WT Head of School Search Committee Formed

Dear WT Community,

On May 3, Gary Niels and I announced Gary’s decision to complete his 16-year tenure as Head of Winchester Thurston on June 30, 2018. I am writing today to update you on the search process and to share information on how you can stay informed as it proceeds.

I am grateful that seven of my colleagues on the Board have agreed to serve on the search committee. Board Vice President Paul Rosenblatt, a WT parent who has served on the Board since 2013, will chair the committee.

Paul is joined by a group of trustees invited to serve based on their dedication to the mission, and on our desire to ensure a breadth of expertise, experience, and perspective. The members are:

  • Kristen A. Burns, Trustee and WT parent
  • Kerry Bron ’84, Trustee and WT alumna
  • Cindy Akers Gerber, Trustee and WT alumnae/i parent
  • Henry Posner III, Emeritus Trustee and WT alumnae/i parent, former Board President
  • Martin E. Powell, Trustee and WT alumnae/i parent, former Board President
  • Kelly Hanna Riley ‘91, Trustee, WT alumna, and WT parent

Appointing a Head is the most important responsibility of a Board of Trustees, and I have great confidence in this committee. They will be accountable to the Board of Trustees to meet their charge, which will include seeking the input of diverse stakeholders throughout the WT community, reviewing candidates, conducting interviews, and recommending finalists to the Board. Ultimately, the Board will select and appoint the new Head, and announce the appointment when it is made. The work of the search committee will be kept in strict confidence throughout the process.

The committee will soon begin interviewing executive search firms and will work with the selected firm through the summer, providing periodic updates through email and the Head of School search page on the WT website: www.winchesterthurston.org/headsearch.

As we move forward, the Board is confident that one of the legacies of Gary’s Headship is that WT is in a superb position to attract the best possible candidates for his successor. We all look forward to the future of Winchester Thurston with great optimism.

Sincerely,


Jennifer Gonzalez McComb ‘89
President, Board of Trustees