CultivatED - Seven Hills School

About the Cultivated Conference

Rooted in Equity. Rising Together.

Hosted by The Seven Hills School, the CultivatED Conference is a regional gathering designed to restore, rejuvenate, and reimagine the work of equity and inclusion in education.

CultivatED offers space for educators, leaders, and allies to deepen their equity practice, strengthen community, and experience collective renewal.

From powerful keynotes and hands-on workshops to wellness experiences like sound baths, movement, and affinity spaces, participants will explore how to lead, teach, and live from a place of wholeness and connection.

Join us Jan. 15-16, 2026, in Cincinnati, Ohio, as we root ourselves in equity, rise together in community, and cultivate a future where every learner and educator belongs.

Registration

The registration fee is $150. If cost is a barrier, please contact us at culativatEDconference@7hills.org.

Keynotes Topics Hotel & Transportation Schedule

Keynote Speakers

Catherine E. Lhamon

Executive Director, Edley Center on Law and Democracy

Catherine E. Lhamon is the inaugural executive director of the Edley Center on Law and Democracy. Until January 20, 2025, she was the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education, where she served following United States Senate confirmation. From January through October 2021, Lhamon managed President Biden’s equity policy portfolio as Deputy Assistant to the President for Racial Justice and Equity. From December 2016 until January 2021, she chaired the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, to which President Obama appointed her. She also served in California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Cabinet as Legal Affairs Secretary from January 2019 through January 2021. Before these roles, Lhamon had also been Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education during President Obama’s Administration. In addition to her government service, Lhamon litigated civil rights cases at the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, National Center for Youth Law, and Public Counsel Law Center, and she clerked for the Honorable William A. Norris on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Skye Perryman

President and CEO of Democracy Forward

Skye L. Perryman is the President and CEO of Democracy Forward, a nonpartisan, national legal organization that promotes democracy and progress through litigation, regulatory engagement, policy education, and research. Ms. Perryman took the helm at Democracy Forward a few months after January 6, 2021, in the midst of rising extremism in communities and courts across the country. She has built a visionary team of legal, policy, and communications experts to confront anti-democratic extremism head-on while also using the law to advance progress and a bold vision for the future. Under Ms. Perryman’s leadership, Democracy Forward has expanded the scope and reach of its work, emerging as a nationally recognized institution that is taking on the most significant issues affecting people, families, and communities– from defending civil rights and fair wages to seeking to expand access to reproductive health care post-Dobbs to confronting attacks on education to addressing the climate crisis and much more.

Dr. Rodney Glasgow

President & Principal Consultant, the Glasgow Group

Dr. Rodney Glasgow has dedicated his career to empowering communities and fostering inclusive, joyful learning and working environments. A compelling educator, dynamic administrator, and passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and social justice, he brings nearly 25 years of transformative experience across various educational settings. His leadership journey spans both boarding and day schools, as well as religious and secular institutions, including impactful roles as a middle school division head and as Head of School. Currently, he serves as the Associate Director of Friends Council on Education, the National Association of Friends Schools. Glasgow’s presence radiates on the national stage, captivating audiences with his impactful keynote presentations and workshops, igniting conversation and sparking change. He has consulted with schools and organizations across the country, sharing his insights and expertise to drive meaningful change. As a featured writer in “Diversity in Independent Schools,” he also penned the prologue for “One Teacher in Ten in the New Millennium: LGBT Educators Speak Out About What’s Gotten Better…And What Hasn’t,” and has contributed to the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning’s “Think Differently and Deeply series.”

WELCOME RECEPTION

The conference kicks off on Thursday evening at the Freedom Center in downtown Cincinnati, with a welcome from EEOC Commissioner Kalpana Kotagal ’95.

Kalpana Kotagal

Commissioner, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Kalpana Kotagal was designated by President Biden as a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on July 14, 2023. She joined the EEOC as a Commissioner on Aug. 9, 2023, for a term expiring in July 2027. In 2024, Commissioner Kotagal was chosen to lead the EEOC’s REACH Initiative, which is focused on enhancing the agency’s outreach to vulnerable workers and underserved communities. Prior to joining the Commission, Kotagal was a partner at Cohen Milstein, where she specialized in civil rights and employment law and chaired the firm’s Hiring & Diversity Committee. As a member of the firm’s Civil Rights & Employment practice group, she represented women and other marginalized people in employment and civil rights class actions, often involving cutting-edge issues related to Title VII, the Equal Pay Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, as well as wage and hour issues and the non-discrimination provision of the Affordable Care Act. Commissioner Kotagal has dedicated her career to supporting workers and championing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.

Conference Topics

Equity, Education & Policy

The Language of Change: This session explores language, legislation, and the current federal landscape shaping education and equity.
Teaching Real History (Unhistoried): This session examines how educators can reclaim untold stories and resist erasure in classroom narratives.
Navigating Change with Anti-Fragility: Building resilience and leadership in times of cultural unrest and institutional transition.
Equity in Math: Practical ways to help every student thrive, and simple shifts that make math class more equitable, responsive, and joyful.

Student Experience & Safety

R.I.S.E. Above the Challenges: Developing supportive systems for students to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
School Safety in Context: This session examines approaches that honor both physical and psychological safety.
Mental Health, Technology, and Teens: This session explores how digital culture impacts adolescent well-being and what schools can do to respond.

College, Career & Representation

HBCUs & Beyond: College admission organizations celebrating pathways for Black excellence and access in HBCUs.
Outdoor Urban Education: This session explores reconnecting students to place, environment, and experiential learning in urban contexts.

Community, Culture & Wellness

Sound Bath Experience: An immersive, restorative session that invites participants to rest, release, and realign.
Embodied Wellness Practices: Movement, breathwork, and mindfulness integrated throughout the day to promote rejuvenation.

Hotel & Transportation

Location

The conference will be held at The Seven Hills School, 5400 Red Bank Road, Cincinnati, OH 45227.

The welcome reception on Thursday evening will be held at the Freedom Center, 50 East Freedom Way, Cincinnati, OH 45202.

Hotel

The Summit Hotel in Madisonville is offering a special rate to CultivatED Conference attendees. Contact cultivatedconference@7hills.org for more information on booking.

Transportation

A shuttle will run between the hotel and the conference. Attendees who are not using the shuttle should follow the directed parking signs on campus.

Conference Schedule

Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026

5:30-7:30 p.m. Note the time change

Welcome Reception

Enjoy light hors d’oeuvres and drinks with an address from EEOC Commissioner Kalpana Kotagal

The Freedom Center, 50 E Freedom Way, Cincinnati, OH 45202. Parking is included for educators.

Friday, Jan. 16, 2026

All sessions on Friday are at The Seven Hills School, Hillsdale Campus, 5400 Red Bank Road, Cincinnati, OH 45227

8-8:30 a.m. Schiff

Registration & Breakfast

Check-in, badges, coffee/tea, light breakfast
Networking and music

8:30-8:45 a.m.

Welcome & Opening Remarks

Welcome from Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Racheal Quinn and Seven Hills students

8:45-9:45 a.m.

Opening Keynote

Keynote Address from Catherine Lhamon, executive director of Edley Center on Law and Democracy
Q&A

9:45-10 a.m.

Break (Transition)

10-10:50 a.m.

Breakout Session I

Multiple sessions to choose from (DEI strategy, affinity spaces, classroom practice, etc.)

11-12:30 p.m.

Afternoon Keynote

Keynote Address from Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward
Q&A

12:30-1:30 p.m.

Lunch & Networking

Lunch and optional “topic tables”

1:30-2:20 p.m.

Breakout Session II

Choice of interactive workshops

2:20-2:30 p.m.