KIPP St. Louis Welcomes New CEO Dr. Nathalie Henderson

A New Chapter for KIPP St. Louis: Welcoming Dr. Nathalie Henderson as CEO

This year marked a historic moment for KIPP St. Louis: the public charter school organization launched its first CEO search in 16 years, transitioning from its founding leader to a new chapter of academic improvement and community connection. Given the significance of this moment, KIPP partnered with Edgility Search Principal, Taylor Bostock, to lead an executive search process rooted in rigor, equity, and deep community engagement.

From the start, it was clear that this search wasn’t simply about finding a leader—it was about understanding what the schools’ communities needed most in the next phase of KIPP St. Louis’ evolution.

Listening to What Matters: What the Community Told Us

Before launching the search, Taylor spent 36 hours on the ground meeting with board members, the C-suite, teachers, staff, families, and community partners. A town hall followed, creating space for the broader community to share their hopes, concerns, and priorities.

Across conversations, five clear leadership competencies emerged:

• Equity Leadership
• Academic & Instructional Expertise
• People Leadership
• Organizational Leadership
• Change Management
  
  

These weren’t just preferences—they became the backbone of the search. As Ashley Odham, Chief of Staff, noted:

“Taylor guided us with clarity and neutrality, brought top talent from across the country, and ensured the community’s voice shaped every step of the process.”

This shared understanding ensured that the KIPP St. Louis CEO Search Committee could objectively and equitably evaluate candidates on what mattered most: alignment with mission, community, and the unique needs of the region.

Finding the Right Leader for the Moment

With community priorities and measurable competencies defined, Taylor and the Edgility team launched a national search that surfaced several exceptional leaders. Very quickly, Dr. Nathalie Henderson began to stand out.

Dr. Henderson brought a powerful blend of:

• proven talent management and team leadership,
• a track record of improving academic outcomes,
• a data-informed approach to decision-making, and
• strong emotional intelligence and executive presence.
  
  

But what truly distinguished her was her deep connection to St. Louis and her desire to return after years of national impact. Her vision for KIPP St. Louis—grounded in excellence, equity, and community partnership—aligned directly with what stakeholders had expressed.

As Chief of Staff Ashley Odham shared:

“Nathalie balances big-picture vision with practical experience. She has a clear track record of improving student outcomes and building sustainable systems. She is absolutely the right leader for this moment.”

A Strong Start and a Bright Future

In just a few months as CEO, Dr. Henderson is already delivering results:

• Exceeding enrollment goals by 107%
• Improving student attendance
• Strengthening systems and structures to support academic growth
  
  

These early wins affirm what the community, board, and search committee hoped: Dr. Henderson is a visionary, community-rooted leader who understands both the magnitude of the work and the potential of KIPP St. Louis’s students and families.

Edgility Search is proud to have partnered with KIPP St. Louis on this pivotal search, and we are excited to see the organization continue to thrive under Dr. Henderson’s leadership. With a strong leader in place and a unified community behind her, the future of KIPP St. Louis is bright, bold, and full of possibility.

Ready to start your own executive or leadership search? Reach out to our team to learn more about how we can help you find the leader your mission deserves.