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This facilitated panel will feature women leaders who have built successful careers in custodial services across K-12 and higher education. Drawing from their personal leadership journeys, panelists will discuss how they entered the field, navigated challenges, stepped into positions of greater responsibility, and developed the confidence, skills, and relationships needed to lead large teams and complex operations.

This presentation will share tools to engage employees while building stronger teams. Communication, Documentation, and Empowerment are key Factors in managing staff toward success. The presentation will assist attendees who are in the early stages of their career, while also refreshing other management professionals in meeting the challenges of employee engagement and team building.

This presentation will share how people-first leadership can strengthen custodial operations and create healthier, more effective teams, discuss the importance of listening to frontline staff, building trust, communicating with compassion, and creating a workplace culture where employees feel valued and supported. 

This session highlights the specific challenges and opportunities that facilities management professionals are encountering in the 2026-2027 school year when it comes to stepping into and growing in leadership roles. Attendees will engage in a collaborative discussion and share insights on how they are creatively addressing these pressing challenges.

Join this 1-hour session on June 11 at 1:00p.m. Central to explore how Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is using the Healthy Green Schools & Colleges (HGSC) framework to drive meaningful, sustained improvement across its Facilities Department. As the first district in the country to achieve HGSC Certification, CPS will share insights from its first year post-certification, including key challenges, lessons learned, and progress toward re-certification in 2026.

This session will introduce K-12 and higher education facilities directors to emerging opportunities for incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into facility operations and maintenance. Participants will explore how AI can be applied safely and effectively to improve efficiency, reduce risks, and support smarter decision-making in managing buildings and campuses.

This session will highlight innovative models that K-12 and higher education facilities directors can use to address growing deferred maintenance backlogs and aging infrastructure. Attendees will explore practical approaches to optimizing building stock management and aligning limited resources across both aging infrastructure and modern buildings.

This session will share best practices for engaging facilities staff and strengthening workforce planning in K-12 and higher education settings. Participants will gain strategies to build morale, improve retention, and ensure their teams are prepared to meet current and future operational demands.

HSC will facilitate an open discussion with all participants about the opening of the 2025-2026 school year. This forum provides a space for attendees to share their perspectives, challenges, and opportunities to be better prepared to navigate the complexities of the current school year.

It’s All About the People: Practical Inspiration for Challenging Times Creating healthier, more sustainable schools and colleges through best-in-class facilities management requires having the right tools and technologies, cultivating people who can drive transformation, and strategically aligning with the regulatory, voluntary, and institutional structures that shape facilities work. To drive impact and create real change,