2026 SOUTHERN REGIONAL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

Who We Are:

The Black Principals Network (BPN) is a national professional community dedicated to sustaining and elevating Black school leaders. We create a supportive space for connection, professional growth, and collective action, grounded in our shared experiences and culture. Our members are visionary leaders who are actively shaping the lives of students in schools across the country.

Our Mission:

The Black Principals Network is dedicated to the community, restoration, professional development, and liberation of Black principals across the country.  The overarching goal of BPN is to co-create a community of Black principals in pursuit of the career-bolstering and self-sustaining practices that are often not prioritized in this impactful yet demanding role.

The Opportunity: The Southern Regional Leadership Summit

The Black Principals Network Regional Leadership Summits are leadership intensives designed to equip, energize, and elevate Black school leaders. During this 1½-day event, participants will engage in high-impact professional development while finding space to recharge and reconnect collectively.

The first Leadership Summit will be the Southern Regional Leadership Summit that will take place in Atlanta, Georgia. Guided by the theme “Rooted in Resilience, Rising in Purpose,” this gathering affirms what we already know: The strategy is already within us; we just need space to cultivate it. The Leadership Summits are about cultivating that brilliance, building on lived experience, and leaving with tangible strategies that improve practice, strengthen schools, and sustain leadership longevity.

Event Details:

  • Summit #1: The Southern Regional Leadership Summit
  • Theme: Rooted in Resilience, Rising in Purpose
  • Dates: February 27–28, 2026
  • Location: Atlanta, GA
  • Audience: 50–75 Black school leaders (principals, assistant principals, and district leaders)

Regional Leadership Summit Objectives

The objectives for the 2025 Regional Leadership Summits are to:

  • Restore: Create space for Black principals to recharge and prioritize wellness, grounding themselves in practices that sustain leadership longevity.
  • Reflect: Reflect on personal and professional journeys while examining regional challenges and opportunities that shape our schools and communities.
  • Reimagine: Reimagine what’s possible in our schools by cultivating innovation, equitable systems, and transformative leadership strategies.
  • Rise: Strengthen our collective power by building authentic connections, expanding networks, and preparing the next wave of Black educational leadership.

Each Regional Leadership Summit will:

  • Celebrate the brilliance of Black leadership in education by addressing regional challenges with solutions tailored to local contexts.
  • Cultivate authentic connections across a national network of leaders who share strategies, resources, and practices that can be brought back to schools and districts immediately.
  • Deliver actionable professional learning that sharpens instructional leadership, strengthens school culture, and accelerates student outcomes

Principals who attend return with:

  • Practical frameworks for leading schools with equity and excellence.
  • Restorative practices that reduce burnout and increase leader retention.
  • Expanded professional networks that provide ongoing thought partnership and problem-solving.
  • Renewed energy and clarity, enabling them to lead schools more effectively and sustainably.

Register now or sign up to receive updates and reminders regarding BPN’s Regional Leadership Summits

Day One: Our Roots, Our Purpose

Friday, February 27th, 2025

Day Two: Leading Forward

Saturday, February 28th, 2025

The Audience: Your Impact

Our attendees are a highly sought-after audience. They are not only educational leaders but also consumers and influencers in their communities. They directly impact thousands of students and teachers and make significant purchasing decisions for their schools and districts.

By supporting this event, your brand aligns with:

  • Excellence and innovation in educational leadership.
  • A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
  • The personal and professional sustainability of our school leaders.

Sponsorship Tiers

We offer four tiers of partnership to help you achieve your business development and brand-alignment goals. By partnering with us, you are not just a sponsor; you are a key enabler of this critical work. You gain direct access to an influential audience of decision-makers and community leaders who are shaping the future of education.

Legacy Partner

$35,000

  • Presenting Sponsor
  • Exclusive title sponsorship of the entire event. Opportunity for a 5-minute speaking slot at the opening ceremony
  • Most prominent logo placement on all event materials and website
  • Dedicated social media campaign (6 posts) and email blast
  • Opportunity to host a sponsored event (e.g., a breakfast or a reception)
  • A dedicated exhibit table in a prime location
  • 8 Registrations included

Visionary Partner

$25,000

  • Keynote/Fireside Chat Sponsor
  • Sponsorship of the Keynote address or Fireside Chat panel
  • 3-minute welcome at the sponsored session
  • Prominent logo placement on all event materials and website
  • Brand placement on all social media (4 posts)
  • A dedicated exhibit table at the event
  • 6 Registrations Included

Champion Partner

$10,000

  • Session Sponsor
  • Sponsorship of a Breakout Block or the Lunch & Learn session
  • Logo on all event materials and website
  • Brand mention on social media (2 posts)
  • A shared exhibit table at the event
  • 4 Registrations included

Community Partner

$5,000

  • Supporting Sponsor
  • Sponsorship of a specific event component (e.g., coffee break or wellness station)
  • Logo on select event materials and website
  • Acknowledgment in the opening and closing ceremonies
  • 2 Registrations Included

Next Steps

Executive Director, Black Principals Network
TaraShaun R. Cain, M.Ed
TaraShaun R. Cain, M.Ed
Executive Director, Black Principals Network
An alumnus of Chicago Public Schools from K-12 grade and a first-generation college graduate with a BBA from Tennessee State University, TaraShaun has always known the important role that education plays in shaping the minds and opportunities of the youth. While working in the business field, TaraShaun’s most enriching experiences came from her volunteer work with various community organizations including her work as a member of Delta Sigma Theta, Sorority, Inc. Her commitment to service led her to leave corporate America and follow her passion to serve students by joining Chicago Teaching Fellows as a middle school math teacher. Driven by her commitment to personal growth and excellence, Ms. Cain achieved National Board Certification in Math, Masters of Arts in Teaching from Dominican University, and a second Master of Arts in Education from National-Louis University. Her systems thinking and ability to build a professional culture of collaboration made her a natural match for educational leadership where she served as a math lead, TAP mentor teacher, assistant principal, and principal in CPS.

TaraShaun is committed to securing enriching opportunities that expand the educational experiences of the communities she serves with a heavy focus on climate, culture, and student agency. This is evident by her work with LEAP innovations in personalized learning, the Fund, the Middle School Project, and various other community-based organizations. Her work has focused on building the capacity of teachers, leaders, and students around high-quality instruction, student advocacy and engagement, personalized learning, student-centered design, and culturally responsive pedagogy. Her passion for liberatory and equitable learning conditions in schools led her to apply for the Surge fellowship in 2020. Empowered by her experiences and growth, TaraShaun continued to work to create affirming, learner-centered experiences within her school community. TaraShaun is a servant leader that is committed to excellence and assisting others in connecting to their own personal greatness through passion, press, productivity, and positivity.

We look forward to partnering with you to make this a truly transformative event. To confirm your sponsorship or to create a custom package, please contact:

TaraShaun R. Cain
Executive Director, Black Principals Network
Surge Institute
bpn@surgeinstitute.org

Program Manager, Black Principals Network
Angia Kincey
Angia Kincey
Program Manager, Black Principals Network
Angia Kincey uses her background in social work to execute big-picture thinking and innovation. She joined the Surge Institute as The Black Principals Network Program Manager where she is dedicated to member engagement and program expansion. Her passion lies in intervening at state, local, and national levels of social injustices through grant writing, nonprofit management, and data analysis. Angia received her master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Houston in order to cultivate soft and technical skills for a heart-centered leadership practice.

After receiving her bachelor’s degree from California State University, Sacramento in Psychology, she became increasingly interested in personal development and metaphysics. As a result, she enjoys intellectual texts and books on spirituality. Angia’s spirituality is what guides her professional and personal life. She spends her free time outdoors exploring Houston, trying different foods, visiting art exhibits, and open mic nights.