Head of School Search
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we are thrilled to announce the appointment of Jessica Palladino, Ph.D., as The Woods Academy’s next Head of School, beginning July 1, 2023. Following a robust national search led by Carney, Sandoe & Associates, our nine-member Succession Planning Committee unanimously voted to recommend that the Board of Trustees select Dr. Palladino to succeed Joe Powers as our next Head of School. The Board of Trustees unanimously endorsed that recommendation, and the Board is delighted that Dr. Palladino has enthusiastically accepted the position.
On this page, you can find the communications announcing the new Head of School as well as previously shared emails with the community. Below you will be able to find the video announcement, position description, committee members, and more.
Recent Communications
Introducing The Woods Academy's Next Head of School
We are grateful to our students and families (past and present) for being such a warm, involved, generous, and supportive community. We all have reason to look forward to the future of The Woods Academy with tremendous optimism.
Donna M. Byrne
Chair, The Woods Academy Board of Trustees
Succession Planning Committee Members
A dedicated group of community members with extensive background of leadership at The Woods Academy and in the community.
- Warren Blanchard | Former Board Chair and Trustee, Parent '16 '20 '25
- Donna Byrne | Chair, Board of Trustees, Parent '24 '25
- Robin Clark | Vice Chair, Board of Trustees, Parent '11 '25
- Brian Farmer | Parent '22, '25, Principal at Washington Jesuit Academy
- Marc Ferrell | Trustee, Parent '23 '26 '28 '29
- John Glennon, Jr. | Trustee, Head of School at Georgetown Preparatory School
- Stefanie Morgan-Davis | Treasurer (and past Vice Chair), Board of Trustees, Parent '17 '22 '25, Chief Financial Officer at Our Lady of Good Counsel
- Paula Pryor | Trustee, Parent '31
- Darien Wright | Former Board Vice Chair and Trustee, Parent '17 '23
Carney, Sandoe & Associates
The Board of Trustees has retained Carney Sandoe & Associates to assist us in the head of school search process. Carney Sandoe & Associates is a leading educational search firm that places administrators and teachers in educational institutions across the nation and worldwide. In the review process, the firm impressed Board members with their knowledge of the school, their past experience in the marketplace, and their demonstrated ability to attract talented and qualified candidates.
