NSCLC 2025 Recap: See Why School Counseling Leaders Call it a Must-Attend Event!
The Nation’s Leading School Counseling Leadership Conference
Founded and hosted by Hatching Results, the National School Counseling Leadership Conference (NSCLC) is the nation’s premier event dedicated to supporting school counseling leaders. NSCLC provides a dedicated space for leaders to exchange ideas, tackle challenges, and drive meaningful change in schools and districts.
School counseling leaders play a critical role in shaping student success, yet leadership can often feel isolating. That’s why more than 800 school counseling leaders from across the country gathered for the 8th annual National School Counseling Leadership Conference — to collaborate, share solutions, and strengthen school counseling programs at every level.
From thought-provoking keynotes to deep-dive breakout sessions, interactive collaboration, and inspiring closing reflections, NSCLC 2025 wasn’t just a conference — it was a movement for leadership, advocacy, and action.
Missed this year’s event? Catch the key takeaways below, and be sure to secure your spot for NSCLC 2026 before it sells out!
⭐ “Look around… These are your people!” – Whitney Triplett, Welcome Address
A Powerful Start: NSCLC’s First-Ever Pre-Conference
⭐ “You’re the leaders we’ve been waiting for. We need you now more than ever.” – Dr. Trish Hatch, Pre-Conference Session
For the first time, NSCLC 2025 introduced an exclusive Pre-Conference session, led by Dr. Trish Hatch. This high-energy, interactive session explored the evolution of comprehensive school counseling programs (CSCPs), real-world leadership challenges, and critical policy shifts shaping the field.
With her signature mix of passion, humor, and straight talk, Dr. Hatch challenged attendees to think critically, navigate change, and apply logic models to drive systemic impact in their districts.
For leaders responsible for high-level decision-making, this session was a rare opportunity to step back, strategize, and tackle complex challenges before the main conference began. The sold-out session set the tone for three days of impactful learning and collaboration.
Day 1: Setting the Tone With the Opening Keynote & Connections
NSCLC 2025 opened with an inspiring keynote from Dr. Brett Zyromski, who challenged attendees to shift from deficit-based thinking to strengths-based leadership. He emphasized how hope and belonging can be stronger predictors of student success than standardized test scores or GPAs.
Following the keynote, attendees continued the conversation in Session A, applying these ideas to practical strategies they could implement in their schools and districts.
Expanding Networks & Building Relationships
The day wrapped up with the NSCLC Networking Social, one of the conference’s most anticipated events. Attendees mingled over appetizers and drinks, reconnecting with old colleagues, making new connections, and exchanging ideas in a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.
With a strong start to the conference, Day 1 reinforced a key message: school counseling leadership is stronger together.
Day 2: Collaboration & Actionable Strategies
Interactive Learning & Connections
The momentum continued into Day 2 as attendees participated in 76 expert-led sessions featuring 100+ presenters, all focused on key themes shaping the future of school counseling leadership:
Empowering Leaders
Transformational Collaboration
Systems Change
Data-Driven Practices & Impact Measurement
Equity, Inclusion, & Culturally Responsive Approaches
These sessions provided actionable strategies, real-world case studies, and innovative approaches to strengthening school counseling programs.
But some of the most meaningful conversations happened outside the session rooms — over lunch, surrounded by San Diego’s beautiful weather and waterfront views — because sometimes the best insights emerge in the moments between sessions.
Role-Alike Collaboration: Learning from Peers
The Role-Alike Collaboration sessions gathered school counseling leaders into smaller, role-specific groups for focused discussions on shared challenges, strategies, and solutions.
Nearly 100 district-level leaders and 50 school-based administrators participated in structured, peer-driven conversations designed to exchange real-world strategies, troubleshoot obstacles, and build valuable connections.
For many, this session reinforced the power of peer learning — reminding leaders that while their work can sometimes feel isolating, they are not alone in navigating the complexities of school counseling leadership.
Capturing the NSCLC Experience
Smiles, laughter, and team spirit were on full display at the NSCLC 2025 Photo Booth, where attendees snapped fun moments with their teams and colleagues.
Day 3: Turning Ideas Into Action
Session G: From Learning to Implementation
The final day of NSCLC 2025 focused on moving from insight to action.
During Session G: Action Planning & Differentiated Work Time, attendees mapped out next steps and created customized action plans tailored to their leadership roles and goals.
For busy school counseling leaders, this session provided dedicated time to turn conference insights into real-world action.
A Powerful Finale: Egg Talks Leave a Lasting Impact
NSCLC 2025 concluded with Egg Talks, a TED Talk-style closing session featuring Denise Cabanilla, Dr. Kelli Smith, and Dr. Demetria Williams.
Each speaker delivered a compelling message, reminding attendees why school counseling leadership matters — and why the work they do every day makes a lasting impact.
⭐ “Continue to persist, to love, and to persevere, and we will continue to make a difference in the lives of all our students and families.” – Denise Cabanilla
⭐ “Advocating for school counseling is the number one thing we can do to expand leadership, equity, and access in our schools.” – Dr. Kelli Smith
⭐ “What we do as leaders will always have an impact—even if we don’t see it at the time.” – Dr. Demetria Williams
This powerful closing session left attendees feeling empowered, motivated, and ready to take action.
Be Part of NSCLC 2026!
For the past two years, NSCLC has sold out months in advance, and 2026 is expected to fill up even faster!
Save the Date for NSCLC 2026!
📅 February 24-26, 2026
📍 Paradise Point Resort & Spa
👉 Join the NSCLC 2026 Early Access List to be the first to know when registration opens secure your spot before it fills up!
We can’t wait to continue this journey with you. See you at NSCLC 2026!
About Hatching Results
NSCLC is hosted by Hatching Results, a nationally recognized leader in school counseling professional development and consulting. We are committed to empowering school counseling leaders with the knowledge, tools, and support they need to drive measurable student outcomes. 📢
Interested in bringing high-quality professional learning to your district? Contact us to explore:
Comprehensive multi-day or multi-year professional learning
One-day trainings, conference speaking, and webinars
Custom services tailored to your school or district's needs
