Dr. Susan Perry’s eyes light up at the mere mention of education.

“My friends and family, they will often say, ‘Gosh, it’s so obvious that you’re an educator,’” Dr. Perry said with a laugh. “And I take that as a badge of honor.”

The New England native talks with ease about her passions for people, learning, serving, and leadership - she’s a champion of the potential transformative qualities of the faculty-student learning relationship.

“I’m very committed to the notion that the world gets better through learning.” Dr. Perry said. “Every time a young woman exercises her leadership in her daily experiences, we move the needle forward, we get better, the world gets better.”

Dr. Perry, who officially started at Westover on July 1st as the Assistant Head of School for Student Life, said she was drawn to the school’s mission statement, foundation and the body of work that has already been done, and eager to help move the “Westover needle forward” with her team and shape the community and students for the future.

The opportunity here to have a direct impact and to learn and to grow is one I embrace.

“Westover was a very intentional choice,” said Dr. Perry, of applying for the role that has traditionally been the Dean of Students. “This is a very unique time in world history and I have spent this past year reflecting on where it is that I could have a direct impact working with others, on the lives of young women and their families, faculty and on learning. So when I think about where Westover is, and its future, and the aspirations for this learning organization to be preparing young women for lives of consequence and leadership, in particular, that is what drew me.”

Dr. Perry comes to Westover with a “good 20-plus years” working in independent schools, higher education and consulting and has earned a PhD in educational administration and a Master's Degree in Clinical Social work from Smith College. She is a published author and has been appointed to two National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Committees charged with evaluating and making recommendations associated with the health and safety of students. Susan has completed extensive training as a lead facilitator with the Center for Creative Leadership and with Harvard University Graduate School of Education Principals Center program on Race, Equity, and Leadership in Schools. Since 2003, she has resided in North Carolina, where she worked at the University of North Carolina Health Alliance Population Health Team and Duke University’s Women’s Center. She also served as the Assistant Head of School for Student Affairs at Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, a K-12 independent day school. Prior, she was the Director of Counseling and Co-Chair of Residential Life and Health at Asheville School, a 9-12 independent boarding school in Asheville.

“The opportunity here to have a direct impact and to learn and to grow is one I embrace,” she said. “ I’m always a learner, so I’m looking forward to leading, serving and learning here at Westover.”

In her role as the Assistant Head of School for Student Life, Dr. Perry will oversee all aspects of student life including the residential life program and the health and wellness programs. Additionally, she will coordinate training for student leaders, work with Heather Capitanio, Westover’s Director of Residential Life, to train and support the residential life staff, student government organizations, and chair several relevant internal committees.

A member of the Westover Senior Administrative team, she will collaborate with that core group to maintain a safe and inclusive community, serving as an advocate for the students. Dr. Perry said the restructuring of this role and elevating it to work more cohesively and in tune with the academic and residential life programs is a really important change in Westover being responsive to the contemporary learning needs of young women. 

“It’s really important to highlight that this community has been well-served by my predecessors who served in the role of Dean of Students. They have build a solid foundation for student support” she said. “So the new title and the organizational restructuring that goes along with that now does not come from a deficit. Westover has tremendous appreciation for where it has been and how the role of Dean of Students has served this community. Given this unique time in world history and its impact on young women and their families, taking  the opportunity to say, ‘How could we potentially evolve?' places us in a position of strength.  Embedding the role at the leadership level with the oversight,  responsibility, and creating the vision for leadership of all of that, that is a bold move, and a good one. First, I will need to listen and learn more about the culture of the school, but not being afraid to leverage all that we know about educating young women in an inclusive manner and bringing that to the forefront."

With an extensive background in working with individuals at many levels, Dr. Perry, who is also a senior consultant for EXPLO Elevate, a global innovative independent schools’ cooperative, brings in a philosophy of creating a culture of leadership development for youth and the high school years are not too early of a time to start. A self-described interdependent relational leader, Susan explained one of her overarching goals is to create with her colleagues an inclusive community of learners where exercising leadership is possible for all students through self awareness, working with others, and making informed decisions that consider impact on others and contributing to the larger common good.  

“It’s critical for preparing them for a very interdependent world,” she said. “I want to be clear, I’m talking about leadership in a positional way and I’m talking about leadership as a relational way, that you're developing their self-awareness for not only who they are, but how they impact someone else is a critical first step of being a leader of yourself in order to work with others.”

Dr. Perry will also work with the eight Student Heads of School, something she’s excited about, and looking forward to helping the group of young women explore what that word leadership means to them.

“From what I have learned already, they are very excited about that,” she said. “But the world has changed dramatically in the last couple years, so myself and my colleagues tremendously want to help them understand what are their strengths, where they feel confident, where they feel they really need to work on their understanding of leadership to effectively lead. The title alone will not do it. And even good intentions often won't do it. Leadership isn’t easy, it is, however, some of the most rewarding experiences.”

Described by colleagues as “firm but fair and warm” Dr. Perry said her “disciplinary” style is more so helping students understand the accountability process and what led them to make these decisions.

“We’re not seeking perfection, we are seeking for students to learn how to be present, and when you’re present, you can be better accountable not only for your own actions but what is expected in the community,” she explained. 

Outside of work, Dr. Perry, who calls herself an avid outdoors enthusiast, has actively taken part in triathlons for a number of years. She is quick to mention her family -- wife, Kathryn Keicher, and son Owen Keicher -- as driving forces for what she does, and mentions her strong spiritual faith as an area that renews her daily.

“The love of friendship and family is such a driving compass and anchor in my life,” she said.

Dr. Perry, who comes from a large family, said her mom, Barbara Hobson, as a single parent, was the best teacher she ever had, despite not being a teacher by trade, and a major reason for pursuing education.

“Every time I watch a faculty member working with students and their family, there's just nothing like it,” she said.

With an unfailing support of the Boston Red Sox, large feet (she said she might be the least graceful person walking across campus) and always on the hunt for the quintessential chocolate chip cookie, is looking forward to bringing the community back together in-person this Fall.

“Being in a place where we have an opportunity to bring children back together with their peers and to an environment to learn is a gift for which I don't have adequate words,” she said. “When you're an educator that moves you, and I’m moved by it.”