ASCD Affiliate leaders worked with the Gretchen and Vicki this past October for our own professional growth, and we were so impressed with the experience we invited the authors to plan this event with us for educators everywhere!

When you can authentically tell your story, your school community will know you, what you value, and why you make decisions the way you do. You will rediscover a sense of purpose, renewal, and inspiration that may have slipped away amid the chaos of life and you can build a stronger connection with those you lead and work beside.

You became a school leader by following your own unique path. You possess talents that set you apart from others. By working purposefully to share your personal leadership philosophy, you can create a new expectation of what school leaders should be and counter the unrealistic assumptions that others may hold. You can be more than your title.

Craft your leadership story!

Gretchen Oltman is an author, attorney, and educator. She works as an associate professor of interdisciplinary studies at Creighton University, where she leads a program for graduate students pursuing degrees in leadership. Prior to this, she was a high school English teacher. She holds a law degree from the University of Nebraska College of Law, a PhD in educational studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, an MA in teaching from the University of Louisville, and a BA in English from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is the author or coauthor of Violence in Student Writing, Law Meets Literature, The Supreme 15, The Themes That Bind Us, and Prepare to Chair. She regularly presents for ASCD, the Education Law Association, and the National Council for Teachers of English.

Vicki Bautista is an assistant professor at Creighton University in the department of interdisciplinary studies. She serves as the assistant director for the MS program in integrative health and wellness. She received a BA from the University of Texas–El Paso in health science with a minor in community health and her MA from the University of Nebraska Omaha in health education. She earned her EdD in interdisciplinary leadership at Creighton University, focusing on department chairs and well-being. Prior to working at Creighton, she was employed in a variety of health promotion settings including nonprofit, government, and research in the high school setting. She presents regularly on the topics of leadership and well-being, self-care, and personal leadership philosophies.