Educational Directions: Team Member

Jay Underwood

Partner

Head of School Search, Senior Administrator Search

Jay is a career independent school student, teacher, and leader. He served as the head of three schools in 17 years: Rio Grande School in Santa Fe, High Meadows School in Atlanta, and George Jackson Academy in New York City. Prior to becoming a head, Jay spent eleven years as the director of curriculum and a middle school humanities teacher at Far Hills Country Day School in New Jersey.

Jay has been active in the greater independent school world throughout his career. He has served on several boards, including the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) and the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS). He has extensive accreditation experience, having led 18 visiting teams at schools across the country. He has written and presented prolifically, and has advised boards and heads on topics ranging from equity to best practices in governance and leadership.

Jay holds a B.A. in English from Guilford College and a Master’s in Educational Administration from Rutgers University. In 2017, he was awarded a fellowship to the Klingenstein Center’s Heads of Schools Program at Teachers College Columbia University. Along with spending time with his wife and daughters, Jay is an avid fan of live music and theater, and he’s always in search of a good fishing hole.
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