Program Overview

Program Overview

The B.R.A.V.E. Institute is a professional development program designed to provide educators with values-based practices needed to become more effective and inspiring communicators and leaders. The program is based on the pioneering work of award-winning historian, educator, and human rights defender Timothy Patrick McCarthy.

Program Details

The B.R.A.V.E. Institute consists of four days of in-person teaching, learning, and practice on campus at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Led by world-class faculty, participants will develop and deepen their leadership and communication skills through larger group sessions and smaller cohort meetings.

Program Structure

• The program focuses on the real-world application of Timothy Patrick McCarthy’s B.R.A.V.E. framework:
  • B ecome Bigger and Bolder (a practice of confidence)
  • Keep it R eal (a practice of candor)
  • A cknowledge Risks and Consequences (a practice of clarity)
  • Lead with V alues (a practice of conviction)
  • E ngage with Power (a practice of co-tension)

Learning Goals

By the end of the course, participants will learn to:

• Apply the practices of the B.R.A.V.E. framework
• Map audiences and craft messages effectively
• Cultivate a safe and brave space for sharing ideas, identities, and lived experiences
• Engage in difficult conversations with curiosity, honesty, and respect
• Make effective use of critical feedback
• Express identities and values clearly
• Connect with diverse audiences by engaging different perspectives
• Develop empathy and demonstrate compassion in communication
• Navigate spontaneous and contentious encounters
• Experiment with style and content in public speaking
• Develop emotional articulacy in public leadership and communication
• Lead and communicate with integrity and courage

Faculty

Faculty Chair

• Timothy Patrick McCarthy
  • Lecturer on Education
  • Faculty Chair, Global LGBTQI+ Human Rights Program (at Carr-Ryan Center/HKS)
  • A historian of social movements, Dr. McCarthy teaches courses on equity and education, leadership and communications, and the history and politics of social change

Target Audience

The B.R.A.V.E. Institute was developed to serve established and emerging education leaders facing real-world challenges, including:

• School principals and assistant principals
• District administrators
• Department heads
• Arts educators
• Veteran teachers in leadership roles
• Education program coordinators
• Early-career educators with leadership potential
• Leaders managing school or district-wide initiatives
• Leaders responsible for community or parent engagement
• Educators leading teams through significant change
• Administrators handling conflict resolution
• Senior education consultants
• Higher education leaders:
  • Deans and assistant deans
  • Faculty
  • Communications

Tuition and Application

• Tuition: $3,995.00
• Application Deadline: May 4, 2026
• The program welcomes applications from both individuals and teams
• First-time applicants need to create a Professional Education account to apply

Additional Information

• The program is designed to provide educators with the skills and intentional practices needed to become more inspiring communicators and leaders
• The B.R.A.V.E. Institute is based on the pioneering work of Timothy Patrick McCarthy
• The program consists of four days of in-person teaching, learning, and practice on campus at the Harvard Graduate School of Education
• Led by world-class faculty, participants will develop and deepen their leadership and communication skills through larger group sessions and smaller cohort meetings
• The program focuses on the real-world application of Timothy Patrick McCarthy’s B.R.A.V.E. framework
• By the end of the course, participants will learn to apply the practices of the B.R.A.V.E. framework, map audiences and craft messages effectively, and cultivate a safe and brave space for sharing ideas, identities, and lived experiences
• The program is designed for established and emerging education leaders facing real-world challenges
• The tuition for the program is $3,995.00, and the application deadline is May 4, 2026
• The program welcomes applications from both individuals and teams, and first-time applicants need to create a Professional Education account to apply
• The program is designed to provide educators with the skills and intentional practices needed to become more inspiring communicators and leaders, and to navigate the complexities and challenges facing the field of education.