Small Team, Big Support: Making Consultants Work for You in a One-Person Communications Office
Date: 7/20/2026
Time: 2:15 - 3:15 PM
Room: Grand Salon 19 & 22 (Floor 1)
Skill Session - Live lecture, panel discussion or interactive session with time for Q&A. 60-minutes.
LEADERSHIP–Leadership, strategic counseling, management, mentorship in communications and public schools
Session Description
Small Team, Big Support
Making Consultants Work for You in a One-Person Communications Office
“We’re bringing in some consultants.” If those five words make you pause and wonder what comes next, this session is for you.
For many school communicators—especially those working in a one-person shop—the introduction of outside consultants can feel unclear or overwhelming. But when approached intentionally, external partners can become powerful allies who extend capacity, strengthen strategy, and elevate results—without replacing your voice or vision.
In this candid, practical session, you’ll hear real-world lessons learned from the San Benito High School District, where strategic use of consultants has been a key asset in supporting a one-person communications operation. This is not a sales pitch. It’s an honest look at what works, what doesn’t, and what communicators wish they had known before bringing in outside help.
Attendees will leave with:
- A clearer understanding of when and why to use consultants
- Practical strategies for setting expectations, defining roles, and maintaining control
- Tips for building productive, trust-based partnerships that support—not complicate—your work
- Reassurance that working with consultants can be empowering, not intimidating
If you’re responsible for doing a lot with limited time and resources, this session will give you practical tools and confidence to make consultants work for you—and for your district.
Presenter(s)
Shawn Tennenbaum Ed.D.
Superintendent
San Benito High School District
Shawn Tennenbaum, Ed.D., Superintendent – San Benito High School District
As a proud product of California's public-school system, Dr. Shawn Tennenbaum has spent his entire thirty-plus-year career serving students, parents and school communities on the Central Coast of California, primarily at the secondary level. During this time, his foundational experience in the classroom was supporting students with disabilities as well as coaching student-athletes.
Leadership roles have been wide reaching from, Teacher on Special Assignment to Director of Human Resources, and in his current role as the proud Superintendent of San Benito High School District. With an undergraduate degree from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, and both an MA and Doctorate degree from San Jose State University, Shawn has continued his belief in life-long learning. Shawn's strong commitment to San Benito High School District began in 1998 and he believes deeply in the core values exhibited on a daily basis by the students, staff, alumni, and greater San Benito High School District community. It is an honor to be a part of a community that not only embraces but supports the growth and development of our future generations.
Shawn has been a member of Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) since 2008, and he recently concluded six years on the ACSA Board of Directors. Previously, he was the ACSA Region 10 Vice President for Legislative Action, served on the ACSA Human Resource Council, and the Negotiators Symposium Committee Co-Chair.
He has been recognized for his accomplishments by receiving the ACSA Region 10 Superintendent of the Year for 2019-20 and was also selected as one of California's FFA Star Sectional Administrator of the Year. In the 2018-19 school year, he received the ACSA Region 10 Ken McCombs Award and in the 2015-16 school he received the ACSA State of California - Human Resources Administrator of the Year Award in addition to the 2014 ACSA Region 10 Administrator of the Year for Human Resources. LinkedIn Profile
Emily F. Popek APR
Vice President - Strategic Communications
Nichols Strategies
Emily F. Popek, APR, is vice president for strategic communications with Nichols Strategies, a private PR firm serving K12 education clients across the United States. Emily earned her APR in 2022 and is a three-time Golden Achievement winner with the National School Public Relations Association. Emily serves on NSPRA's Accreditation Committee and is one of two NSPRA representatives to the Universal Accreditation Board.
LinkedIn Profile
Adam Breen
Communications Officer
San Benito High School District
Mr. Adam Breen is the Communications Officer for San Benito High School District and Hollister High School in California, where he has led strategic communications and community engagement efforts for the past eight years. A 16-time award winner from the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) and the California School Public Relations Association (CalSPRA), Adam brings a deep background in storytelling and media to his work. He has taught yearbook and journalism at Hollister High School for the past 20 years, and prior to his work in education, he was a daily newspaper journalist and a university magazine editor. LinkedIn Profile
Small Team, Big Support: Making Consultants Work for You in a One-Person Communications Office
Category
Skill Session - Live lecture, panel discussion or interactive session with time for Q&A. 60-minutes.