LYNN — St. Mary’s has two new leaders.
John F. Dolan has been named head of school and David J. Angeramo has been named associate head of school at the Catholic college-preparatory school.
The appointments were made after a national search that began in December after former head of school Grace Cotter Regan left to become president of Boston College High School, according to information provided by St. Mary’s.
“We are pleased to have identified two exceptional leaders with the ability and vision to move St. Mary’s forward,” said William Mosakowski, chair of the board of trustees, in a statement. “As we prepare to break ground on our state-of-art STEM building and strengthen collaboration with Sacred Heart School to align K-12 curriculum, we sought experienced leadership for this exciting time in our history.”
Dolan has an extensive background in enrollment management and advancement at the collegiate level. He’s worked at universities throughout the country for more than 35 years. He comes to St. Mary’s from Simmons College, where he has served as vice president for enrollment management and athletics since 2014, according to St. Mary’s.
He was previously vice president for enrollment management at Le Moyne College, a Jesuit institution, where he led a recruitment effort that resulted in the largest class in the college’s history. Before Le Moyne, he served as senior associate vice president for university advancement at Drexel University, vice president for enrollment management at LaSalle University, and CEO of The Catholic Foundation in Denver, according to St. Mary’s.
“Paramount is the Catholic identity,” said Dolan in a statement, referring to what attracted him to St. Mary’s. “The mission and the Catholic tradition excite me the most. There are a lot of centers of excellence within the school, from academics to athletics to the investment in a new STEM building. It is clear that St. Mary’s is creating a 21st century learning environment and is an institution on the move.”
During Dolan’s time at Simmons, the college’s enrollment hit record levels. According to St. Mary’s, Dolan will bring a data-driven, modern, small-college approach to enrollment management to St. Mary’s, with a goal of generating more inquiries, applications and students.
“John has the ability to steer the entire organization,” said Mosakowski in a statement. “He has experience in enrollment and fundraising, which are the lifeblood of a school like St. Mary’s. He is exceptionally well prepared to seize on the opportunities that are available to St. Mary’s.”
Angeramo, a Lynn native, has spent the last 23 years at Salem High School, including 12 years as principal and 11 as a math teacher. He was the co-founder of College Prep Plus, a company assisting students with SAT preparation and the college application process, according to St. Mary’s.
Angeramo’s mother, Bertha Wilkinson, and father-in-law, Richard Carter, are St. Mary’s graduates, from the classes of 1959 and 1958 respectively.
“I’ve known about St. Mary’s my whole life,” Angeramo said in a statement. “The students I know who have gone there have had a very positive experience. I’ve always had a very favorable impression of the school.
“I’ve been thinking about what my next step would be. This is a great fit for me and I look forward to working with the St. Mary’s students, leadership, staff, alumni and supporters.”
Elizabeth Molloy Twomey, a St. Mary’s graduate herself and chairwoman of the nine-member search committee, said Angeramo has had great success managing a high school and improving the academic success of students.
“He is a seasoned, strong leader who has drawn accolades from his faculty and district administration,” said Twomey in a statement.
Dolan started his career in 1982 as a high school teacher in St. Louis, earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Benedictine College in Kansas, a master’s from the University of Denver, and a doctorate from Drexel University. He lives in East Boston with his wife, Marilyn. They have four children and five grandchildren.
Angeramo has a bachelor’s degree in math from Dartmouth College, a master’s in education from Salem State University and a certificate of completion from the Lynch Leadership Academy at Boston College. He lives in Salem with his wife, Tracy. They have two children, both in high school.
In his new role, Dolan will focus on strategic planning, enrollment and advancement, while Angeramo will serve as the chief academic officer for grades 6-12 at the school. Interim principal James Ridley will assist in the transition. Dolan and Angeramo will start before the 2018-19 school year.
The search process started as a means to hire a head of school at St. Mary’s, but it became apparent that there were two candidates, with different backgrounds and skill sets that addressed St. Mary’s needs, Twomey said.
“We conducted a comprehensive search that gave us a very strong and clear view of what St. Mary’s needs at this time,” said Twomey in a statement. “The process yielded two outstanding candidates who will complement each other very well.”
