Alyse Ruiz-Selsky Named Director of the Upper School

Dana Hall School welcomes Alyse Ruiz-Selsky as the new Director of the Upper School. A dedicated educational leader, Ruiz-Selsky will officially join the Dana Hall community on July 1. Reporting to Head of School Katherine Bradley, she will serve as a member of the Administrative Team and will oversee all aspects of Dana Hall's Upper School program.

“Alyse’s background as a proven educational leader with a commitment to keeping the needs of students at the center of her focus makes her an excellent fit for Dana Hall,” said Head of School Katherine Bradley. “In addition to her deep knowledge base and experience, her warmth, empathy and extraordinary listening skills, along with her highly developed organizational skills, will benefit all in our community. I am excited to be partnering with her and I look forward to beginning work on the transition immediately.”

Ruiz-Selsky has worked in many different departments in her time as an educator, including English, Student Life, Residential Life, College Counseling, Health and Wellness, and the Academic Office. “I am drawn to communities that are inclusive, collaborative and fierce in their commitment to providing opportunities for students to understand themselves and the world around them more deeply. In my time learning about and visiting Dana Hall, it’s clear how much the school is living up to these commitments,” she said, adding that her experiences have provided opportunities to view schools from different lenses and made her a better listener and collaborator.

In her current role as Director of Studies at Concord Academy, Ruiz-Selsky shaped pedagogical, structural and strategic initiatives and guided students through their academic program. “I love problem solving with students, empowering them to figure out who they want to be as individuals and community members, being curious with them, and not only setting clear expectations for them, but providing support as they reach them,” she noted. She has extensive experience leading faculty in the development and review of curriculum and other areas of school life. She began her career in the classroom, as an English teacher and Department Chair at Doral Academy in Miami, Florida and gained valuable boarding school experience as Dean of Residential Life at CITYterm at The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, New York. She earned a B.A. in Urban Studies from Brown University and a M.S. in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

Ruiz-Selsky was selected through a national search in consultancy with the executive search firm RG 175. “I am grateful to the members of the search committee – Rob Mather, who led the group, along with Angela Brown, Mary Frances Hanover, Cynthia Harmon, Rachel Nagler, Frank Tipton, and Mike White,” said Bradley. “They willingly and generously gave careful thought and spent enormous time on this process in addition to all their regular responsibilities.”

Ruiz-Selsky will live on campus with her husband, Daniel, and their daughter, Dani. Throughout this spring, she will collaborate with departing Director of the Upper School Amy Kumpel and Assistant Director of the Upper School Krista Falcone to ensure a smooth transition and begin preparations for the 2025-26 school year.