Grow, Connect, and Inspire: Reflections from the NC Association of Public Charter Schools Conference

In mid-July, I had the opportunity to join Dallan Wortham in Wilmington, North Carolina, for the North Carolina Association of Public Charter Schools Conference (NCAPCS). This opportunity stemmed from a networking meeting with Rhonda Dillingham and Shawn Wortham, which led to Charter Connect supporting NCAPCS with marketing efforts and becoming a conference sponsor. Dallan even led a breakout session, and since I was already spending the summer in North Carolina, I was able to help run our booth.

What is NCAPCS?

NCAPCS is a small but mighty nonprofit run by just three dedicated individuals. According to their website, “NCAPCS is the largest charter school membership organization in the state that supports, advocates, and educates on behalf of the charter school community.” You can learn more about their mission and impact by checking out Episode 56 of The Charter School Connection podcast.

One of the many things NCAPCS does is organize a major annual conference for charter school professionals. Despite the lean size of their team, they put together an event that welcomed over 800 attendees. This year marked their first time hosting in a convention center, complete with two keynote speakers and 81 breakout sessions. The range of topics was impressive - everything from AI tools to school finance, culture-building, background check systems, and of course, marketing.

Preparing for the Conference

I’ll be honest. This was my very first conference experience. I didn’t know what to expect, and preparing our booth felt a little daunting. I spent a lot of time researching booth design ideas: Should we go all out with bold decor and swag? Keep it minimal? Make it educational? Interactive?

After weighing the options, we ultimately chose a clean, minimalist setup. I wasn’t sure that was the best move at first, especially with our prime booth location. Meanwhile, our outreach team worked tirelessly in the weeks leading up to the event to set up networking meetings - but despite the effort, results were limited, which felt a bit discouraging.

At the Conference

Once the conference began, I realized our simple booth was the right call. We weren’t there to impress with flashy displays - we were there to build meaningful connections. And although I’m naturally introverted, I slowly stepped out of my comfort zone and had some great conversations with attendees.

Interestingly, some of our strongest connections didn’t come from schools, but from other organizations. One standout moment was meeting the team from BChex - we hit it off right away. In a fun twist, one of their team members turned out to be the brother-in-law of a friend of mine! That connection has already opened doors: Dallan is flying to Charlotte to appear on their podcast, and BChex CEO Ken Monroe will be joining us on The Charter School Connection. Keep an eye out for those episodes!

After dinner with our friends from BChex

A Conference Highlight: Dallan’s Breakout Session

One of the most memorable moments was seeing Dallan in action during his breakout session, “Enrollment Favors the Bold.” He shared practical, effective marketing strategies for increasing enrollment—many of which are completely free to implement. The session drew about 35 attendees, all of whom were school administrators. With around 50 schools represented at the event, that turnout was a big win.

The feedback was incredibly positive: every attendee left with actionable tips, and several expressed interest in learning more about what Charter Connect offers. Seeing Dallan present gave me a much deeper understanding of the marketing side of our work - and a renewed sense of inspiration.

Lessons Learned

By the end of the conference, I understood why our executive team opted for a low-key booth presence. Although the conference had over 800 attendees, only about 50 schools were represented - and not every school sent an administrator. Since our services are designed for school leadership, our true audience was a small fraction of the total crowd.

It’s easy to get caught up in measuring success by the number of leads or clients gained, but that’s not why we attend conferences. Our goal is to build authentic relationships. Most attendees were teachers or support staff - not decision-makers in enrollment or marketing. While they may not have been our target audience, we still showed up, made connections, and laid the groundwork for future opportunities.

Final Thoughts

Although we didn’t walk away with a list of new clients, I left the conference energized and excited about what’s ahead. We have new partnerships to nurture, podcast guests to feature, and follow-ups to explore. More than anything, I gained confidence - from stepping out of my introverted shell to being part of meaningful conversations in a professional space.

After a year at Charter Connect, this experience helped me see our work from a new angle. I’m learning more every day, and I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to grow alongside such a passionate, mission-driven team.

I can’t wait to see where these new connections lead - and I’m already looking forward to the next conference.