Board Chair Announces Oliverian's Third Head of School

It is with great pleasure and enthusiasm that I announce that the Oliverian Board of Trustees has appointed William A. Laughlin, M.A., M.Ed., as our third head of school. Will officially succeeds outgoing Head of School Randy Richardson beginning July 1, 2014.

Will is most recently a resident of Boulder, Colorado, where he founded and operated Mane Brand Communications, a company specializing in brand strategy and marketing communications for healthcare, wellness, and mental-health organizations. Prior to his work with Mane Brand, Will spent nearly twenty years in educational leadership, first as a college and high school teacher and counselor, and then as a senior administrator for several schools and education companies in the US and abroad. Will's leadership adventures include serving as the president of an international university with campuses in Tokyo and Osaka, and as Head of School for Auldern Academy, a therapeutic boarding school in North Carolina. Will has worked in a wide range of settings from highly competitive traditional schools to treatment facilities. A native of California, Will has degrees from the University of California at Berkeley and Stanford University, and has master's degrees in both education and counseling.

Will plans to spend May and June transitioning Mane Brand fully to his partner's care while getting to know Oliverian's stakeholders and operations. During his campus visits, he also hopes to spend a little time exploring the area's famous trails! An elite ultra-distance runner, Will holds several adventure running records. He is also involved in philanthropic efforts as the founder of MOYO- a company that provides therapeutic peanut butter to malnourished children, and as a cofounder of impossible2Possible- an adventure based youth development organization. Will's wife, Beth Laughlin, is a fellow Stanford graduate and therapeutic education professional. From their new base in New Hampshire, Beth will continue to run Second Nature 360, where she serves as founder and partner. This organization helps students transition home following residential treatment.

After many years of informal involvement with Oliverian, as well as two recent trips to the school, Will has developed a genuine affection and passion for the community, the surrounding area, and especially the students we serve. Will is extremely excited to start working with Randy and the administrative team right away to begin the leadership transition process.

Under Will's leadership, we look forward to guiding Oliverian into the next phase of its history as a unique school dedicated to helping students emerge, grow, and succeed in school and in life.

Sincerely,

Jeanne Townsend
Chair, Oliverian Board of Trustees

About The Oliverian School
The Oliverian School is an alternative boarding school located in a beautiful valley in northern New Hampshire. Boys and girls in grades 9-12, who have struggled in a more traditional setting, thrive at Oliverian because of an effective blend between experiential learning and college preparation. The School provides a balance between challenge and support in all areas of a student's academic, social, and emotional life.

We also offer a seven-week Summer Session which combines six weeks of academic recovery and enrichment with a one week adventure trip.