Dear Wellington Community,
On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the Head of School Search Committee, I am thrilled to announce that Eliza McLaren will join Wellington as the new head of school, effective July 1, 2024. The Head of School Search Committee unanimously recommended Eliza to the Board of Trustees, citing her breadth of experience in independent schools, her demonstrated ability to collaborate, and her strong identification with the Wellington mission and values. We are certain that her joyful, student-centered approach will be instrumental in leading Wellington into the future.
Eliza’s commitment to the pursuit of joyful learning is evidenced by her time spent leading, teaching, and coaching in independent school communities throughout her impressive career. Eliza comes to Wellington from Indian Creek School in Annapolis, Maryland, a highly regarded private independent school serving 550 students in prekindergarten through grade 12. In her current roles as associate head of school and upper school principal, Eliza has advanced the quality of the educational program and strengthened the school’s market position through launching new academic initiatives across all divisions, advancing student leadership, and prioritizing faculty and student well-being. In previous roles, Eliza has taught history, coached field hockey and softball, led marketing and admissions teams, and founded an innovative teaching and learning institute.
Eliza holds a bachelor’s degree in history and master's degrees in the teaching of social studies and independent school leadership from Columbia University. Eliza and her husband, Dominic Albanese, have two children, Grae (10) and Julian (5), who are excited to join the Wellington community this summer.
“I am immensely excited, grateful, and honored to serve as your next Head of School,” Eliza said, in her first letter to the Wellington community. “In speaking with so many of you, I came to see that Wellington is an engaged and passionate community connected by a shared mission. It was the words in Wellington’s Mission Statement that first drew me to the School: ‘We help students find their purpose and realize their potential for tomorrow's world.’ My first commitment to you is that I will be steadfast in support of the School and its educators as we deliver on this important mission. My second commitment is that I will take ample time to listen and understand the Wellington community as I come to know its people, values, culture, and traditions. In doing so, I feel sure I will develop the same love for the School that I have sensed in each person I have met.” Read Eliza’s full letter here.
Eliza's appointment is the culmination of a comprehensive search process led by our Head of School Search Committee and supported by Carney Sandoe & Associates, involving participation from Wellington staffulty, parents, students, and alumni. On behalf of the Search Committee, we want to express our gratitude to the Wellington community for your engagement in the process and commitment to the future of our school.
Sincerely,
Jim Croft P '17 '20 '22
Search Committee & Wellington Board of Trustees Chair
Search Committee members
- Sophia Mohr ’91
- Shari Hicks-Graham P ’27
- Andrew Thomas P ’14’ 16 ’26
- Michelle Scantland P ’30 ’34
- Matt Scantland P ’30 ’35
- Bob Wheeler P ’20 ’22 ’25