Having spent much of his career in Pittsburgh’s independent school community, Mr. Niels expressed a deep and long-held respect for Ellis, noting that Ellis is an essential part of the Pittsburgh education landscape, and that the School’s commitment to providing an unmatched, girl-centered experience in support of girls and young women is perhaps more important now than at any time in the School’s history.

 

“I am thrilled about the opportunity to serve as the Interim Head of The Ellis School,” Niels said. “In my time as the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools, I had the privilege of witnessing the remarkable impact of all-girls education throughout this state; I am honored to be a part of this.”

Mr. Niels noted the challenges women face in society, such as the gender wage gap and underrepresentation in leadership roles across various sectors, including education.

“Noting underrepresentation in leadership might sound ironic coming from a male head of school, but my commitment to supporting the professional growth of women leaders is unwavering. Over the years, I've proudly seen five associates advance to head of school positions, four of whom are women,” he said.

He also loves the Ellis vision of graduating “Changemakers.”

“This is why I look forward to highlighting the unique and historic strengths of The Ellis School: camaraderie, a strong sense of community, freedom of our students to express themselves authentically, and academic excellence,” he said. “Additionally, I plan to leverage my experience to explore new opportunities for Ellis to stand out and thrive.

Mr. Niels brings decades of leadership in independent schools and a deep commitment to empowering students, supporting faculty and staff, and cultivating inclusive, mission-driven communities. Throughout his career, Mr. Niels has held a variety of roles, including teacher, coach, summer school director, department chair, dean of students, division director, head of school, and executive director of a state-wide independent school association. Following his 16 year career as the Head of School at Winchester Thurston School, Mr. Niels was President of The Neighborhood Academy, a 6-12 grade school that works to remove a variety of barriers for children’s educational success. While there, he introduced impactful changes that continue to enable the School to prosper. In 2018, he was named the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS). During his five and a half years at PAIS, he inaugurated a professional development program, strengthened the Board, completely rejuvenated Accreditation, introducing a strategic dimension to the process and bolstered government affairs throughout communication between the member schools and Harrisburg.

Outgoing Interim Head of School Michelle Rust, who will continue to serve Ellis as the Director of Enrollment Management, shared her support for Mr. Niels, as did Dr. Denise LaRosa, Ellis’ Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

"I know that male leadership is a change for Ellis—a first in the School’s history. And, I believe Mr. Niels’ depth of experience leading and stewarding independent schools—particularly around enrollment growth and building a culture of philanthropy—in our market make him uniquely qualified for the role of Interim Head and the strategic priorities of our school," Ms. Rust said. "He is also a very warm person, who instantly looks for ways to connect with the community. I look forward to working with him."

 

"In all work of equity and inclusion, allies are vital to moving forward," said Dr. LaRosa. "As an all girls institution, having a man as an ally who champions girls and young women and who has a record of supporting, advocating, and cultivating women leaders in education, Mr. Niels’ leadership is important for us at this time."