In this episode of The Comm Department Podcast, Phil Goodman and Libby Alvarez sit down with Levi Miller, Director of Marketing & Communications at Little Rock Christian Academy and a member of the Elevate Advisory Council, to reflect on Elevate 2026, the start of a new school year, and what they’re carrying forward from the conference.

The conversation quickly moves beyond marketing tactics into one of the ideas at the heart of Elevate: community over competition. Phil, Libby, and Levi talk about the importance of relational equity, influence over title, building trust across campus, and creating a professional community where people are willing to share both what’s working and where they’re struggling.

They also dig into some of the practical ideas coming out of Elevate 2026, including the continued shift toward authentic, student-centered social content; balancing cinematic storytelling with quick, organic content; and becoming more intentional about what marketing and communications teams say yes—and no—to.

In This Episode

• What the beginning of the school year looks like at Brentwood Academy, Lipscomb Academy, and Little Rock Christian Academy
• Why relationships and trust are essential for school marketing and communications leaders
• Why leadership is more about influence than title
• Reflecting on five years of Elevate
• How Elevate has grown while maintaining a strong sense of community
• Why community over competition continues to shape the Elevate experience
• The value of hallway conversations, shared experiences, and relationships outside the formal conference sessions
• The shift toward more authentic, student-centered social media content
• Finding the balance between highly produced cinematic content and quick, organic storytelling
• Why communications teams need to become more proactive and intentional about what they prioritize
• Creating space to celebrate great work through Elevate’s Celebrate the Wins
• The launch of the new Elevate Advisory Council
• A first look at MyElevate, the new year-round digital home for the Elevate community
• Looking ahead to Elevate 2027 at Santa Fe Christian Schools in San Diego

Phil also shares a preview of MyElevate, a new community platform designed to keep Elevate attendees connected throughout the year through member profiles, messaging, resources, events, podcast access, prayer requests, and more. Registration for Elevate 2027 will also live inside the platform.

And finally, the group looks ahead to Elevate 2027 in San Diego at Santa Fe Christian Schools, with early bird registration opening November 2.

The Big Idea

Elevate has never been about gathering experts on a stage. It’s about bringing school marketing and communications leaders around the same table, recognizing that everyone has something valuable to contribute, and creating a place where people can learn, grow, encourage one another, and become better at the work they’ve been called to do.

Community over competition. Growth over ego. Relationships that continue long after the conference ends.

In this episode of The Comm Dept Podcast, Phil Goodman of Brentwood Academy is joined by Libby Alvarez of Lipscomb Academy and Jennifer Crouch of Nashville Christian for an honest and encouraging conversation about the past semester in independent school marketing and communications. Together, they recap key wins, challenges, and lessons learned, and reflect on how their teams navigated a season full of change, opportunity, and growth.

The conversation then turns toward the future, as Phil, Libby, and Jennifer share what they’re looking ahead to in 2026, emerging opportunities they’re watching, and practical ways communications teams can begin preparing now for the next chapter. They also offer a brief teaser for Elevate 2026, sharing why the conference continues to be a meaningful space for learning and community—and yes, registration is officially open.

In this conversation, Phil Goodman engages with Alex Marr, Director of Creative Services, and Brandon Roberts, Director of Video from McCallie School, to discuss their roles, the unique positioning of the school, recent creative projects, and future aspirations. They explore the dynamics of their creative team, the importance of strategic planning, and the challenges of engaging students in creative processes. The discussion also touches on industry trends in education marketing and the significance of maintaining high-quality content amidst changing attention spans.