Burke's Names Next Head of School

November 15, 2011                           

Dear Burke’s Community,

It is our great pleasure to announce that the Board of Trustees has appointed Michele Williams as our next Head of School, effective July 1, 2012.  Michele comes to us from the Stevenson School in Pebble Beach, California, where she has been Head of the Pebble Beach Campus since 1998.

Michele’s appointment -- on the unanimous recommendation of the Search Committee and the unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees -- culminates a comprehensive national search that yielded an outstanding group of candidates from schools across the country.  Michele brings an extensive background in independent school education, including more than a decade as the Head of Stevenson’s 540- student upper school. 

Michele stood out to trustees, faculty, staff, parents and students for her keen intelligence, strong and inclusive leadership style, visionary thinking, warm and approachable personality, and clear alignment with Burke’s mission and values. Let us share a few of the hundreds of comments we received from our community: Michele is “a natural leader, poised, articulate and calm,” “a great role model for our girls,” “a smart, caring and strong woman – exactly what I would like my daughter to be,” and “a perfect fit for Burke’s.”

The Search Committee was deeply impressed with Michele’s many accomplishments.  A few of the most notable are her leading edge work in developing  and supporting excellent teachers; her innovative use of technology to create platforms for learning; and her proven track record in the administrative and financial aspects of running an independent school.

At Stevenson, Michele has been instrumental in guiding the school’s growth and development as a leading independent school that attracts students and faculty from around the country and the world.  With her commitment to educating girls, Michele has built a co-educational culture at Stevenson, which was formerly an all-boys school. Michele’s commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and the personal development of her students is reflected in her highly successful tenure at Stevenson.  

In accepting her appointment as Head of School, Michele said, “I am so honored and thrilled to become the next Head of the Katherine Delmar Burke School, advancing its mission and continuing its record of balancing tradition and innovation.   As a mother, educator and school leader, I understand and appreciate the need for both academic rigor and the joy of learning and girlhood that is the soul of Burke’s.”

Born to a family of educators, Michele grew up in New York and received her undergraduate degree in American Studies from Smith College, where she was a varsity athlete.  She also holds a Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Management.  She began her career teaching history at Suffield Academy in Connecticut.  Michele moved to California to join Stevenson in 1991 and held positions of increasing academic and administrative responsibility, including Director of Residence and Dean of Students, before being named Head of the Pebble Beach Campus in 1998. 

We are also pleased to welcome Michele’s husband, Pete Williams, and their sons, Andrew (7) and Patrick (4) to our school community.  Michele and Pete are deeply committed to raising their family in the San Francisco Bay Area and will be joining Pete’s brothers who live nearby. 

We are extremely grateful to our consultants from Carney Sandoe and our entire Search Committee for their hundreds of hours of hard work over the past many months. We would also like to thank our parents, faculty, staff, trustees, alumnae and students for their active and thoughtful participation throughout the search process.  This is one of the most important decisions a school and Board of Trustees makes and your participation, feedback and support were truly invaluable.

Please join us in warmly welcoming Michele and her family into the Burke’s community. Michele and Pete will be at Burke’s on December 8 and 9 with several opportunities for our school community to welcome them in person.  We will be sharing details of their visit soon.

We are thrilled and privileged to have Michele as our next Head of School, Burke’s eighth Head in our 103 years of educating, encouraging and empowering girls. Together, we will continue to make this school the very best it can be for our girls today and for the next century to come.

Sincerely,

Ravin Agrawal                               Louisa Consagra ‘78                      Arun Sharma
Co-Chair, Search Committee          Co-Chair, Search Committee          President, Board of Trustees

Board of Trustees
Arun Sharma, President
Ravin Agrawal, Vice President
Louisa Consagra '78, Secretary
Evan Marwell, Treasurer
Jennifer Caldwell, At-Large
Jacqueline Erdman, At-Large
Chris Lenzo, At-Large

Wells Blaxter
Catherine Brown '80
Travis  Brownley
Laura Brugger
Evie Davis
Brooks Doggett
Barre Fong
Dana Goldberg '90
Gretchen Hansen
Chris Hauswirth
Leigh Matthes
Leila Minerva-Rivers
Arrie Park
MacGregor Read
Amy Schoew                            
Jeff Spears
Paul Wattis
Lara Witter
Julia Wong '83
Adam Young

Ex Officio
Lila Lohr, Interim Head of School, 
Nina Srejovic, President, Parents' Association
Bella Shen Garnett’ 89, President, Alumnae Board

Head of School Search Committee
Ravin Agrawal, Co-Chair 
Louisa Consagra '78, Co-Chair
Nayo Brooks
Jennifer Caldwell
Evie Davis
Susan Deemer
Nancy Field
Evan Marwell
Arun Sharma
Rebekah Wolman