Molly Bozzo
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 Molly Bozzo, Head of School at Marin Country Day School. Molly is a lifelong independent school educator, raised on campuses by independent school teachers and attending them throughout her high school years. Her career began in early childhood education as a Kindergarten and first-grade teacher at a Montessori school before shifting to secondary education, where she served as an English teacher, coach, and dorm faculty member.
Molly transitioned into administrative leadership after earning a degree in educational administration, first as a Dean of Students in the Pacific Northwest, and later as a division head for K-8 students in a K-12 day/boarding school on the central coast of California. This extensive K-12 experience, particularly overseeing an entire campus, provided her with a deep, practical understanding of the organizational complexity and rich texture required to run a thriving, mission-driven school.
What is your connection to RG175?
My connection with RG175 began during the height of the pandemic, engaging in substantive conversations with Tom Hudnut as I explored potential headships. His extraordinary patience, willingness to let me process my professional path, and his deep faith in my potential were formative. Years later, when I re-engaged with the search process, I worked closely with Coreen Hester, Debbie Reed, and Bob Henderson. Their collective wisdom, direct candor, and insight were invaluable at every turn. They are leaders who truly value the people and the integrity of the process, and their guidance helped me navigate the professional vulnerability inherent in a headship search.
Can you summarize your experience working with RG175?
The matchmaking! Finding the person whose skills, values, and vision align with what a school needs at a particular moment in its history is deeply satisfying work. So many schools struggle to articulate what they actually need in a development leader, and I can help translate that.
If you had one thing to recommend to other candidates, what would it be?
My single recommendation is simple: Trust the process and trust the people.
The team at RG175 is keenly intelligent, highly adept, and has the search process down to a science. They understand the culture of independent schools and how to create an optimal match. To maximize your outcome, I advise three critical actions:
1. Be Transparent and Vulnerable: Allow the consultants to truly get to know you as a school keeper and leader. The more honest you are about who you are and what you seek, the more effective their placement will be.
2. Define Your True North: Know your non-negotiables at the outset. Is it location, school type, or educational philosophy? Being honest and open with yourself and with the search team about these fundamental anchors will guide the process toward a fulfilling, long-term fit.
3. Stay in the process: It is a curious, complicated dance to engage in this work with a school community. Be resolute in your willingness to see it through. Be courageous and trust your instincts.
What do you enjoy most about your job as it pertains to Independent Schools?
There is nothing more fulfilling than dedicating a career to the opportunity to help children grow up into their best selves. This work is sacred, rewarding, and constantly inspiring. After almost 30 years of "school keeping," the greatest joy is the privilege of leadership—being given the opportunity to lead a school that is so deeply aligned with my values as an educator and as a human being. The convergence of my personal mission and the school's mission is the most remarkable gifts of my professional career, allowing me to fully engage in building a thriving community every single day.