WELCOME TO CASTILLEJA
Leaders in Agility Castilleja welcomes new Leadership Team members Dr. Nadia Johnson, Laura Zappas, and Anne Rubin
Agility calls for perspective, which we gain by learning from others and listening to new stories. These tales teach us how to take risks and dream big. “Independent schools must embody the values we are teaching,” Dr. Johnson stated matterof-factly at a faculty meeting late this summer. New leaders Dr. Johnson, Assistant Head for Curriculum and Community, Ms. Zappas, Head of Middle School, and Ms. Rubin, Head of Upper School, all model Castilleja’s leadership competencies in different ways. All three of them moved across the country this summer to come to Castilleja, definitely demonstrating agility from the very moment they set foot on campus. As Dr. Johnson, Ms. Zappas, and Ms. Rubin reflected on agility, each one of them remembered a person who had faith in their capacity to take risks by pursuing paths they might not have considered on their own. This highlights another important element of the Castilleja experience, relationships. The connections that Castilleja students feel to their teachers is a critical step toward developing initiative, agility, and purpose—and becoming compassionate leaders.
2 | Castilleja School
TAKING A ROAD UNKNOWN
Nadia Johnson Assistant Head for Curriculum and Community “Being agile helps you understand what really matters. It helps you develop strong mental health. It helps you consider: what do I do next and how can I adapt?” After college, Dr. Johnson faced some of these questions as she made choices about her career and her happiness. Soon after starting a job in banking, Dr. Johnson realized that this path was not meant for her, so she asked herself, “what’s the next best scenario?” When encountering obstacles, Dr. Johnson follows a three-step process: stop, regroup, and pivot. It is this very process that eventually led her to Castilleja. Deciding it was time to pursue her passion, Dr. Johnson left the banking job and enrolled in a PhD program for cultural studies. She then began her career in education. However, growing up, Dr. Johnson never imagined she would end up working in schools. Her goal was to become a lawyer. But sometimes opportunities arise that require us to deviate from our plans and exercise agility. Along the way, we may even uncover hidden talents that bring us strength and happiness. Dr. Johnson exemplifies the courage required to stray from a prescribed path and the delight that emerges from taking a new road.
