Head of School Search

This information is intended for our school community as we embark on the formal search for a new ‘Iolani Head of School.

In June, 2024, ‘Iolani Head of School Dr. Timothy Cottrell announced that, after 12 years of outstanding service, the 2024-25 academic year would be his last as he and his wife make plans to move to the mainland to be closer to their children. As we begin a search for a new leader, we are confident that the stature of our school will attract outstanding candidates from Hawai‘i, the nation, and the world.

Our search process will be led by a committee of the ‘Iolani School Board of Governors selected to provide a variety of perspectives and backgrounds to guide the process. (See list of committee members.)

Search Firm Selected

The search committee has retained Spencer Stuart, one of the world's leading global executive search and leadership consulting firms, which has previous experience in Head of School searches in the State of Hawai‘i.

Mary Gorman and Aaron Mieszczanski will lead the team at Spencer Stuart. Mary has an impressive record of leading searches on behalf of top independent schools worldwide, including here in Honolulu. Aaron has extensive experience with searches for educational institutions and was previously a senior administrator at Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles. They share a deep affinity and admiration for the ‘Iolani community and will lead a proven deliberate process.

Search Process

The search committee and Spencer Stuart will use a digital survey, meetings, and other methods to gather input from all ‘Iolani constituents (faculty/staff, parents, students, alumni and friends) over the next two months to develop a profile of the characteristics and competencies for our next Head of School. They will be communicating those opportunities soon. We look forward to your valuable input.

Contact

The representatives from Spencer Stuart and search committee welcome comments and nominations, which can be emailed directly to IolaniHOS@spencerstuart.com. All communication to this inbox is confidential and will be monitored regularly by the Spencer Stuart team.