TAMPA, Fla. –September 28, 2020 – After an extensive nationwide search, the Academy of the Holy Names President Search Committee has named Kevin Whitney as the seventh president in the school’s 139-year history. He will assume the role on July 1, 2021, succeeding President Arthur Raimo.
“I am tremendously honored and humbled by this appointment as the Academy of the Holy Names’ next president,” Whitney said. “The faculty, trustees, parents and alumni who I was fortunate to meet were extraordinary ambassadors for the school and epitomize a passionate and dedicated faith-community. I look forward to continuing the Academy’s journey of innovation and academic excellence and hope to nurture that journey with an enduring commitment to the values of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary.”
Whitney’s career in Catholic education includes numerous and increasingly responsible posts at Malvern Prep, an Augustinian school in Malvern, Penn., and then at La Salle College High School, a Lasallian school in Wyndmoor, Penn. He has served as dean of students, registrar, director of 21st century learning and is currently the dean of academic affairs at La Salle. He also has a background in educational entrepreneurship, giving him a unique skill set that will help the school further engage with the local community, key business partners and its strong alumni base.
Academy of the Holy Names’ Board of Trustees Chair Ernie Garateix announced Whitney in a letter to the community on Friday that highlighted his qualifications.
“Kevin’s background, values and goals connect brilliantly with the future direction of the Academy, and we are delighted to welcome him,” Garateix said. “I am confident that with the continued commitment of our school community and the leadership of our new president-elect, the Academy’s future is brighter than ever.”
A broadly representative committee, composed of members from each of the school’s key constituencies, selected Whitney after a rigorous seven-month search. The search attracted many highly qualified candidates, a testament to Academy’s strong trajectory and the contributions of current president Arthur Raimo.
Raimo joined the Academy in July 2011, and when he retires in June after 10 years of service, he will have helped to successfully transform AHN’s facilities, academic programs and campus culture, including:
● Overseeing the Academy Ascending capital campaign to provide funds to renovate the academic spaces to 21st century learning environments, which boast state-of-the art technology, science labs, maker spaces, learning studios and learning commons
● Overseeing design and construction of the 40,000-square-foot Bailey Family Center for the Arts, featuring a 350-seat theatre
● Creating the Holy Names Heritage Center, a museum-quality space to permanently house the school’s extensive archives and showcase the history of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary
● Growing the Academy’s robust academic course offerings and expanding extracurricular activities, including instrumental and performing arts programs
● Upgrading the athletic fields and playgrounds with artificial turf
● Overseeing completion of a new parking garage
● Launching of an innovative partnership with Apple to provide students with state-of-the-art tools and technology
All of these accomplishments have been undertaken with a reverence to the history of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, and an overriding focus that the core SNJM values will continue to guide Academy into the future.
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The Academy of the Holy Names is a Catholic elementary and middle school for boys and girls and a college preparatory high school for young women, sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. The Academy empowers students to be authentic individuals who engage in independent thought, are inspired by creativity, and lead culturally aware, spiritually rich lives. Founded in 1881, the Academy is the oldest school in the Tampa Bay area, located at 3319 Bayshore Boulevard. To learn more about the Academy, please refer to holynamestpa.org.