Admissions

With more than two decades of experience in education and enrollment, Shamikhah Baker has served as the Director of Enrollment Management at Beaver Country Day School since 2008. In her role, she has led strategic enrollment initiatives and partnered closely with families to help students find the right educational fit and thrive within the school community.

Prior to joining Beaver, Shamikhah worked in both college admission and college counseling, bringing a broad perspective on the independent school and higher education landscape. Her work is grounded in building authentic relationships, supporting students and families through important transitions, and fostering inclusive and welcoming school communities.

Shamikhah is the proud mother of three sons, including one who graduated in the Class of 2024 and another who is a member of the Class of 2029.

I was born in California and raised in Minnesota and Massachusetts. After earning my bachelor’s from Spelman College, I returned to Northern California to serve with City Year San Jose/Silicon Valley where I worked with middle school students in an after school enrichment program and pushed into classrooms to support as a TA during the school day. In this role my passion for working with students and preparing them for their future endeavors flourished. After my year of service, I taught at a boarding school in Connecticut while earning my M.S.Ed. from the University of Pennslyvania’s Graduate School of Education. After teaching Science in Farmington, Connecticut; Washington DC; and Denver, Colorado, I transitioned into admissions at a K-8 school in Cambridge. While I love classroom teaching, admissions has provided me with the opportunity to assist in shaping school culture by building a community of learners, future leaders, and change-makers.

Perry is the Assistant Director of Admissions at Beaver, working in collaboration with the other members of the admissions and enrollment management team. He has been a part of the Beaver community since 2016, teaching in both the English and Global History and Social Sciences Departments, formerly serving as English Department Chair and as Dean of the 9th and 10th grade before that. In addition to his role in admissions, Perry is currently a faculty advisor for the Alex Cohn Grant for special student projects and an academic advisor in Beaver’s Upper School. Prior to joining Beaver, Perry worked full-time as a journalist at the Boston Globe and uses these experiences and his passion for writing and research to fuel his work in education.