She is joining Branksome Hall from the Principal role at the American School of Brasilia in Brazil. While she and her husband, Chris, and their two daughters, Lila and Avery, have thrived travelling the world and developing as global citizens, they are proud Canadians at heart, with deep connections to their family and friends in New Brunswick.

 

Grace is passionate about educating girls in STEM, leadership and entrepreneurship to empower them with the skills and confidence to drive positive change, shape industries and create innovative solutions for a more equitable future for all. She particularly finds joy in mentoring aspiring leaders and is dedicated to ensuring that girls have the support and mentorship they need. Grace serves on the Women in Leadership Committee of the American International Schools in the Americas (AMISA) to design mentorship opportunities for female leaders in Latin America and abroad. 

 

A relationship-builder and strategic thinker committed to driving transformational change in the schools she leads, Grace has successfully led forward-thinking building projects and master planning, community-driven strategic planning and innovative student programming. Intercultural competency is an anchor in her leadership approach as diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are core personal values.

 

A career-long IB educator, Grace values an inquiry-based approach to education where students have authentic agency. She is passionate about moving beyond differentiation to create personalized pathways for each student to achieve individualized success.

 

Grace has served as vice president on the executive board of the American Association of Schools in Brazil (AASB) and as a board member on the EU-based board for Pioneering Schools. She has in-depth experience with IB and CIS accreditation, including serving as a New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) accreditation team visitor.

 

She holds a B.A from St. Thomas University, and a B.Ed and M.Ed in Educational Leadership and Administration from the University of New Brunswick. A contributing author of the book, What Should Canada's Teachers Know? Teacher Capacities: Knowledge, Beliefs, and Skills, she has also written articles for publications including School Rubric.

 

An experienced public speaker, Grace has addressed the 2019 Association of German International Schools (AGIS) Conference in Germany, the 2020 Association for the Advancement of International Education (AAIE) Conference in New York City, the 2021 Women's Ed Conference in Germany as the keynote speaker, the 2022 AMISA Conference in Sao Paulo, and the 2023 AAIE Conference in Washington D.C. Her speaking topics have included women in leadership, innovative schools, DEI and the importance of female mentorship for aspiring leaders.