#CEESA2026 Speaker Spotlight: Lindsie Boykin

#CEESA2026 Speaker Spotlight: Lindsie Boykin

Lindsie Boykin at the CEESA 2026 Conference is an invitation to rethink what schools praise, what they protect, and what they’re truly building. As Founder and CEO of Leaders Need Systems, LLC, Lindsie brings a leadership lens shaped by 15+ years in education and a deep commitment to clarity, connection, and thriving communities.

The 36th Annual CEESA Conference takes place in Sofia, Bulgaria, with pre-conference learning on March 12 and the main conference on March 13–14 at Grand Hotel Millennium, hosted by the Anglo-American School of Sofia.

This speaker spotlight is sponsored by Insurance Services International (ISI), a long-time supporter of CEESA schools and educator learning across the region.

About Lindsie Boykin

Lindsie Boykin, Ed.S. is an educator, author, speaker, and leadership coach who has served as a teacher, principal, and director in Detroit and New York City. Today, she partners with school leaders to strengthen community, reduce reactivity, and build sustainable leadership systems that turn intentions into impact.

She is also the author of Say It Louder, Sis, a reflective leadership work rooted in purpose, voice, and legacy-building.

Featured sessions with Lindsie Boykin at CEESA 2026

KEYNOTE: Whose Definition of Excellence Are You Carrying?

Date: March 13, 2026
Location: Grand Hotel Millennium
Lindsie opens with a powerful exploration of how “excellence” can become weaponized in schools when it’s disconnected from liberation and humanity. Expect a keynote that challenges default norms, names hidden burdens, and invites educators to define excellence in ways that reduce harm and expand belonging.

Cultivating Joy: Leveraging the Spaces Between Instruction

Date: March 13 and 14, 2026
Location: Grand Hotel Millennium
Joy is often stated as a value, but not always built on purpose. This session focuses on the “in-between” moments—greetings, transitions, rituals, and relational pauses—and how they shape safety, regulation, and readiness to learn in culturally and neurologically diverse communities. Participants will leave with practical, adaptable routines that strengthen connection and ease in the school day.

From Avoidance to Alignment: The Shift Toward Relational Clarity

Date: March 13 and 14, 2026
Location: Grand Hotel Millennium
When a community reflects dozens of cultures and backgrounds, communication and trust become mission-critical. Lindsie introduces Relational Clarity—moving from unspoken expectations and avoidance toward aligned behavior and human-centered accountability—while addressing power dynamics and unintentional norms that can derail collaboration. Attendees will take away clear practices to reduce conflict and build coherence across teams.

Why Lindsie’s sessions will resonate with international educators

International schools are relationship-driven ecosystems. When leadership is unclear, teams become reactive. When community rituals are accidental, belonging becomes uneven. Lindsie Boykin’s CEESA 2026 sessions offer a grounded, school-ready pathway toward:

• Redefining excellence so it supports, rather than strains, community wellbeing
• Building predictable rhythms that increase student safety, joy, and engagement
• Strengthening communication across cultural nuance, power dynamics, and differing expectations

Register today and be a part of #CEESA2026.

Thanks to our sponsor: Insurance Services International (ISI)

This CEESA 2026 Speaker Spotlight: Lindsie Boykin is proudly sponsored by Insurance Services International (ISI). ISI has supported CEESA schools for years, providing global insurance and employee benefits expertise to international school communities.

See you in Sofia

If you’re ready for learning that strengthens your leadership, your culture, and your day-to-day school experience, plan to join Lindsie Boykin at CEESA 2026 in Sofia, Bulgaria, March 12–14. Add her keynote and sessions to your conference plan and register to be part of the conversation that moves schools from pressure to purpose.