techniques for handling challenging conversations with confidence and high emotional intelligence, whether they be focused on gathering and providing feedback to team members and students or navigating tough situations with parents.

2025 FACULTY

DR. AMY PATEL

Medical Director, Phillips Academy MA

Dr. Patel is a physician and professional coach board-certified in Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, and Lifestyle Medicine. She completed her residencies in these programs at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Dr. Patel earned a BS in Biology and Community Health from Tufts University, and her MD degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine. As a certified coach, she focuses on helping people develop and optimize wellness, leadership, and life skills. Her professional interests are rooted in the belief that everyone deserves access to quality healthcare and evidence-based inclusive health education.

Dr. Patel is also a member of the Sports Medicine Advisory Council for the New England Prep School Athletic Council and a member of the Association of Independent Schools of New England health and wellness annual conference planning committee. She has presented at local and national conferences on a variety of topics such as health and wellness, leadership, and social determinants of health and health disparities. She has conducted school health and health center assessments, and helped schools develop their pandemic response plan.

Dr. Patel is currently the dean of health and wellness and chief medical officer at Phillips Academy. She teaches in the Empathy, Balance, and Inclusion course and guest teaches in physical education and biology on health topics including sexuality and substance use. She also serves as an academic advisor and supports student-led health initiatives as a faculty advisor to several student clubs. She consults across campus on a wide variety of health issues on individual and policy levels. In addition, she is a member of several committees that work to support students, and is also advisor to several student clubs committed to student health and wellness.

In her spare time, Dr. Patel enjoys practicing what she teaches, spending time with family and friends, and traveling throughout the world. She lives on the Andover campus with her husband and two children.