Christina Seix Academy Leadership Transition

Orpheus Crutchfield

Orpheus has almost 35 years of experience working in and with independent schools across the country, and globally. His career has been devoted to helping independent schools work towards equity and inclusion, diversifying and training their personnel and boards, as well as cultivating and mentoring diverse educators for success and leadership. Orpheus’ experiences as a teacher, nonprofit administrator, trustee, parent of an independent school alumna, and as an entrepreneur give him a unique perspective on, and a deep understanding of, the needs of independent schools. He is presently serving on the Boys and Girls Clubs of San Francisco Board, and has served on six independent school boards, over thirty years. His network of teachers, administrators and school leaders is vast and relationships go deep. Orpheus has appeared on CNN, in the San Francisco Chronicle and on NPR for his work in attracting underrepresented groups to independent schools. He has a BA from UC Berkeley and “all but thesis” Master’s work in Nonprofit Administration from the University of San Francisco.

Mary Rose Fernandez

Mary Rose joined Strategenius in the spring of 2015. She started her education career as a teacher at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Austin, TX. She then became the Western Regional Director of the Multicultural Alliance, an initiative by independent schools to develop a pipeline of diverse teachers through internships and fellowships. Mary Rose later co-founded and directed the TEAMS Program (Teacher Education for the Advancement of a Multicultural Society) at the University of San Francisco to recruit, train and develop teachers of color for urban public schools across California and Washington State. Serving 400 teachers a year, TEAMS was the most diverse teacher development program in the country. Mary Rose has served on several non-profit and charter and independent school boards, including currently serving on the French American International School and International High School in San Francisco. She has a BA from the University of San Francisco and a Master’s Degree in Social and Cultural Studies from UC Berkeley. She met Orpheus 20 years ago at a job fair where he recruited her for her first independent school teaching job. She has two daughters in independent schools and lives with her family in San Francisco.

Dr. Ara Brown

Ara Brown has worked for over 20 years at the middle school, high school, and collegiate levels. He started his career in 2000 as the Program Coordinator at the Klingenstein Center at Teachers College, Columbia University. He then moved into independent schools and served in many positions including Director of Student Activities, Diversity Director, Associate Director of Admissions, Dean of Students, Head of Middle School, Head of Upper School, and Assistant Head of School. His career has brought him to boarding and day schools in western Massachusetts, southeast Michigan, southern California, and Washington D.C. where he helped found a K–12 private school. Ara has presented nationally on DEI issues, made a documentary on the experiences of people of color in independent schools, and has published articles on topics including pedagogy, recruitment practices, and pathways to headship for people of color. He served as a faculty member at the Kingswood-Oxford Leadership Institute for Educators of Color (KOLIEC) and the inaugural Building Opportunities for Leaders of Diversity (BOLD) Summit, both of which are dedicated to supporting educators of color advance their careers within independent schools. He also served as an editor for The Color of Excellence: Hiring and Keeping Teachers of Color in Independent Schools and as chair of the editorial board for Independent School magazine. Ara earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Sociology at Ursinus College, an M.A. in Organizational Psychology and an M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania.

JohnEric Advento

JohnEric has worked for nearly 30 years in education, from lower school up to higher ed. He started his career in 1995 as a Grade 5 teacher in Fairfax County Public Schools in Vienna, Virginia. His international career brought him to work at top-tier schools in Cairo, Egypt, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates, where he served as a teacher, coach, Curriculum Coordinator, Associate Principal, and Elementary Principal. An educational leader with a wealth of experience in guiding institutions toward excellence, JohnEric brings a unique blend of visionary leadership, strategic thinking, and a passion for fostering transformative educational environments. His 22 years of living and working overseas have equipped him with a deep understanding of diverse cultures, best practices in educational systems, and the importance of cultivating a global perspective and sense of service among students. His most recent role as Head of the Lower School at The Wardlaw+Hartridge School in Edison, New Jersey, reflects his ability to lead and inspire in diverse educational settings. And as a mentor for aspiring leaders of color with the Association of International Educators and Leaders of Color, JohnEric is committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within educational leadership. JohnEric's academic credentials include a Master of Education in International Administration and Supervision from The College of New Jersey, and a Bachelor of Arts in Special and Elementary Education from Providence College. He is also the proud parent of two children currently in college.

Julie Brown

Julie joined the Strategenius team mid-2021, after being on the client end of our business while working in the Head of School's office at The School at Columbia University in New York City. After a move back to her roots in Southern California, she joined Strategenius where she aligns her organizational and administrative experience with her continued passion for social justice with a focus on equity and inclusion in education. Prior to being at The School at Columbia University, Julie helped to launch, organize and shape 100 Resilient Cities, pioneered by the Rockefeller Foundation, which helped cities across the world build resilience to the physical, social, and economic challenges that are a growing part of the 21st century. Julie is a graduate of John Jay University, where she earned a BA in Culture Deviance.

Julie is a tenacious learner of technology with an appreciation for cultures and history. She prides herself on being open to new experiences and different ways of thinking. She loves dancing with her husband to 90s R&B, playing with her English Bulldog, listening to podcasts, and gardening.

Nancy Nanka-Bruce

Nancy joined Strategenius in the fall of 2022, bringing over 25 years of marketing experience across global and regional markets. She began her career in New York City at Tommy Hilfiger, where she spent nearly a decade developing national and retail marketing campaigns across multiple divisions.

Nancy continued growing her expertise as a marketing generalist in the fashion and accessories world before shifting to the consumer packaged goods industry, where she led global marketing communications for Burt's Bees, a leading natural personal care brand within The Clorox Company's portfolio. In 2018, Nancy left corporate America to spend four years helping launch Whittle School & Studios, a global PreK–12 start-up in Washington, DC, where she rose to VP of Global Marketing & Communications.

Her familiarity with the independent school landscape, both professionally and personally, informs everything she does at Strategenius. Nancy is a proud alumna of The Cathedral School of St. John the Divine and The Lawrenceville School, and she holds an AB from Harvard University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. She currently resides in Wake Forest, NC.