Head of School Transition

The Board of Trustees has unanimously selected Michael Lomuscio, Ed.D., as Beaver Country Day School’s next Head of School. He will begin his tenure on July 1, 2027.

A letter from the President of the Board of Trustees and the Chair of the Search Committee

Dear Beaver Community,

We are delighted to announce that the Board of Trustees has unanimously selected Michael Lomuscio, Ed.D., as the next Head of School at Beaver Country Day School.

A true match for Beaver’s mission and pedagogy, Michael embodies future-focused, student-centered education and brings an inspiring conviction that a school can be both academically rigorous and deeply humane. A mathematician by training, he holds undergraduate and master’s degrees in that field and earned an Ed.D. in Educational and Organizational Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania.

For nearly nine months, a dedicated search committee of trustees, faculty members, administrators, and alumni worked with our consultants from RG175 to recruit and interview candidates to lead Beaver’s next exciting chapter. After finalists were identified, each came to campus for a 2.5-day visit where the entire community had the opportunity to meet them, including administrators, all faculty and staff, students, and alumni. Michael’s intellectual curiosity, leadership qualities, exceptional moral character, collaborative nature, calm demeanor, and clear educational vision all made a lasting impression.

These qualities, along with Michael’s deep experience as an educator and administrator, made the choice clear: Michael is the right leader at the right time for Beaver.

Michael is currently the Associate Head of School for Academic Affairs at Carolina Day School in Asheville, N.C. There, he has led a comprehensive academic strategic plan, worked closely with the leadership team during a head of school transition, conducted a rigorous market analysis of the school’s competitive position, and helped reignite a capital campaign.

As both an educator and a lifelong learner, Michael has also become a nationally recognized leader in how schools can thoughtfully, ethically, and practically embrace artificial intelligence, an expertise that will serve Beaver’s innovative spirit.

Earlier in his career, Michael served as dean of studies and senior academic administrator at ‘Iolani School in Honolulu, one of the nation’s largest independent schools known for its innovation and STEM programs. In that leadership role, he led curriculum and instruction for over 2,000 students and oversaw counseling, learning support, technology, libraries, and professional development.

Michael has long been focused on technology and future-focused education. He spent 11 years at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School in Georgia, directing STEAM programs and teaching mathematics and physics.

Michael will begin his tenure on July 1, succeeding Interim Head of School Sarah Pelmas P’25, whose warmth and steady leadership have strengthened our school and moved it forward in myriad ways. We are all deeply indebted to Sarah for the work she has accomplished in such a short time.

We are incredibly grateful to the members of the search committee (Shamikhah Baker P’24, ’29; Heather Coughlin P’22, ’26; Perry Eaton; Kathleen Kosberg P’27, ’29; Peter Saperstone P’18, ’21; Eric Svenson P’27; Joanna Travis P’23; Jodi Walker P’22, ’24) for their hundreds of hours of work during the process. They embodied the Beaver ethos as they approached this important role with care, openness, and integrity.

We look forward to celebrating Michael’s arrival next year and welcoming his family to our vibrant community. We will share more about the transition process in the coming months. In the meantime, we remain, as ever, excited about and focused on Beaver’s future.

Warmly,

Julie Marcus P’22, ’25,’28
President, Board of Trustees

Wendy Fischman ’89, P’25
Chair of the Search Committee

A Letter from Beaver’s Incoming Head of School, Michael Lomuscio

Dear Beaver Community,

I am thrilled, and more grateful than I can say, to be Beaver’s next Head of School.

Student-centered is a phrase that gets thrown around a lot, and many schools aim for it. During this search process, it became clear to me that Beaver really does put students at the center of their own education. What I saw in your classrooms, and heard from your students and faculty, was a deep belief that young people are curious and capable and that their voices should have a meaningful place in their own learning. Beaver teaches students to ask good questions and to engage each other in dialogue. It gives them room to explore what they are curious about and to experiment and prototype their ideas, with a supportive community around them.

I think that matters a great deal right now. We live in a time when technology is changing rapidly, and information is more abundant than it has ever been. Yet, it can feel like fewer people know how to make real meaning and value out of it all. Beaver students are learning to do exactly that. They are also learning to think beyond themselves and their own ambitions, about their neighbors and the wider world and the kind of impact they can have on it. Beaver is not a typical school. Its mission is to expand the nature of school, and I believe it is uniquely positioned to give the next generation the skills and habits of mind they will need to thrive in their own lives and in the places they will lead and serve.

I am grateful to Julie Marcus, Wendy Fischman, the Search Committee, and the Board of Trustees for entrusting me with a school that so many people love. I am also thankful to the students, teachers, staff, and families who spent time with me during the search. Those conversations are a big part of why I wanted to join you.

I also want to thank Sarah Pelmas for her leadership as Interim Head of School. I am looking forward to working with her this year, and hope to visit campus a few times before July. Once I start, I plan to spend a lot of time listening. I want to hear what each of you love about Beaver and what you hope comes next.

I could not be more excited to join this community and to get to know all of you. My wife, Kathryn, and our daughters, Elliott (10th grade) and Grey (7th grade), are ecstatic as well. I can’t wait to get started leading and serving at what I believe is one of the most effective schools in the country for educating students for the world we actually live in today and tomorrow.

With gratitude,

Michael Lomuscio

Head of School Search Committee

A committed group of individuals who care deeply about Beaver and reflect a wide range of roles and perspectives across the community was assembled to serve on the Search Committee. The group brought not only professional expertise but also experience as parents, faculty, alumni, administrators, and trustees.

Wendy Fischman ’89, P’25, chaired the committee and brought a background in education and leadership from her work at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, as well as a personal connection to Beaver as a parent and proud alum.

Meet the Committee

Chair

Trustee; Parent ’25

Wendy joined the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 1995. Since then, she has directed various research initiatives focused on the meaning of work in the lives of young children, adolescents, and novice professionals. In 2012, she launched a large-scale national study of higher education, involving 2000 interviews across 10 campuses. Wendy writes about education and human development in scholarly and popular publications for audiences in both the K-12 and higher education sectors. Two publications of note are Making Good: How Young People Cope with Moral Dilemmas at Work (2004) and The Real World of College: What Higher Education Is and What It Can Be (2022), both of which are co-authored with Howard Gardner.

Members

Director of Enrollment Management; P’24, ’29

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 Beaver in the Class of 2024 and another who is a member of the Class of 2029.

Trustee; P’22, ’26

An experienced growth, product & change leader, Heather began her career at Goldman Sachs in the equities business, where she helped launch a corporate FinTech venture portfolio. Heather subsequently led entrepreneurial and corporate ventures spanning both digital wealth & health solutions, including CEO of a national health education & retail concept. As a Partner at Mercer, she led national Financial Wellness solutions and most recently led the product function of their US Benefits Administration solution through a successful divestment to a private equity sponsor. Heather currently serves as a start-up advisor, change consultant, and corporate poet. Her inaugural poetry collection, “Out of Office”, is published by her newest venture, workLIT.

Assistant Director of Admissions

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.

Middle School Faculty; P’27, ’29

Kathleen has been part of the Beaver community for many years, teaching English in the Middle School, and after more than three decades as an educator, she still believes the best learning happens when people are genuinely wondering together. Words and language fascinate her. She loves to read, write, and talk—though she tries to keep a reasonable balance between talking and listening. Interacting with storytelling is how she makes sense of the world, considering others’ perspectives and reflecting on her own experiences and feelings through literature, film, and song. Humor and connection energize and inspire her. Kathleen finds that laughter reduces stress, lifts moods, and opens doors, and that middle schoolers, when they trust you, are beautifully hopeful, complex, curious, and honest. Outside of school, when she’s not watching her two sons grow up too fast, Kathleen enjoys running and yoga, chocolate, and sunshine.

Former Trustee; P’18, ’21

Peter joined Greycroft in 2022 and is based in Boston. He focuses on late stage and public investments.

Prior to Greycroft, Peter spent 26 years at Fidelity Investments, most recently as the Managing Director in their late-stage private equity group leading investments in the consumer, media, and internet sectors. His late-stage private investments at Fidelity included Roku, Peloton, Lyft, Endeavor, Stepstone, ACV Auctions, ON Running, Sweetgreen, Fanatics, GoPuff, and EPIC Games. Prior to this role, Peter was the lead portfolio manager for the Fidelity Advisor Mid Cap Fund, Fidelity Fifty Fund, and VIP Contra Consumer Fund.

Peter holds a BS from Union College and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Trustee; P’27

Eric is co-founder and Managing Partner of Broder, a Boston-based real estate firm with diverse investments across the commercial, life sciences, residential, and hospitality sectors. Prior to founding Broder, Eric was a Principal at The Abbey Group, and held roles at Accenture Consulting and Suffolk Construction. Beyond the realm of real estate, Broder is an investor in the Boston Celtics (NBA) and the Boston Unity (NWSL) and proudly supports numerous education focused organizations alongside his wife Sarah. Eric has served in trustee roles on several education and youth-focused organizations, including The Boys and Girls Club of Boston, The KIPP School of Massachusetts, and The Hawk Foundation.

Trustee; P’23

Prior to starting her family, Joanna was a trial attorney serving as a prosecutor, city attorney, and also in private practice with a focus on commercial, municipal, and family law litigation in both Michigan and Texas. She is deeply passionate about non-profits and has served in many leadership roles. Most recently, she served as Chair of the Greater Boston Food Bank Board of Directors and currently serves on that board, as well as serving on the Charles River School Board of Trustees where she chairs the Committee on Trustees (Governance) and serves on the Executive and Community Equity & Belonging Committees. Joanna is also a member of the Summer Search Board of Overseers.

Former Trustee; P’22, ’24

Jodi Walker practiced as a District Attorney in Middlesex County for over 12 years, prosecuting a variety of crimes in the district and superior courts, advocating for victims, and working with schools and police on preventive justice. Since leaving that role, Jodi has been able to share her expertise with BVR students as a regular guest lecturer about criminal justice in two of Beaver’s US courses: Theories of Justice and Theories of Punishment. She is also a Trustee at Dana-Farber Cancer Center and a member of the Development Committee at New Roads Catholic Community. Jodi has been riding the Pan-Mass Challenge since 2012, and she is the founder and captain of the PMC team Walker’s Wings.

Ex-Officio

Board President; P’22, ’25, ’28

Specializing in strategic communications, Julie has more than 20 years of experience in the non-profit sector. She worked at City Year, a national youth service organization, for nearly a decade overseeing major events and serving as Director of Communications. In 2003, still with City Year, Julie also served as Director of the Save AmeriCorps initiative that resulted in the creation of the advocacy organization Voices for National Service. Since leaving City Year to raise her three children, Julie has served her community in leadership roles as President of the Brookline Community Foundation (BCF) and Co-Chair of Beaver’s Parent Association.