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Beginning on July 1, 2023, Christopher Bobbitt P’22 ’26 will assume the role of chair of the PDS Board of Trustees. A member of the Board since 2019, Bobbitt has served on several committees including Buildings and Grounds, the Executive Committee, the Capital Projects Core Committee and the Head of School Search Committee that recruited Dr. Kelley Nicholson-Flynn. He is also chair of the DEI Ad Hoc Committee charged with guiding the Board in advancing the school’s goals and expectations for a diverse, equitable and inclusive community.

Bobbitt and his wife, Tiffany Smith, are the parents of two Panthers: Frances ’22 and Henry ’26, both lifers. In addition to his work on the Board and his experience as a PDS parent, Bobbitt also spent the past two years in the Middle School teaching eighth-grade architecture, a role he will be disappointed to pause during his tenure.

“From my very first interaction, I’ve always been impressed by PDS. I remember touring the Lower School as a prospective parent and being shown around by fourth graders — their confidence was impressive! Each August, my kids couldn’t wait to go back. It’s an incredibly welcoming, genuine, supportive community that continues to inspire me,” shared Bobbitt.

Bobbitt grew up in Los Angeles, Calif., and graduated from Brentwood School. He went on to attend Stanford University earning an undergraduate degree in urban studies, and the University of California, Berkeley where he received his master’s in architecture. Today, Bobbitt is the founder and principal of Interurban Architecture, a firm focused on sustainable design and community-based solutions. In 2018, he was elected to a two-year term as mayor of Lawrenceville.

Looking ahead, Bobbitt shared, “I’m incredibly excited to be a part of this new chapter. PDS has always worked to create a sense of community for all, and I think we have an extraordinary opportunity to continue that trajectory, to help our students become better global citizens, to provide them with opportunities and experiences so that they can better understand themselves and the world around them.”