The ADvance Institute
Summer 2027 Dates Announced!
Sunday, June 6 – Wednesday, June 9, 2027
This is a retreat at Wild Dunes Resort in Isle of Palms, South Carolina
Tim Green, Carney Sandoe’s Athletic Practice Leader has designed a summer program for sitting Athletic Administrators seeking to strengthen and refine their leadership. This institute offers advanced workshops and collaborative dialogue focused on strategic growth, legal and operational best practices, and program enhancement. Through expert-led sessions and peer-to-peer engagement, participants gain fresh insights and explore innovative solutions to the evolving challenges of athletic administration. It’s a space for reflection, renewal, connection, and continued professional growth.
The ADvance Institute was an exceptional professional experience. Under the solid and thoughtful leadership of the retreat organizers, every aspect was intentional and impactful. The agenda addressed timely and relevant topics facing athletic programs today, all within a collaborative, low-pressure environment. Throughout the conference, the focus remained on genuine dialogue and practical solutions not driven by vendors or a sales pitch. Most valuable was the opportunity to engage with administrators from like-minded schools, all navigating similar challenges. The retreat fostered meaningful conversations, strategic thinking, and lasting connections—truly time well spent.
– Greg Zugrave, Athletic Director, Parish School
The ADvance Institute was an incredible opportunity to learn and discuss the ever-changing trends of independent school athletic administration. Tim Green and his staff did an outstanding job making the presentations and experiences impactful for new and seasoned professionals.
– Richard Little, Athletic Director, Sayre School
The ADvance Institute was one of the most meaningful professional experiences I’ve had as an athletic director. It provided a rare space to step back from the daily grind, connect with peers who understand the challenges of our work, and leave re-energized with practical ideas I could immediately apply. The balance of learning, reflection, and community was outstanding.
– Lorraine Carner, Director of Athletics, Mercy Academy
Executive Faculty
Angela Passafiume brings over two decades of transformative leadership in athletic administration across a wide range of school communities, from independent schools to state organizations. She is recognized nationally for her strategic planning, facility development, coaching mentorship, and ability to build inclusive and competitive athletic programs that support student-athlete growth and institutional values. Most recently, Angela served as Interim Athletic Director at Greenwich Academy.
Allison Kelley has worked alongside Tim Green bringing marketing insight, operational excellence and creativity to the Athletic Practice. With a Ph.D. in History from the University of Virginia and a background in NCAA Division I athletics, Allison approaches her work with both intellectual rigor and competitive spirit. Outside of her professional life, Allison is an avid long-distance runner and was recently featured in Nike’s Dreamweaver Project for competitive female marathoners.
Larry Salley spent 25 years as a successful cross-country and track coach in South Carolina. His track and cross-country teams won 18 state titles (including a run of 8 straight titles in his final eight seasons), and produced over a hundred individual event state championships. Many of his athletes went on to compete successfully at the college level and one currently runs professionally. Additionally, members of Larry’s teams hold 18 current individual and team state records. Larry has also spent 9 years as an Athletic Director, overseeing 60 teams and winning 66 state championships and six consecutive state President’s Cups.
Tim Williams has over 28 years of experience in independent schools, with 23 of them as Director of Athletics. He has lead schools in Kentucky, New Jersey and now at the University School of Milwaukee in Wisconsin. During this time, he has served as President of the Women’s Interscholastic Hockey League of the Mid Atlantic and was Vice President of the New Jersey Independent School Athletic Association in addition to coaching boys basketball for 18 years where he won a Prep B State Title with Princeton Day School in 2016. He also earned his Certified Master Athletic Director designation in 2010.
The connections I have made at the ADvance Institute have been an invaluable resource. There are so many friends I have made from this conference that I can reach out to for support and advice. Since we all have similar challenges, we can be very helpful and empathetic to one another.
– Amy Elliott, Athletic Director, Kentucky Country Day School
The ADvance Institute is a time to reflect on the previous school year’s positives and negatives, with colleagues who go through the same challenges, while being reminded of important industry standards to make our jobs productive for the next year. More importantly, building relationships with colleagues in a fun rejuvenating environment, while getting some needed rest for just a moment
– Lazaro Fernández, Athletic Director, Belen Jesuit Preparatory School
ADvance Institute 2027 Schedule
| Date | Time | Topic/Activity |
| June 6 | ||
| 5:00-6:00 PM | Welcome Reception | |
| 6:00-8:00 PM | Conference Dinner, Welcome, and CS&A Keynote Presentation What Your Head of School Wants You to Know – A Fireside Chat with Tim Green and DuBose Egleston | |
| June 7 | ||
| 8:00-9:00 AM | Buffet Breakfast (provided) | |
| 9:15-10:30 AM | Connect-ITZ Capstone Presentation : What College Coaches Need From Your Program by Chad Warner | |
| 10:45-11:30 AM | Hot Topic Lab: Session 1 The AI Playbook: Building Championship Culture in Athletics by Jeff McGee | |
| 11:45-1:00 PM | Working Topic Buffet Lunch (provided) | |
| 1:00-1:45 PM | Hot Top Lab: Session 2 Liability in Athletics by Mike Hart | |
| 2:00-2:45 PM | Hot Topic Lab: Session 3 A Hierarchy of Needs Approach to Athletic Department Budgeting | |
| 3:00-3:45 PM | Hot Topic Lab: Session 4 Off the Field, On the Hook by Amy Elliott | |
| 6:00-8:00 PM | Networking Dinner (provided) | |
| June 8 | ||
| 8:00-9:00 AM | Buffet Breakfast (provided) | |
| 9:15-10:30 AM | The Advance Growth Address: Putting Crisis in the Rearview Mirror by Allie Tennyson and Megan Cover | |
| 10:45 – 11:30 AM | Hot Topic Lab: Session 5 From Evaluation to Excellence: Developing Program Directors Through Goals, Feedback and Mentorship by Greg Phillips | |
| 11:45-1:00 PM | Working Topic Buffet Lunch (provided) | |
| 1:00-3:15 PM | Core Innovation Sessions : Problems and Solutions for Your Work | |
| 3:15-4:15 PM | The Huddle Idea Exchange | |
| 4:15 PM | Free for dinner and activities/networking | |
| June 9 | ||
| 8:00-8:45 AM | Buffet Breakfast (provided) | |
| 9:00-9:50 AM | Leadership Legacy Address: What Real Leadership Looks Like by Jeff Barnes |
| 9:50-10:25 AM | Personal Action Planning Session and Wrap Up | |
| 10:30 AM | Conclusion and Check Out |
