
Leadership Conference
LeaderLife Conference
Speaking the Truth in Love
You can have a thriving homeschool community where families participate, leaders step up, and you have more time to spend with your family.
The next leadership conference will be in Spring 2024!
Hal and Melanie Young are homeschooling parents of eight and the authors of several books, including Raising Real Men, My Beloved and My Friend, and the Amazon bestseller Love, Honor, and Virtue. They host the podcast Making Biblical Family Life Practical and are popular conference speakers throughout North America, known for a focus on Christ, grace, and stories about practical application of the Bible day-to-day. They have six sons and two daughters—with four grown, and four still sharing noisy, messy happiness in eastern North Carolina.
Communication and Boundaries with
Leadership Teams, Group Families, and Your Own Family
Leadership is one of those things that looks so glamorous from the outside, but on the inside, it looks like a lot of work and a lot of interpersonal stuff. Everyone has an idea of how things ought to be done or even what should be done – but you can’t do it all! How do you set limits? How do you welcome different perspectives without stepping on each other’s feelings and ideas all the time? And how do you promote love and humility on your team – for the sake of Christ and your ministry? Developing a culture of speaking the truth in love that respects boundaries and people will help you build an organization that can weather change.
“Okay, today is going to be a great homeschool day! We’re going to get so much done. Let me just check my messages while the kids are finishing up breakfast.” Three hours later… “Oh no! We didn’t get any schoolwork done AGAIN. Maybe I should just leave the leadership team.”
It’s not just you. It happens to all of us. We’re running around like maniacs putting out brushfires, but do we really have to? Is there a way to make sure the truly important things, the things that are important to you, get done? Yes, but you must lovingly set boundaries, or it will not happen. Let’s talk about how to get the important work of ministering to homeschoolers done without feeling like we’ve left the most important things to fend for themselves.
Why do people get hurt so easily? Why do folks misunderstand what you’re trying to say? Why is talking so hard when we do it all the time? Communication isn’t easy, especially in a world of firing off a dozen texts full of abbreviations and phrases. The Word of God gives us a lot of practical advice about communicating with one another, but it’s hard to know what that looks like in real life. Come learn how to change communication culture for the better – as a leader and as a family member.
Cathrine Mireles is HEAV’s hispanic outreach coordinator. Currently, she is the director and founder of Nehemiah Ministries, which includes a homeschool support group, and she is working on her Ph.D. at Regent University. She taught at a Christian school and has more than 20 years of experience in the public school system. She has taught all levels of
English from sixth grade through high school. She has also taught drama/theater, Spanish, and French. She is an active local church member and serves in many capacities, including the leadership team and teaching connect group classes. She and her husband have been married for 32 years and have one son, who is a freshman at Regent University.

Karim Morato is a bilingual consultant and the Hispanic outreach coordinator at HSLDA. She is a certified Spanish teacher with 16 years of teaching experience in public schools. Now, with her master’s degree in curriculum and online learning from George Mason University, Karim has developed her own curriculum and is passionate about supporting leaders and Hispanic parents in her community. Karim and her husband homeschool their three children.

Darren Jones, homeschool graduate and HSLDA litigation attorney, is a favorite at HEAV LeaderLife conferences! He will present a session that focuses on homeschool protections for children, the co-op, and support group organizations.

Eliminate the Guesswork.
- Grow in your leadership potential.
- Gain confidence as a leader.
- Create a team you can count on.
- Work more efficiently.
- End burnout.
- Connect with other leaders.
- Reach your diverse community.

Each year, we hear how this leadership conference has changed leaders’ lives and made THE difference in their leadership style, in their groups, and in their own families. Leaders sacrifice so much, and we want to support you. We’re in this together. Come find your community. Come find your tribe.
Why LeaderLife Works
Relevant & Practical
Real-life examples and experiences from leaders you can trust provide skills you can apply right away to problems you face.
Life-Changing & Dynamic
Make connections and forge relationships that will forever change your leadership, your group, and your life!
Fun & Interactive
Who doesn't want to have fun? Gifts, activities, round-table discussions and leader panels bring each session to life!
Empower Yourself and Revitalize Your Team!
Come to LeaderLife.
Priced as low as $139, thanks to our registration sponsors!
Full Conference Registration
with Scholarship-
Hurry! Limited Scholarships
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Scholarship Saves $50!
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Members Save an Additional $10
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Includes Pre-conference Event
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Plated Luncheon
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Scrumptious Meals & Snacks
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All Conference Materials Included
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Support Group Intensive
Pre-Conference Event-
Choose from 6 Workshops
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10 am to noon
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Intensive Materials Included
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HEAV member? Be sure to access your member benefits page to grab your discount code before you register.
Not a member? You can join or renew right on your convention registration! You’ll get your member discount right away and get great benefits all year long.
Registration Scholarship!
You are saving $50 on your registration…thanks to our registration sponsor! BJU Press/Homeworks by Precept, has invested in homeschooling—and especially homeschool leaders like you!—to make LeaderLife as affordable as possible for you. Thanks to their generosity, you are saving $50 off your leadership conference registration. A limited number available–hurry!
First-Time Attendee?
Classical Conversations wants to support and nurture homeschool leaders who are just starting out. If this is your first time at LeaderLife, tell us on your registration form, and you’ll save $50 off your registration price!
Are you a Classical Conversations leader? Contact Gretchen Heinrich at gheinrich@classicalconversations.com for a special discount code just for you!
A limited number of each scholarship is available. Scholarships may not be combined.
Support Intensive
A Pre-Conference Event | Friday, March 17, 9 a.m. to noon
Starting and Running a Support Group or Co-Op
Homeschooling is a great way to unleash your creativity—but we know starting from scratch can be daunting. Don’t reinvent the wheel! Learn from others who have gone before. Learn the difference between a co-op and support group and discover what you need to know to get started!
No matter how big of a team we have, leaders take on large burdens when running a group. Challenges in our private lives, complaints from our members, and simply having too big of a burden will lead to burnout in even the best leaders. We’ll help you mitigate burnout with tips on how to maximize the skills of your team members and manage your own schedule.
Most of us are just homeschool moms and while some of us have children with special needs, the skills to handle children with disabilities in our co-op can be beyond our expertise. We have tips on how to train our leaders and bring in people with the right skill set so we can support the growing population of homeschooled students with special needs.
A cooperative can be as simple as parents working cooperatively together with little to no money changing hands, to a complex drop-off, multi-day, academic program that functions like a private school. No matter where you begin on this spectrum, there are important guiding principles that are common to all homeschool co-ops.
Support groups range from simple social media groups to large groups that offer resources, multiple events, and community. Support groups can be excellent assets to families and provide a sense of community. Craig will address the purpose and characteristics of your group, administration, parent engagement, conflict management, time management and building teams, and more.
Do you know what to do to keep your group’s meetings and events safe and secure for all involved? Not just from outside threats, but also from internal concerns. Policies, training, risk management, and Virginia law will be discussed.
Leadership is not so much about technique and methods as it is about opening the heart. Leadership is about inspiration — of oneself and of others. Great leadership is about human experiences, not processes. Leadership is not a formula or a program; it is a human activity that comes from the heart and considers the heart of others. It is an attitude, not a routine.
— Lance Secretan

Schedule
FRIDAY, March 17, 2023
Support Group Intensive: A Pre-Conference Event
9:00 a.m. Pre-Conference Registration
10:00 a.m. Welcome ~ Thomas Jefferson Amphitheater
10:05 a.m. What Homeschool Groups Are and How to Plan One | Thomas Jefferson Amphitheater
Safety and Security | James Madison Room
How to Create Programming for Special Needs | Benjamin Franklin Room
10:55 a.m. Coffee Break
How to Start and Run a Co-op | Thomas Jefferson Amphitheater
How to Start and Run a Support Group | James Madison Room
Avoiding Burnout | Benjamin Franklin Room
Noon Lunch on Your Own
LeaderLife Conference | Ballrooms 3 & 4
1:00 p.m. Check-In & Registration | Foyer
2:00 p.m. Welcome and Introduction
2:15 p.m. Support Group Spotlight
2:30 p.m. Leadership Teams with Truth and Love ~ Hal & Melanie Young
3:30 p.m. Coffee Break
4:00 p.m. Protecting Our Children and Protecting Your Organization ~ Darren Jones
4:45 p.m. Hispanic Outreach Update ~ Cathrine Mireles and Karim Morato
5:15 p.m. Support Group Spotlight
5:30 p.m. Membership Update ~ Stephanie Konicki
5:55 p.m. Coffee Break
6:30 p.m. Dinner
8:00 p.m. Dessert Fellowship
SATURDAY, March 18, 2023 | Ballrooms 3 & 4
7:30 a.m. Coffe & Tea
8:30 a.m. Welcome
8:45 a.m. Support Group Spotlight
9:00 a.m. Outreach: Mentoring, Pastoral, Events ~ Stephanie Konicki
9:45 a.m. Coffee Break | Garden Pavilion
10:15 a.m. Serving Your Group without Sacrificing Your Life ~ Hal & Melanie Young
11:15 a.m. Leader-to-Leader Breakout Session One (Choose One)
- Paying Workers, the IRS, and Finances | Thomas Jefferson Amphitheater
- How to Operate as a Church Ministry | James Madison Room
- Bringing in the Right New Members | Benjamin Franklin Room
11:45 a.m. Leader-to-Leader Breakout Session Two (Choose One)
- Paying Workers, the IRS, and Finances | Thomas Jefferson Amphitheater
- How to Operate as a Church Ministry | James Madison Room
- Bringing in the Right New Members | Benjamin Franklin Room
12:30 p.m. Luncheon
1:30 p.m. Icebreaker
2:15 p.m. Legislative Update with Q&A ~ Yvonne Bunn and Legislative Team
2:45 p.m. Convention Update ~ Anne Miller
3:00 p.m. Support Group Spotlight
3:15 p.m. Coffee Break
3:45 p.m. Talk is Cheap: How Leaders Can Build a Relationship-Focused Communication Culture ~ Hal & Melanie Young
4:45 p.m. Giveaways, Closing Thoughts, and Farewell
Your LeaderLife Hosts

Anne Miller, HEAV President and Executive Director

Stephanie Konicki, Director of Outreach

Sheri Payne, Director of Leader Support



HOTELS
HEAV has a limited room block at the Founders Inn and Spa, but there are many beautiful—and affordable–hotels in the area. More options coming soon.
Please make your reservations at the hotel of your choice.
Founders Inn and Spa, reserve here.
Please make your reservations at the above link or call 757-366-5700. Use the Code: Leader Life Conference. March 17 through 18, 2023.
NEW!
Add an optional T-shirt when you register for the LeaderLife by MARCH 1st!
WOMEN’S T-SHIRTS
- Cost is $21
- 2 Color option: heather gray and black
- Women’s Size options: S, M, L, XL, 2XL
MEN’S T-SHIRTS
- Cost is $20
- 2 Color option: heather gray and black
- Men’s Size options: S, M, L, XL, 2X
Marriott's Manor Club at Fords Colony
101 St. Andrews Drive, Williamsburg
Distance: 0.2 mi SE
757-258-5500
Marriott Details
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott - 20% Discount for Homeschoolers!
Exclusive Discount:
20% Off for Homeschoolers
Distance: 5.2 mi
1402 Richmond Road, Williamsburg
757-645-3600
Fairfield Inn Details
Williamsburg Plantation Resort
4870 Longhill Road, Williamsburg
Distance: 1.8 mi E
757-253-9100
Williamsburg Plantation Details
Hampton Inn and Suites Richmond Road
718 Bypass Rd, Williamsburg
Distance: 3.1 mi E
757-229-4900
Hampton Inn Details
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites
1452 Richmond Rd, Williamsburg
Distance: 3.6 mi E
757-941-1057
Holiday Inn Details
Rodeway Inn & Suites
5351 Richmond Road, Williamsburg, VA
Distance: 2.9 mi E
757-707-8687
Rodeway Inn Details
Choice Hotels
Hilton Garden Inn Williamsburg
1624 Richmond Road, Williamsburg, VA
Distance: 3.3 mi E
757-253-9400
Hilton Garden Details
Great Wolf Lodge Resort
549 East Rochambeau Drive, Williamsburg
Distance: 4.2 mi NE
866-969-9653
Great Wolf Details
War Hill Inn Bed and Breakfast
4560 Long Hill Road Williamsburg
Distance: 2.0 mi S
800-743-0248
War Hill Inn Details
Magnolia Manor Bed and Breakfast Inn
700 Richmond Road, Williamsburg
Distance: 6 mi S
800-462-6667
Magnolia Manor Details
