Leadership & Strategic Plan
Our Leadership Team
Dr. Dawn Nichols
Head of School
314.810.3513 | dnichols@villa1929.org
Mrs. Emily Kaplan
Interim Upper School Principal
314.810.3440 | ekaplan@villa1929.org
Mrs. Christine Phillips
Lower School Principal
314.810.3558 | cphillips@villa1929.org
Mrs. Alice Dickherber
Assistant Head of School for Strategic Initiatives
314.810.3529 | adickherber@villa1929.org
Mrs. Therese Hagemeister
Director of Enrollment Management
314.810.3446 | thagemeister@villa1929.org
Ms. Cindy Hails
Director of Finance
314.810.3452 | chails@villa1929.org
Mrs. Stacy Henning
Director of Academics
314.810.3569 | shenning@villa1929.org
Dr. Dominic Key
Director of Operations
314.810.3454 | dkey@villa1929.org
Mrs. Debbie Schlattman
Director of Advancement
314.810.3589 | dschlattman@villa1929.org
OUR STRATEGIC PLAN
We are thrilled to share with you Villa Duchesne's Strategic Plan, Ignite the Mission. Our plan covers four broad areas: strength and sustainability, faculty excellence, inspirational learning, and campus spaces. Ignite the Mission inspires our work to ensure the long term fiscal and strategic success of Villa Duchesne. Thank you for your confidence and trust in our School and our great mission to transform the world, one child at a time.
Ignite the Mission
our 2024-25 Board of Trustees
- Omar R. Qureshi | Chair
- J.R. Mayer Jr. | Vice Chair
- Michael V. Johnson Sr. | Treasurer
- Bridget Bearss, RSCJ | Secretary
- Dawn Nichols | Head of School
- Bobbi Baker
- Ann Caire, RSCJ, Emerita
- Karin Caito
- Richard A. Dioli
- Margi Sheehan Dolan ’89
- J. Spencer Finney Jr.
- Brian D. Gross
- David Jones
- Eric Kittner
- Daniel J. Leary III OH ’81
- Amal Razzaq Mansuri ’83
- Michael Michetti, Esq.
- William Schmidt
- Jeff Schwaneke
- Stephen J. Sweeny
- J. Claire Danis Todorovich ’94
Omar R. Qureshi | Chair
J.R. Mayer Jr. | Vice Chair
Michael V. Johnson Sr. | Treasurer
Bridget Bearss, RSCJ | Secretary
Dawn Nichols | Head of School
Bobbi Baker
Ann Caire, RSCJ, Emerita
Karin Caito
Richard A. Dioli
Margi Sheehan Dolan ’89
J. Spencer Finney Jr.
Brian D. Gross
David Jones
Eric Kittner
Daniel J. Leary III OH ’81
Amal Razzaq Mansuri ’83
Michael Michetti, Esq.
William Schmidt
Jeff Schwaneke
Stephen J. Sweeny
J. Claire Danis Todorovich ’94
BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES
Through its Board of Trustees, Villa Duchesne is accountable to the Society of the Sacred Heart for the ongoing implementation of the Goals and Criteria. The Board's chief functions include but are not limited to governance policy and fiscal responsibility. It is the Board's responsibility to elect the Head of School. All members of the Board of Trustees are elected by the Board. Board of Trustees Standing Committees include Building & Grounds, Committee on Trustees, Development, Executive, Finance, Head Support & Evaluation, and Strategic Planning. The Board of Trustees is the corporate governing body of the School and is accountable to the Roman Catholic Church through the U.S. Provincial of the Society of the Sacred Heart. The School is:
- One of 25 Schools of the Sacred Heart in the United States
- One of 100+ Schools of the Sacred Heart around the world
- Partners in the educational mission of the Society, which is expressed in the Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart Schools
- Evaluated in that Mission every 5 years through the process we call SHCOG
The Board of Trustees is responsible for assuring the School lives the Mission as outlined in the Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart Schools.