News from the Board of Trustees
Dear Nativity Worcester Community,
I am writing to share that Thomas McKenney will be stepping down from his position as President of Nativity School of Worcester to begin a new chapter as the Vice President of Advancement at Emmanuel College. We extend our warmest congratulations to Tom on his new position and wish him continued success.
Under Tom’s tenure, “Access & Impact: The Campaign for Nativity School of Worcester” was launched in 2023. Two years later, upon its completion, this campaign had raised $25,000,000, the largest amount ever raised in the history of this school. Tom’s dedication and commitment to this campaign were essential. After setting an attainable goal and reaching it, he was not satisfied. With optimism and true dedication, he kept ‘raising the bar’ for the campaign as he fully believed that what we sought to support our mission and grow our school was achievable. This historic campaign allowed Nativity not only to serve our boys, but also to make real our long-held vision to provide girls equal access to a quality Nativity education. Under Tom’s direction in July 2024, Nativity opened the Julie Powers Girls Division. This division now provides the first tuition-free, private education for girls in Central Massachusetts.
While Tom’s departure from Nativity is bittersweet — we will miss him (!) — the Board of Trustees and I fully support Tom’s decision and express our deepest gratitude for his bold vision and unwavering support for Nativity. We are happy for him and for his family. We wish him well as he undertakes new opportunities for professional growth.
Nativity remains in a strong position to ensure our school’s ongoing stability and success as we enter this transition period. To maintain seamless daily operations for the school and its advancement department, Meredith Kent will serve as our Interim President. Meredith currently serves as the Director of Graduate Support and External Partnerships and is a member of the school’s leadership team. Meredith has 25 years of experience in the nonprofit and education sectors, including six years at Nativity. She brings a deep understanding of Nativity’s mission, our students, our families, and our community. This, combined with her leadership experience, makes her uniquely qualified for the Interim President role. Meredith will step into this role on August 10, and Tom will stay on to support the transition through his final day on September 4.
The Board will conduct a search for a President in the coming year.
Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to Nativity.
Kind Regards,
Veronica Listerud
Chair, Board of Trustees
Nativity School of Worcester