Leading with Listening: Building Trust Through Two-Way Engagement
Date: 7/21/2026
Time: 10 - 11 AM
Room: Grand Ballroom C (Floor 1)
Skill Session - Live lecture, panel discussion or interactive session with time for Q&A. 60-minutes.
ENGAGEMENT–Internal/external stakeholder engagement
Session Description
School districts are communicating more than ever, yet many continue to struggle with creating meaningful, two-way engagement with families, staff, students and community members.
In a landscape shaped by information overload, rising expectations for transparency and declining trust in public education, districts must move beyond simply sharing messages and instead design systems that prioritize listening, dialogue and shared understanding to strengthen trust and connection across their district boundaries.
This session explores how the second-largest elementary school district in Illinois has shifted from a traditional, linear communication plan to an intentional, two-way engagement approach that connects a leader's desire to be visible with its district’s strategic goals around meaningful family, staff and community engagement.
Presented jointly by Community Consolidated School District 15’s Superintendent Dr. Laurie Heinz and Chief Communications Officer Ahmad Gibson, this session offers practical strategies for school communicators and leaders seeking to strengthen engagement regardless of size or experience level.
Rather than focusing on a single campaign or communication tool, this session emphasizes building an ecosystem that prioritizes two-way communication across diverse stakeholder groups. Attendees will gain insight into how our district moved from isolated communication and engagement efforts to a more dynamic, systems-based approach that values listening just as much as messaging, if not more.
Participants will leave with concrete ideas, guiding questions and planning considerations to help strengthen two-way communication, enhance leadership visibility and deepen relationships with families, staff, students and stakeholder groups. The presenters will reflect on lessons learned, including what worked, where adjustments were needed and how feedback informed decision-making and communication practices.
Presenter(s)
Ahmad Gibson
Chief Communications Officer
Community Consolidated School District 15
Ahmad Gibson is the Chief Communications Officer for Community Consolidated School District 15 (CCSD15) in Illinois, the second-largest elementary school district in the state, serving nearly 12,000 students across 21 schools. He is the youngest and first Black Chief Communications Officer in the district’s history. In this role, he leads districtwide communications strategy, community engagement, crisis communications, and brand stewardship, with a focus on building trust, accessibility, and meaningful two-way communication with families, staff, and the broader community.
Since stepping into the role, Ahmad has helped shift the district’s communications function from transactional messaging to a more strategic, engagement-centered approach. His work emphasizes leadership visibility, listening, and systems-based communication practices that support sustainable engagement across diverse communities. He has led major initiatives including the districtwide implementation of ParentSquare, comprehensive website redesigns, crisis communication planning, and multimedia storytelling projects that elevate student, staff, and community voices.
Prior to joining CCSD15, Ahmad held communications roles at Township High School District 113 and Niles Township High School District 219, where he launched innovative digital engagement strategies and developed one of the region’s first paid student communications internship programs. That program provided students with hands-on experience in media, marketing, and storytelling, and has since served as a pipeline to higher education and professional opportunities.
Ahmad’s work has been recognized at the state and national levels. He is a recipient of Illinois School Public Relations Association (INSPRA) Communications Awards of Excellence for video and newsletter communications and has led projects earning recognition from the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) for publications and digital media excellence. He is an active member of NSPRA and INSPRA and regularly collaborates with school communicators across Illinois to share best practices, lessons learned, and practical solutions to shared challenges.
Ahmad approaches school communications as a leadership function rooted in listening, equity, and relationship-building. He believes effective communication is not just about delivering information, but about creating structures that invite dialogue, reflect community voice, and strengthen trust over time. LinkedIn Profile
Laurie Heinz EdD
Superintendent of Schools
Community Consolidated School District 15
Dr. Laurie Heinz has served as Superintendent of Schools in District 15 since July 1, 2019; she is the first female superintendent in its almost 80-year history.
A passionate educator, committed to mindful decision-making that places students first, Dr. Heinz is a collaborative leader who builds on a breadth of experience as an elementary school teacher, adjunct professor, K-8 assistant principal, K-5 principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent.
Dr. Heinz leads with integrity and heart as a people-focused leader committed to ensuring students receive what they need when they need it. She is a driver of best-in-class leadership practices, with a continuous improvement mindset that she first learned during her time in District 15 as an Assistant Principal. She has expertise in curriculum development, instructional pedagogy, contract negotiations, referendum planning, community engagement, strategic planning, and fiscal stewardship.
Dr. Heinz loves her work as an educator and remains actively involved in the work of the district and educational trends nationwide. She is focused on integrating responsive teaching practices to foster the academic and social emotional development of every child the district proudly educates.
Some recent accolades include:
- Member of Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) and Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA)
- Representative to IASA-ISBE Advisory Committee
- National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA): Superintendent to Watch 2017-19
- Illinois Chapter of National School Public Relations Association (INSPRA): Golden Achievement Award of Excellence Recipient for 2016, and numerous communications awards
- President of North Cook Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA) 2021-2023, and Secretary 2019-2021
- AASA National Superintendent Certification Program
- Nominated as 1 of 100 national superintendents in Suburban School Superintendents LinkedIn Profile
Leading with Listening: Building Trust Through Two-Way Engagement
Category
Skill Session - Live lecture, panel discussion or interactive session with time for Q&A. 60-minutes.