Atherton, CA, October 17, 2012 – Nathaniel (Than) Healy has been appointed Head of School at Menlo School, effective July 1, 2013. Healy, who was selected following an extensive national search, comes to Menlo from the Lakeside School in Seattle, WA. He currently serves as Lakeside’s Assistant Head of School and Upper School Director. Menlo’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously to confirm Healy based on the Search Committee’s recommendation. Healy will succeed Norman Colb, who last spring announced his plans to leave at the end of the 2012-2013 schoolyear after his 20th year as Head of School.
“We are confident that Than will build on Norm Colb’s 20 years of outstanding leadership and lead us to continued success as one of the premier independent schools in the country,” said Susan Ford Dorsey, Chair of Menlo’s Board of Trustees. “During the search process, Than impressed our trustees, faculty, staff, parents and alumni with his energy, insights, collaborative leadership style and understanding of what good schools must do to prepare students to be global citizens. An innovative thinker, he demonstrates high integrity and a wonderful sense of humor—both central to the Menlo spirit.”
Healy has had an exceptional career in independent school education. A graduate of Williams College, he holds an MA in Educational Administration from Teachers College, Columbia University. After graduating from Williams College, Healy began his career in education at the Stevenson School in Pebble Beach, CA, where he taught history and psychology and served in a number of roles in the life of the school. Continuing his collegiate athletic career, Healy coached basketball and water polo and directed the summer athletic program. Stevenson honored Healy with the McNeely Chair for Outstanding Educator; he was the youngest faculty member to earn this recognition.
In 1995, Healy took a yearlong hiatus from education to play professional basketball in Frankfurt, Germany, which he says, “taught me resilience—how to get back up and go back in.” He then returned to his own high school, Punahou School in Honolulu, HI, where he taught history, chaired several academic departments and helped lead the girls’ varsity basketball team to the state finals.
As Upper School Director of Lakeside School, Healy has primary responsibility for all aspects of the program for over 500 students and nearly 100 faculty members. As Assistant Head, he has helped to oversee a wide variety of programs and initiatives, including the creation of the Global Service Learning Program and the Global Online Academy. This latter endeavor brings online the intellectually rigorous programs and excellent teaching of 24 partner schools from around the world. During his tenure at Lakeside, Healy also served on the faculty of the Westtown Seminar for Teaching and helped lead the “Speed Innovating” segment of the National Association of Independent Schools annual conference.
In accepting his appointment, Healy said, “The opportunity to join Menlo School is humbling and inspiring. I’m excited by Menlo’s engaging program and joyous environment, and by its mission to develop students who will go out in the world and make a difference. I look forward to continuing Menlo’s tradition of excellence.”
