AESA

06/02/2026

Help us identify our 2026-27 Leadership Academy Cohort!

This selective, yearlong experience is for ESA CEOs and senior leaders focused on:

• Strategic leadership
• Innovation and entrepreneurial thinking
• Political and systems leadership
• Ethical AI and technology leadership
• Organizational sustainability
• Comparative Leadership and Cultural Intelligence

Participants apply their learning directly to a real agency priority, creating lasting impact for their ESA.

https://www.aesa.us/leadership-academy/

Tag someone in a comment below who should apply!👇

Are you a current ESA Executive Director looking for an unparalleled professional development experience? AESA proudly introduces its new National ESA Leadership Academy, a 12-month journey designed exclusively for visionary educational leaders like you.

05/29/2026

Congratulations, Dr. Schnoes!

05/29/2026

The job of ESA leadership looks very different than it did just a few years ago.

AI. Workforce challenges. Political complexity. Fiscal uncertainty. Regional impact.

That is why AESA has evolved the Leadership Academy.

The refreshed Academy is built as a more intentional, yearlong experience designed around the real challenges ESA executives are facing right now, with a focus on:

✔️ Strategic Foresight
✔️ Organizational Health
✔️ Systems Thinking
✔️ Political Acumen
✔️ Sustainable Leadership

Participants will also take part in the Global Systems Lab in Vienna and Budapest, gaining international perspective on innovation, workforce development, and systems leadership alongside a national cohort of ESA leaders.

The future of ESA leadership will belong to leaders who are ready to think differently, lead strategically, and grow alongside the work.

Join the next cohort shaping the future of regional leadership.

https://www.aesa.us/leadership-academy/

05/27/2026

“Global education programs connect classrooms across the globe, expand instructional practice, and provide students and educators with meaningful experiences that broaden their understanding of the world.” — Anne Williamson, Central Regional Education Association (ND)

Join Jason Hiruo, AESA Chief Global Officer, this Friday for a free informational webinar about the Global Coordinator Training Program. Learn how the program helps educators build impactful global education initiatives that prepare students for success in an interconnected world.

📅 Friday, May 29
⏰ 2:00 PM ET
RSVP: https://members.aesa.us/ap/Events/Register/zBF61XzUgCACR

05/21/2026

Executive Director Joan Wade continued to beam with pride as AESA members presented during the afternoon sessions of the PAUI Annual Conference. From presentations highlighting the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN)/AESA partnership to Leadership Academy alumni sharing their international experiences through the program, the sessions showcased the importance of preparing leaders to think beyond borders while strengthening support for students, schools, and communities at home.

CSIU / Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit / IU 16 Westmoreland Intermediate Unit Bucks County Intermediate Unit

05/21/2026

Executive Director Joan Wade is on location in Hershey, PA for the Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units Annual Conference — the signature gathering of Pennsylvania’s 29 Intermediate Units, with nearly 500 attendees this year!

Joan is honored to join members around this year’s theme, “It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: Shaping the Future Together,” celebrating collaboration and connection in support of children, schools, and communities across Pennsylvania.

Allegheny Intermediate Unit Lincoln Intermediate Unit 12 Seneca Highlands Intermediate Unit 9 Central Intermediate Unit 10 Chester County Intermediate Unit Lincoln Intermediate Unit 12 Allegheny Intermediate Unit Chester County Intermediate Unit Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8

05/21/2026

As ESA leaders and coworkers retire after years of helping schools and students, honor their work with a donation to the AESA Foundation.

Your gift helps provide scholarships for current and future ESA leaders so they can take part in AESA leadership programs and continue growing as leaders.

https://www.aesa.us/aesa-foundation/

05/20/2026

🏷️Tag an ESA staff member who's retiring this spring or thinking of doing it soon! They won’t want to miss Thursday’s live PlanMember Q&A.

What'll be discussed: Retirement planning resources, financial wellness tools, and the myPlanMember™ pension estimate calculator designed to help members better understand retirement readiness.

🕑 May 21 at 2:00 p.m. ET
✅RSVP HERE: https://members.aesa.us/ap/Events/Register/VeFw2oVINCeC9

05/19/2026

We’re excited to welcome national CTE and systems leadership expert Kristy Volesky as facilitator for AESA’s Leadership Lab: The Leadership Architecture for High-Impact CTE.

Launching this July at the AESA Summer Leadership Conference, this national leadership series will bring together ESA, regional, and intermediary leaders focused on strengthening collaboration, aligning regional strategies, and expanding the impact of high-quality CTE programs.

Learn more and register: https://www.aesa.us/cte-online-learning-lab/

05/19/2026

💫 Know someone driving transformative change through technology? 💻

Nominate them (or yourself!) for AESA’s Exemplary Service and Innovation for Technological Advancement Award.

📸In 2025, Dwight Levens, Jr. of Oakland Schools - Michigan was recognized for advancing innovative solutions that enhance learning, improve operations, and expand digital equity across Michigan.

Learn more & nominate someone: https://www.aesa.us/exemplary-service-and-innovation-for-technological-advancement-award/