Beyond Oversight: Purpose-Driven Engagement with Authorizers
Strong relationships with charter school authorizers are critical to a school's long-term success and sustainability, yet many leaders find themselves navigating unclear expectations, communication breakdowns, and high-stakes accountability conversations. This session will provide practical, experience-based strategies for building and maintaining productive partnerships with authorizers. Participants will explore best practices for proactive communication, including establishing clear channels, framing data and outcomes effectively, and maintaining transparency without overexposure. The session will also focus on direct engagement with staff and board members, including how to prepare for meetings, anticipate authorizer priorities, and position a charter school as both compliant and mission-driven. In addition, the presenters will address how to navigate challenging situations, including corrective action plans, renewal concerns, leadership transitions, and political dynamics within districts. Participants will learn approaches to advocacy that are professional, strategic, and grounded in student outcomes without escalating conflict or damaging long-term relationships. This session is designed for schools working with authorizers where capacity is limited, and relationships carry heightened importance. Participants will leave with concrete tools, communication frameworks, and real-world examples they can immediately apply to strengthen trust, reduce friction, and advocate effectively for their school communities.
Presented by
Hilary Harmssen Principal JOAN Collaborative
Hilary Harmssen is a senior nonprofit leader with over 20 years of experience supporting charter schools and public education systems. At KIPP Northern California, she served as Chief External Impact Officer, leading communications, policy, fundraising, and community engagement for a network of high-performing charter schools. She built strong relationships with district authorizers, aligned stakeholders, and advanced equitable student outcomes. Earlier, at CCSA, Hilary led statewide efforts supporting hundreds of charter and district schools through advocacy, coalition-building, and strategic planning. She brings deep expertise in stakeholder engagement, governance, and navigating complex education environments.
Mackenzie Hennessy Director of Policy, Advocacy and Community Engagement KIPP Public Schools Northern California
Mackenzie Hennessy is Director of Policy, Advocacy, and Community Engagement at KIPP Public Schools Northern California, managing relationships with 11 authorizers across the region. She has led eight successful charter renewals across low-, middle-, and high-track schools, securing 2-, 5-, and 7-year terms, along with material revisions, new charter petitions, successful appeals, and facility lease negotiations. Previously, she held governance and strategic initiatives roles at KIPP NorCal and spent six years at Success Academy Charter Schools in New York across operations, community relations, and school leadership. She holds a B.A. from UCLA and a Master's from Teachers College, Columbia.
Amber Skrumbis Senior Director of Development & Communications Pueblo Nuevo Education & Development Group
Amber Skrumbis is Senior Director of Development & Communications at Camino Nuevo Charter Academy, where she's raised over $25M in public and private funding over seven years. She brings a decade of experience in fundraising, grant writing, evaluation, and communications. Amber holds a Bachelor's from USC and a Master of Public Health in Community Health Sciences from UCLA. She champions a whole child approach, partnering with donors, foundations, corporations, and elected officials around one vision: every student deserves quality public education regardless of zip code, home language, or income.
