Sara Stephenson Named New Rector

12/4/2023

Sara Stephenson has been appointed to lead Chatham Hall, one of the nation’s preeminent girls’ boarding schools, into its visionary next chapter.

On Nov. 12, the Board of Trustees enthusiastically and unanimously approved the Rector Search Committee’s recommendation to appoint Stephenson as Chatham Hall’s 18th Rector and head of school.

The announcement concludes a nearly year-long comprehensive search process led by Rector Search Committee Co-Chairs Nina J. Botsford '72 and Adair Hendrickson Ravencraft '02, both graduates and current members of the Board of Trustees.

“The search committee was thoroughly impressed not only by the competitive caliber of the candidates, but by their compelling desire to lead Chatham Hall. This, along with the active engagement from all our constituencies and community, truly underscores how special and beloved Chatham Hall is by so many,” they said.

In Stephenson’s own words, “I knew unequivocally that Chatham Hall is an extraordinary school, uniquely dedicated to preparing and empowering young women for a life of impact ... I am deeply honored to be the next Rector.”

Stephenson comes to Chatham from Ashley Hall, a school for 660 girls in Charleston, SC where she is currently the director of strategic enrollment management and director of Upper School admission. During her more than five years at Ashley Hall, the school has significantly increased enrollment and advanced its educational mission.

Stephenson brings 27 years of experience as a teacher and administrator at several outstanding schools. Prior to Ashley Hall, she was director of enrollment at the University School, a school for boys in Cleveland, OH, and previously served as Middle School head at Hathaway Brown, a school for girls in Shaker Heights, OH. She also served as assistant director of the Middle School at the Blake School in Minneapolis, MN and started her career as a teacher at the Greenhill School in Dallas, TX. Stephenson thus brings to Chatham Hall a wealth of experience in very strong and diverse schools.

A strong voice in independent schools, Stephenson has presented and shared her knowledge at national conferences throughout her tenure in education. Most recently, she led a workshop at the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Annual Conference about engaging parents in 2023, and co-wrote an article on the same topic for the Southern Association of Independent Schools. In 2024, she will return to the NAIS Annual Conference to present "Mind the Gap: Making the connection between new families and long-term ambassadors and donors." In the 2022-2023 school year, Stephenson was named the NAIS Aspiring Head Fellow. She also served as an Association of Independent School Admission Professionals cohort leader in 2020-2021.

In the wider community, Stephenson is currently the vice president of the Greater Charleston Admission Professionals Society. She also previously served on the Sunbeam Board of the Vocational Guidance Services in Cleveland, OH, and attended the Racial Equity Institute in 2020.

Stephenson stood out for her experience, enthusiasm, commitment, and personality. She holds the qualities and skills that the Board, the Rector Search Committee, and the Chatham Hall community feel are essential to successfully leading the School into its exciting future. She will start serving as Rector on July 1, 2024.

The Rector Search Committee and Board of Trustees were assisted in the search by consultants Katherine Stuart, Dennis Campbell, and Margaret Moore of The Education Group.

We invite you to learn more about Rector Stephenson, hear from the chair of the Board of Trustees and Rector Search Committee, and learn more about the search process:

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