In less than a week I will be attending the National Conference on Education presented by AASA. It will be my first national conference.

That feels pretty cool to say out loud.

Over the past year, much of my writing in The Authentic Advantage and my recent blog reflections for AASA have centered on leadership as a deeply human experience. I have written about discernment, boundaries, courage, belonging, and the often unseen emotional labor of leading. Much of that reflection has happened in quiet moments. The early mornings, long drives, and after difficult decisions. In the spaces where leaders are thinking, not performing.

This conference feels like a continuation of that reflection, just on a larger stage.
I am walking into this experience not looking for quick fixes or shiny solutions, but for connection, perspective, and shared understanding. I am curious about how leaders across the country are navigating similar challenges and how they are sustaining themselves while doing deeply complex work. I am hopeful for sessions that challenge my thinking, affirm my instincts, and remind me that leading with authenticity is not a liability but a strength.

Most of all, I am excited to learn alongside others who carry the same responsibility, the same care, and the same commitment to students and communities.

As a first time national conference attendee and as a conference blogger, I look forward to documenting not just what I learn, but how it feels to finally step into a space I have been writing toward all along. This feels less like a starting point and more like a moment of alignment.

I am ready to listen, to learn, and to fill my cup.

(Michelle Osterhoudt, superintendent in Margaretville, N.Y., is a 2026 blogger for Conference Daily Online.)