Using Strategic Communications to Win Your Renewal, Appeal, or Approval

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California charter schools continue to face a number of uncertainties in the coming years, including a challenging and daunting petition, appeal and renewal process that leaves leaders with deep-seated concern about the future of their organizations. Crafting a compelling organizational narrative will help leaders persuade even the most discerning of authorizers by sharing powerful stories of impact and authentic proof points.

Gary Larson, a seasoned strategic communications professional with a successful track record of helping guide schools through renewals and appeals, will strip away the mystery of school storytelling. His workshop will break down the exact ‘nuts and bolts’ of a relational, rather than transactional, renewal process, with key milestones beginning a year out from their hearing. Gary will then moderate a discussion on best practices with school leaders who will share their learnings from navigating the state’s application and renewal process and the importance of an engaging and consistent organizational narrative.

Join us as we empower California charter school leaders to conquer the challenges of tomorrow, one compelling story at a time.

Presented by

Gary Larson

President
Larson Communications

Gary Larson is founder and president of Larson Communications, which specializes in helping charter schools across the nation communicate to the broader public. Larson has spent the past 20 years raising public awareness and support for the charter school movement. Larson’s team has advised charter school organizations nationally on dealing with the news media, and has spearheaded numerous media campaigns that have been covered by major national publications including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and USA Today.

Jacqueline Elliot

CEO
PUC National

Dr. Jacqueline Elliot is the co-founder of Partnerships to Uplift Communities (PUC Schools) and currently serves as CEO of PUC National. She has been dedicated to school reform since 1986 when she became a public-school teacher in Los Angeles. In 1999, she founded the first startup charter school in the San Fernando Valley, Community Charter Middle School. This was the first school in what grew to become the network of PUC schools: 14 high achieving charter schools located in two high need communities in Los Angeles. The philosophy of PUC is that communities are revitalized through the creation of high-quality charter schools, in which all students are prepared for college success and are inspired with a commitment to uplift their communities. Dr. Elliot is the author of Passionate Warrior: My Charter School Journey, a memoir that chronicles her challenging journey successfully creating and sustaining charter public schools.

Molly O'Brien

Account Director
Larson Communications

Molly served for over a decade as a senior field representative for U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein. As the policy and public relations arm for the senator in Los Angeles, Molly oversaw community relations, public policy and communications. Molly is adept at working alongside community leaders, nonprofits and elected officials to solve problems, build coalitions and communicate an organization’s goals in an accessible and impactful manner, all while maintaining a strong presence in the community. Working closely with legislative staff on many important policy issues, Molly enthusiastically dove into political matters surrounding education, charter schools and other issues impacting youth and families in the region. Molly brings a passion for education issues and an in-depth knowledge of California’s – and particularly the Los Angeles region’s – political landscape. Molly earned a Political Science degree from James Madison University with Honors, and her Masters from the University of Southern California.

Yvette KIng-Berg

Executive Director
YPI Charter Schools

Yvette King-Berg, is the Executive Director of Youth Policy Institute’s Charter Schools. She was the former California Charter Schools Association Vice-President of School Development and Outreach-Southern California. Ms. King-Berg has over thirty years of experience working with teachers, students, parents, and organizations in a variety of positions including Director, Assistant Director, Curriculum Advisor, Bilingual, and Title 1 Coordinators, classroom teacher (K-12) in Pasadena and LAUSD. She has been married for twenty-three years, and is the proud mother of her son, EJ, who attends UC Berkeley.