Quinton P. Walker
Every month, RG175 spotlights one of the independent school leaders we've placed, taking a deeper dive into their journey, insights, and impact. This month, we feature Quinton P. Walker. Quinton joined as Head of the Urban School of San Francisco in July 2025. Previously, he was the Assistant Head of School and Head of Upper School at the University School of Nashville, a role he held from 2023. Quinton also served as Head of High School at USN (2016–2024), the Director of School Program at the Paideia School (2014-2016), and the Dean of Global Studies at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School (2007-2014). Prior to working in education proper, Quinton worked as a management and strategy consultant in the education and healthcare space. Quinton received his B.A. in Political Science from Duke University, his M.A. in Higher Education Leadership from the University of Michigan, and his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Vanderbilt University. He currently serves on the faculty of Vanderbilt University, teaching in the Master’s Program for Independent School Leadership. He’s a believer in joy, community, and the power of connection. He’s an unapologetic Brené Brown fan and loves to cook, entertain, and follow all kinds of sports – always a Duke Blue Devil! You can also find him listening to Spotify at most any time, likely a playlist that reflects his deep appreciation for late 90s pop and R&B.
What is your connection to RG175?
I’ve come to know RG175 both as a firm that partnered with a school where I previously worked as well as a candidate. Ultimately, the firm helped me find my current role at the Urban School of San Francisco where I serve as Head of School. I feel fortunate that I can say, whether I was a successful candidate or not, I felt supported by the consultants at RG175. The conversations I had in preparation for searches were always earnest, thoughtful, and challenging in the best way. It was important for me to connect with those consultants before the searches so that they had a sense of my interests, passions, and gifts.
If you had one thing to recommend to other candidates, what would it be?
Don’t force it. And don’t settle for a school that feels kind of right. Do the requisite introspection to really know, inasmuch as possible, that the school you are considering is a school you absolutely must say yes to if the phone rings. That’s how I felt about Urban; when I left San Francisco after my interview, I knew it was absolutely a community I wanted to run toward if given the opportunity. The work is too meaningful, purposeful, and values-driven to settle for anything less than the ideal.
What do you enjoy most about your job as it pertains to Independent Schools?
I love the relentless variety. On any given day, I get to help steward a community forward, both take great care of and challenge those community members who have chosen our school, and be the biggest supporter of the place. I get to bear witness to growth and greatness, struggle and success. I get to be a weathermaker for a school community. What an awesome privilege to believe so deeply in the power of people! Headship is a borrowed post; it isn’t mine as a possession. It’s ours to advance a mission and values.