Head Search

Matt joins us from the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools (UCLS), where he has been Principal of the High School for the past six years.

Founded over 100 years ago, the Lab Schools have been consistently recognized as among the top secondary schools in the country.   Matt has an impressive record at UCLS of academic advancement, progress on major initiatives, and effective leadership, all while teaching a section of algebra.  As Principal, Matt heads a division that has 500 students and 68 faculty members.   He is also Chair of the Curriculum Committee and oversees college counseling, community service, and peer leadership.

Before UCLS, Matt’s 23-year academic career includes serving as Head of the Upper School at the Browning School and Dean of Students at the Collegiate School, both in New York City. Matt also taught, math and computer science at the Chapin School in New York, the Taipei American School in Taiwan, and the Noble and Greenough School in Massachusetts.

Matt earned a BA in non-western history from the University of Pennsylvania and an MAT in mathematics education from Boston University, received a summer fellowship from the Klingenstein Center at Teachers College Columbia University, and is currently studying for a certificate in Non-Profit Management in the Executive Scholars Program at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.  He is a triathlete and an Outward Bound alumnus, and he won a silver medal in rowing for the United States at the Pan American Games in 1991. 

A gifted leader and educator, Matt brings to Overlake a passion for academic excellence that will further augment our recently completed 12-plus year drive to update the Overlake campus. Matt’s colleagues describe him as a “truly remarkable leader” and the UCLS Director observes that Matt is “the most successful high school leader in the history of the school.”

Matt received unanimous support from both the Search Committee and the Board of Trustees following a nationwide search that began more than a year ago, involved over 100 contacts, 43 applicants, 15 interviewees, 4 semi-finalists, and 2 outstanding finalists and which incorporated input from faculty, staff, students, administrators, parents, and alumni.  The Board of Trustees would like to thank the entire Overlake community for their engagement with and support for the search process.  We also wish to acknowledge the exceptional work of the search committee members: Deborah Black, Bill Sample, Kevin Steiner, Kathy Surace-Smith, Chris Williams, Gerald Buhaly, and Brenda Leaks who dedicated countless hours to Overlake and this search.

Matt will succeed Frank Grijalva, who will step down in June 2012 after having completed 17 outstanding years at Overlake.  Matt will visit Overlake several times over the rest of this school year, and will move to Redmond with his wife, Susan Fine, and their sons, Alex and Matteo next summer.

Matt’s arrival will begin an exciting new chapter in the history of Overlake as we build on the outstanding school we have today.  Please join the Board of Trustees in welcoming Matt and his family to Overlake.