July 1, 2026
Members of the Andover community:
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am excited to announce that Jim Ventre ’79 will become Phillips Academy’s 17th Head of School. (Jim’s full bio follows this letter.) One of Andover’s longest-serving senior leaders and assistant head of school for admission and financial aid, Jim’s ambitions for Andover’s next chapter and his collaborative approach stood out during an intensive search process that attracted a multitude of highly qualified candidates.
Jim received unanimous support from the Board of Trustees and will continue to work closely with Head of School Raynard Kington, MD, PhD, P’24, ’27 to advance key priorities of the Academy’s long-range plan. Jim, who served as interim head of school from 2019-2020, prior to Raynard’s arrival, will succeed Raynard one year from now, on July 1, 2027.
Jim’s tenure will come at a crucial moment in Andover’s storied history. Approaching the school’s 250th year, he will have the opportunity to reimagine and shape an even stronger legacy of excellence across teaching and learning, with our non sibi value as a guidepost.
I am deeply grateful to my predecessor, Board President Emerita Amy Falls ’82, P’19, ’21, for her wisdom and guidance, and to my trustee and faculty colleagues who served on the search committee. Working diligently since March, we saw in Jim a seasoned expert among independent school leaders; a team builder with enduring relationships that span generations of alumni, students, faculty, and staff; and a passionate leader whose aspirational goals and fidelity to our founding values would serve Andover extremely well.
Please join me in congratulating Jim on his upcoming new role. The trustees look forward to supporting Raynard’s leadership and implementation of the long-range plan in the months ahead. At the same time, the school will benefit tremendously from having Jim’s continued thought partnership at the leadership table, allowing the smoothest of transitions a year from now.
Sincerely,
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Eric Zinterhofer ’89, P’17, ’18
Chair, Head of School Search Committee
President, Board of Trustees
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Jim Ventre ’79 joined the Phillips Academy faculty as a teaching fellow in English and admissions and later became an admission officer until 1986. After a brief time on Wall Street, he was appointed director of financial aid at Andover in 1990. Prior to becoming dean of admission in 2013, Ventre concurrently served as interim dean of admission and director of admission operations. He has served on numerous professional boards and has spearheaded groundbreaking initiatives in admission and financial aid, including the Gateway to Prep Common Application and scholarship efforts that broaden student access to independent schools.
Ventre has been celebrated for his work with underserved populations and has dedicated his career to working with students and their families to gain access to Andover. He is especially proud of Andover’s need-blind admission policy and has been an advocate and steward of the policy since it was adopted in 2008. Working with advancement leadership and trustees, he has helped to secure close to $200 million in financial aid support over two fundraising campaigns.
In addition to overseeing the Office of Admission and Financial Aid, Ventre has been an academic advisor, coach, and house counselor. He served as interim head of school in 2019 and returned to his role as assistant head of school for admission and financial aid in summer 2020. In 2025, Ventre received the Everett C. Gourley award from E3n, previously the Enrollment Management Association. The award honors the educator whose interest in students and concern for colleagues is an inspiration to those who serve in admission. In Yield Magazine, Ventre shared that he is inspired by students whose resilience and courage help them rise up, and by colleagues who support one another with humility and care. “If I can help others feel valued,” he said, “then I know I have done the work that matters most.”
A graduate of Dartmouth College, Ventre’s strategic outlook and entrepreneurial spirit have benefited the campus community, alumni, families, and the wider independent school landscape. Recently, as part of Andover’s Leadership Development Program, Ventre completed certificates in change management from the Harvard Business School and Graduate School of Education. He lives on campus with his wife Kristen, their grown children Elaina and James, and their dog, Ralphie, born on Christmas day.
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