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Last week Debra Wilson informed the SAIS Board of Trustees that she will leave her position as president on June 30 to become the president of NAIS. We will miss her tremendously and are grateful for her countless contributions.
She began her tenure at SAIS in July 2019 and provided exemplary leadership on a multitude of levels throughout the pandemic and beyond. We will miss her guidance, thoughtfulness, sense of humor, and deep understanding of our member schools. Her thought leadership and ability to see around corners has greatly benefited SAIS and we are thankful for her service. During her tenure, SAIS has grown stronger and even more responsive to the challenges and opportunities schools face.
While we’ll miss Debra very much, we are excited for her to be at the helm of NAIS. Her steady wisdom will continue to shape the independent school landscape from the national perspective. We’re grateful that she leaves us in a position of strength to launch a search for a successor who can help us continue to serve member schools and advance the SAIS mission. A search committee has been formed and an interim will be appointed for July 1 as the search for a permanent replacement gets underway. We will keep you informed about the path ahead once the process has been finalized. Updates will be posted at www.sais.org/search.
If you’d like to offer Debra a note of congratulations or thanks, you can do so here. We’re gathering them to present as part of her going-away tribute.
If you’re going to the NAIS Annual Conference in Las Vegas later this month, please drop by the SAIS reception on Thursday, Feb 23, from 6:30-8:30 PM to say congrats. RSVP here by noon on Feb 17. You’re also invited to join us at the SAIS Summer Conference in Sarasota on June 26-28, where we’ll say a special goodbye to Debra at the closing reception.
As we look ahead to the next chapter at SAIS, we have a strong staff, a dedicated board, and engaged members. Thank you for being part of our community.
Sincerely,
Jackie Westerfield
Head of School, Grandview Preparatory School
Chair, SAIS Board of Trustees
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