An Update on the Head of School Search
Dear Berkeley Community,
I am pleased to share an update on the Head of School Search, as well as the process we will employ over the coming months to ensure that our search is a success.
Berkeley has retained Carney Sandoe & Associates (CS&A), an internationally recognized education search and recruitment, consulting, and coaching firm, to partner with us in the search for our next Head of School. CS&A brings deep knowledge of independent schools from over 45 years of experience guiding schools through their searches for exceptional heads of school, senior administrators, and faculty. CS&A is known for its highly personalized approach to understanding the particular strengths, needs, and cultures of schools and then supporting them through the identification, recruitment, and hiring of excellent leaders, whose skills and experiences align with the school’s needs.
I am honored to serve as Chair of the Search Committee, along with Kathleen Nestor who will serve as Vice Chair, to find a Head of School who can lead this incredible institution. Each member of the committee has demonstrated leadership and commitment to Berkeley and is a critical thinker who is deeply dedicated to our school and its mission.
The Search Committee, listed below, will screen a comprehensive selection of candidates, interview and evaluate them, and seek input and perspective from a Search Advisory Committee (to be constituted with strong representation from school constituencies). Based on this thorough vetting process and the advisory input received, the Search Committee will make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees, who will then hire our next great Head of School.
Head of School Search Committee
Chad Harrod ’95 (Chair), alumnus, Trustee, and parent of Lee ’26 and Hank ’29
Kathleen Nestor (Vice Chair), Trustee and parent of Maryclare ’25, John ’28, and Patrick ’30
Quincy Black, Trustee and parent of Ethan ’32, Liviya ’34, and Imani ’36
Lee A. “Tripp” Crouch ’86, alumnus, Trustee, and parent of Thatcher ’21 and
Andrew ’23
Anne Faber, Trustee and parent of Richard ’31, Liles ’33, and Alice ’37
Bob Gries, former Trustee and parent of Zoe ’17
Ami Patel Pagidipati ’02, alumna, Trustee, and parent of Aria ’34 and Aren ’37
Gala Wan, Trustee and parent of Julia ’29 and Natalie ’31
The Search Committee considers it essential to collect and analyze feedback from key stakeholders in our community to define the characteristics we seek. Your first opportunity to share your thoughts will be this Thursday, September 25, from 8-8:45 a.m. at an Open Parent Session with Carney Sandoe & Associates in the Jean Ann Cone Library. In addition, please look out for a link to a survey that will be emailed to the Berkeley community later this month. We hope you will use these opportunities to share your feedback about the work ahead and help us develop a leadership profile.
We have created an email address, headofschoolsearch@berkeleyprep.org, if you have any questions or would like to share referrals. We will also keep the community updated via the Head of School Search webpage and email messages as the search progresses.
Our school is positioned well to attract another extraordinary leader who embraces our mission and vision. We are optimistic about the future of our school, and I thank you for your interest, support, and enthusiasm for this important endeavor.
Sincerely,
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