The Board of Directors of the San Miguel School recently promoted current Director of Advancement and Strategic Partnerships, Mel Bride, to the top role at the school effective July 1. Current Executive Director, John Wolf, who has led the school for seven years, will remain on staff in a part-time role focused primarily on development and donor stewardship.
“We are very excited to have a school and community leader of Mel’s caliber stepping up into this role in our mission. She is an amazing coach and communicator with a deep commitment to the advancement of the young men entrusted to our care and we are grateful to have her ‘taking the helm’ in 2024.” said Wolf.
Bride, a life-long educator, joined San Miguel in 2019 and led the school through its successful $6M Star Campaign.
“We are incredibly lucky to have Mel taking on the Executive Director role at this point in the school’s history. In her five years, Mel has proven herself to be an effective fundraiser, fantastic relationship builder, and student-centered educator committed to nurturing a positive school culture. The board unanimously and enthusiastically endorsed her candidacy.” said Kim Butler, San Miguel’s Board Chair. “And retaining John is a dream come true. His commitment to this mission has been unwavering through some very challenging times.”
Mel graduated from Colby College and earned her Master’s degree from Middlebury College. No stranger to Rhode Island, having lived in Barrington, Mel worked at Save The Bay and The Gordon School. Mel has served in numerous leadership capacities at independent schools in the northeast including Tabor Academy and Dublin School. Mel lives in New Bedford with her husband and serves on the boards of several youth-serving organizations there.
The San Miguel School, a Lasallian middle school for boys, has served young men from underserved communities in Providence for over thirty years and is fortunate to have over four hundred graduates.