Head of School Transition

Craig Sellers Appointed Interim Head of School

Dear Walnut Hill Community,

It is with great pleasure that we announce today the appointment of Craig Sellers as Interim Head of School at Walnut Hill School for the Arts. A seasoned administrator in the independent school field, Craig comes to us most recently from New Garden Friends School in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he has served as interim head since 2025. He and his wife, Cary, will join our school community on Monday, August 3, ahead of the start of the school year.

As our interim head, Craig will lead Walnut Hill for a two-year period, overseeing the health and culture of our community and partnering with the board as the School continues to advance its important mission.

Craig’s appointment is the culmination of a rigorous process undertaken by a board-level task force* working closely with our search consultants, Educators Collaborative. He was chosen for his depth of knowledge in independent school administration as well as his approach to consensus-building, deep listening—shaped by his Quaker-rooted practice—and his commitment to collaboration and transparency.

Craig brings more than 20 years of experience as a sitting head of school, including three long-term headships and three prior interim assignments—one at Idyllwild Arts Academy, a peer arts boarding school. He is not just an interim specialist; he is an experienced permanent head who has chosen this work, and he will bring that dedication to Walnut Hill. Craig’s former headships include service at Princeton Friends School (Princeton, NJ), Friends’ Central School (Wynnewood, PA), The Derryfield School (Manchester, NH), and United Friends School (Quakertown, PA).

An active member of the independent school community, Craig has been featured numerous times in National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) publications. His 2025 article, The Strategic Interim Head, has been shared widely among school leaders and has served as a plan of action for interim heads on an international scale. Craig holds degrees from Teachers College (Columbia University), New York Law School, and Franklin & Marshall College, and was also a Fulbright Fellow from 2006 to 2007, serving in an international principal exchange in Krabi, Thailand.

We are thrilled to welcome Craig and Cary to campus for the start of the school year. We greatly appreciate the input of our entire community through the community-wide survey and on-site interviews conducted by our consultants, Nat Conard and Mary Sepalla. This feedback has been tremendously helpful in prioritizing our needs as an institution and focusing on our next chapter.

Thank you for your continued partnership.

Sincerely,

Deb Mankiw and Nicole Gakidis
Co-Chairs, Board of Trustees

*Interim Head of School Task Force
Deb Mankiw, Co-Chair
Nicole Gakidis, Co-Chair
Jenny Toolin McAuliffe, Immediate Past Chair
Eric Herbst, Vice Chair
Karen Calby, Treasurer
Amy Wheeler, Clerk
Edwin Gordon, Advisor

A Message from the Board of Trustees

To the Walnut Hill School Community:

Earlier this year, we shared that Eric Barber planned to conclude his tenure as Head of School at the close of the 2026—27 academic year. We write now with an update: that timeline will take effect sooner, with Eric concluding his service effective June 26, 2026. Eric and the Board agree that this revised timeline, with a transition to interim leadership, is the strongest path forward for the school.

We are deeply grateful to Eric for his commitment to Walnut Hill. During his tenure, he reset the school after a global pandemic, launched a strategic plan, stewarded us through the profound loss of a student and a beloved faculty member, expanded the school's reach through Walnut Hill in Boston, and served as a visible and dedicated ambassador.

The Board has appointed Linda Dennison, Chief Financial and Operating Officer, as Acting Head of School. An experienced independent school finance and operations leader, Linda will manage the school’s daily operations with the support of the senior leadership team until an Interim Head of School is named. That appointment is expected prior to the start of the school year.

The Board is approaching the selection of longer‑term leadership with great care and deliberation. We continue to engage our consultant, Educators Collaborative, who specializes in school leadership transitions. Together, we will identify an Interim Head of School who will champion our immediate priorities and begin the transition work that prepares Walnut Hill for its next permanent Head of School. This is a well‑established approach that many schools use when planning for new leadership.

We are paying close attention to the impact of these transitions and working with the administrative leadership team to minimize disruptions to the school’s day-to-day operations now and when classes resume, ensuring continuity across every area. Classroom activities, programs, and the care our students receive will continue exactly as they should and remain our highest priority.

We will continue to keep you informed as we move forward. For more information, including updated Head of School Transition Questions & Answers, please visit the Head of School Transition page on the Walnut Hill School for the Arts website.

Thank you for your continued support of Walnut Hill during this time of transition.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Toolin McAuliffe P'15
Chair, Board of Trustees

Head of School Transition: Questions & Answers

Head of School Search Committee

Walnut Hill School for the Arts is pleased to announce the members of the Head of School Search Committee, which will partner closely with the Board of Trustees and the School’s search consultants, Educators Collaborative, throughout the search process.

The Committee includes trustees, faculty, staff, alumni, and past parents who bring a broad range of experiences, perspectives, and relationships to the Walnut Hill community. Together, with the benefit of community-wide input, they will help shape the portrait of Walnut Hill’s next Head of School, participate in candidate evaluation and interviews, and support a thoughtful and confidential search process.

The Board of Trustees retains final responsibility for the selection and appointment of Walnut Hill’s next Head of School.

Search Committee Members

Nicole Gakidis ’81, P’18 (Chair)
Evangeline Delgado ’11
Jennifer Elowitch
Eric Herbst ’09
Bill Hughes P’13
Deborah Mankiw P’18
Michael Micucci
Erika Picciotto Zanussi
Amy Wheeler
John Williams P’05
Bethany Zaheer ’00

Additional information regarding the Search Committee, including committee responsibilities and member biographies, is available here:

SEARCH COMMITTEE OVERVIEW & BIOS

The school is grateful to the members of the Committee for their time, thoughtfulness, and commitment to this important work.

Community Survey: Shaping the Portrait of Walnut Hill's Next Leader

Last week, the Board of Trustees announced that Eric Barber will conclude his tenure as Head of School at the end of the 2026–27 academic year, beginning a thoughtful search process for Walnut Hill’s next leader.

Input from across the Walnut Hill community is an essential part of the search process.

Today, Walnut Hill is launching a community-wide survey to gather perspectives on the School’s strengths, opportunities, priorities, and the leadership qualities that will best support the institution’s future. Feedback will help shape the portrait of the next Head of School and inform the Leadership Profile that will guide the search.

As you reflect on the experience, leadership qualities, and personal attributes most important in advancing Walnut Hill’s mission, we encourage you to share your thoughts candidly. 

The survey response period is now closed.

During the week of May 18, our search consultants will visit campus to meet with members of the Walnut Hill community and learn more about the School and its aspirations for the future.

Additional information regarding the transition and search process is available in the Head of School Transition: Questions & Answers. Please refer to the Head of School Transition webpage for ongoing updates throughout the process.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to share your perspectives and support this important process.