Bringing more than 25 years of experience as a Head of School, Interim Superintendent, and senior strategic leader, Dr. Nadine Richards is a trusted advisor to boards and school systems navigating high-stakes leadership transitions across global education environments. As a Senior Consultant with Search Associates, she specializes in aligning governance, leadership, and institutional performance at defining moments in an organization's future.
Dr. Richards' career spans the United States, the Middle East, and global school networks. She served as Head of School at Al Maaref Private School in Dubai and as Interim Superintendent at GEMS Education's Al Khaleej School, guiding complex communities through transition while strengthening academic coherence and organizational trust. In the United States, she served as Assistant Head of School for Institutional Strategy at Roland Park Country School, a premier girls' independent school. She has also partnered with Ministries of Education (including KHDA in Dubai) to align academic rigor, student wellness, and regulatory expectations. Dr. Richards holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Hofstra University and holds Superintendent-level certification in both New York and Georgia.
Dr. Richards has led and supported a wide range of searches including Head of School, Superintendent, Divisional Principals, CFO, Director of Technology, Assistant Heads of School, and senior roles in counselling and DEI. Her placement work spans the United States, Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, and Asia. She brings prior experience leading recruitment and search processes across global school networks, guiding boards and search committees with rigor, discernment, and deep understanding of leadership fit.
Dr. Richards serves on the Hofstra University School of Education Advisory Board and has taught as an adjunct faculty at Long Island University. She is the author of Roses from Concrete: A Black Feminist Leadership Model for School Reform (Peter Lang) and has published in The Chronicle of Mentoring & Coaching. She has contributed to the AISA Strategic Guide and led leadership development initiatives including the AISA HR Institute and the AIELOC aspiring leaders program.
Originally from Jamaica, W.I., and now based in Atlanta, Dr. Richards brings a global perspective shaped by work across diverse cultures and systems. She is the founder of Nadine Inspires, through which she advises Heads of School and Boards on governance and leadership alignment. She is deeply committed to developing leaders and building institutions where people and purpose thrive.
