Building Leadership and Belonging in Independent School Business, with CFO Dallas Joseph

In this episode, recorded live at the 2026 NBOA Annual Meeting in Orlando, host and NBOA President and CEO Jeff Shields sits down with Dallas Joseph, chief financial and operating officer at Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Joseph reflects on the centrality of personal connections, generosity and inclusivity to the profession and the association since its earliest days, as well as the business officer's shifting role from tactical business management to strategic financial leadership. The conversation also explores the unique mission-driven nature of independent schools, particularly the CFO’s role in advancing access through financial aid, as well as the importance of building strong teams to sustain long-term success. Joseph, NBOA’s first Board Chair of color and first Ken White Distinguished Business Officer Award recipient of color, to name a couple of the many firsts in his career, discusses his trailblazing legacy within the profession with clarity and candor.