About
Director Search
USN Announces Hereford as 12th Director
About the Search
In January 2025, University School of Nashville’s Board of Trustees announced it would soon begin the search for an educational leader to assume the helm in the Director’s Office for the 2026-2027 academic year.
Consistent with best practices according to the National Association of Independent Schools, the Board of Trustees assembled a Director Search Committee in February 2025 and retained the independent school search firm Carney Sandoe & Associates in March 2025 to lead the national search for USN’s next Director and Head of Schools. News related to the search process will be shared with the PDS/USN community through direct email, with updates also posted on this webpage. The Board of Trustees is grateful to all who have expressed interest in positively contributing to this significant time in PDS/USN history.
Listening to Community Voices
Connecting with all members of the USN community is integral to executing the search successfully. Throughout the process, the Director Search Committee will conduct surveys seeking their perspectives on the school. Additionally, CS&A will conduct interviews with students, faculty, staff, administrators, trustees, parents, alumni, and parents of alumni, the results of which will provide valuable information used to create a position statement and inform the search strategy.
Meet the Committees
2025-2027 Transition Committee
2025 Director Search Committee
Naima Walker Fierce, Co-Chair, Trustee, Parent ’27
Tonia Klein, Committee Chair, Trustee, USNA President 2018-2019, Parent of Alumna ’25, Parent ’28
Alex Jahangir, Board President, Parent ’29, ’31, ’32
Kim Kikkawa, USNA Co-President 2025-2026, Parent ’29
Jennifer Lefkovitz, Red Door Kindergarten Teacher, Parent ’37
Stephen Schleicher ’01, Alumnus, Parent ’32, ’34, ’37
Natalie Sewell, Administrative Assistant to the Director
Amy Tidwell, USNA Co-President 2025-2026, Parent ’30, ’32
Juanita Traughber, Director of Marketing & Communications
Naima Walker Fierce, Trustee, Parent ’27
Anne Westfall, Director of Development, Parent ’27
Erin Zagnoev, Board Vice President, Parent ’29, ’32, ’35
2025 Director Search Committee
Naima Walker Fierce, Co-Chair, Trustee, Parent ’27
Erin Zagnoev, Co-Chair, Board Vice President, Parent ’29, ’32, ’35
Tobey Beaver Balzer '02, Fifth Grade Science Teacher, Parent ’34, ’36
Shira Boehler, Parent ’29, ’29, ’31, ’35
The Honorable Phil Bredesen, Former Tennessee Governor, Former Trustee, Parent of Alumnus ’98, Grandparent ’29, ’33
Richard “Rick” Ewing ’83, Parent of Alumna ’24
Frank Garrison, Former Board President, Trustee Emeritus, Parent of Alumni ’08, ’10
Benjamin Goldberg '98, Trustee, Parent ’32, ’36
Teri Doochin Kasselberg ’73, Trustee Emeritus, Parent of Alumni ’99, ’02, ’16, Grandparent ’31, ’33, ’37
Srijaya Reddy ’97, Alumni Board Immediate Past President, Parent ’35
Jennifer Russell, Trustee, Parent ’29
Anne Westfall, Director of Development, Parent ’27
Contact Us
List of 4 items.
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Contact Carney, Sandoe & Associates
Darryl Ford darryl.ford@carneysandoe.comMarsha Little marsha.little@carneysandoe.comMarguerite Lloyd marguerite.lloyd@carneysandoe.com -
Contact the Board of Trustees
Email usnboard@usn.org -
Contact the Director Search Committee
Email directorsearch@usn.org -
Contact the Interim Director
Email director@usn.org
Director Search News
List of 8 news stories.
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Welcoming USN's Next Director
The Transition Committee’s goal for the next 18 months is to ensure this leadership transition moves as smoothly as possible for the 12th PDS/USN Director and the USN community. The work will center on building relationships and strengthening trust.Read More -
USN announces next Director
Read MoreUnanimously recommended by the Director Search Committee and unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees, Rob Hereford will be University School of Nashville's 12th Director. -
A preview of Director candidate visits
Please come with the understanding that we expect our time with each finalist to be courteous and appreciative of their experience and wisdom. Be sure to give yourself extra time to park and check in with receptionists for a visitor's badge before the sessions begin promptly at 8:15 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Each candidate's bio, evaluation survey links, and session location will be emailed to the USN community the day before each candidate arrives.Read More -
Finalists visit in September
Four finalists will visit USN during the first two weeks of September. For faculty & staff and parents & families, there will be an afternoon session and a morning session with each candidate. Dates and times were emailed directly to faculty & staff and parents & families.Read More -
Semifinalists interviewed as search progresses
We are pleased with the progress we are making and recognize that the exceptional pool of candidates is a testament to USN’s outstanding reputation, the attractiveness of our community, the strength of our school, and our significant forward momentum.Read More -
The Director’s Position Description
This document articulates our aspirations for the next leader of USN as well as the attributes and experience we believe our next Director will need to guide our school through the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. It was written using input from members of the PDS/USN community.Read More -
Survey open for Director search
The Director Search Committee is eager to receive feedback from the PDS/USN community through an online survey by 5 p.m. Monday, April 7.Read More -
Family, faculty meetings April 2
In an email sent on Tuesday, March 25, Director Search Committee Co-Chairs Naima Walker Fierce and Erin Zagnoev announced Carney, Sandoe & Associates will assist USN in finding the Director and consultants’ upcoming site visit.Read More
About the Search Firm
Carney, Sandoe & Associates is an internationally recognized education search and recruitment, consulting, and coaching firm that brings deep knowledge of independent schools from over 45 years of experience guiding schools through its searches for exceptional heads of school, senior administrators, and faculty.
CS&A is known for its highly personalized approach to understanding the particular strengths, needs, and cultures of schools and then supporting them through the identification, recruitment, and hiring of excellent leaders, whose skills and experiences align with the school’s needs.
USN is working with the experienced and talented three-member team of Darryl Ford, Marsha Little, and Marguerite Lloyd.
USN Announces Leadership Updates
1915 to presentPDS/USN Directors
- Dr. Richard Thomas Alexander
1915 – 1924 - Dr. William Henry Yarbrough
1924 – 1937 - Dr. John Edwin Windrow
1937 – 1947 - Dr. T. Ross Fink
1947 – 1951 - Dr. William Knox McCharen
1951 – 1968 - L. Edward Pratt
1968 – 1977 - Harold Snedcof
1977 – 1978 - Heber Rogers*
1978 – 1979 - Harvey B. Sperling
1979 – 1990 - Kay Simmons*
1990 – 1991 - Edward R. Costello
1991 – 1999 - Dr. Jean Gray Litterer*
1999 – 2000 - Dr. Vincent W. Durnan Jr.
2000 – 2022 - Amani Reed
2022 – 2025 - Dr. Chai Reddy**
January 7, 2025 – March 30, 2025 - Juliet Douglas*
March 31, 2025 – June 30, 2026 - Robert Hereford
Beginning July 1, 2026
*Interim Director
**Acting Head of School
Contact USN
Edgehill Campus
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
USN Mission:
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.