Scott Nelson is a Senior Consultant with the Search & Consulting Group.

Just prior to joining Carney Sandoe in 2022, Scott completed a remarkable 29-year tenure as Head of Rye Country Day School, a coeducational, independent day school serving 930 students in Pre-K to grade 12 located in Rye, NY. As Head of School, Scott transformed the school by significantly increasing admissions applications and selectivity year over year, growing student diversity to 39% and faculty diversity to 26%, successfully completing three capital campaigns, implementing a master plan that resulted in campus expansion and major improvements to the physical plant, and leading transformational changes to the curriculum and programming.

Prior to leading Rye Country Day, Scott served as the Director of Upper School at Marlborough School (Los Angeles, CA) and Director of Upper School at his alma mater, Hackley School (Tarrytown, NY), where he began his independent school career as a “triple threat” – teacher, coach, and dorm parent.

Scott has served on a number of non-profit boards and committees, including as a faculty member of the NAIS Institute for Finance and Administration, a member of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools’ New York Commission on Secondary Schools, President of the NYSAIS Athletic Association’s Executive Committee, a member of the NYSAIS Board of Trustees, Trustee and Board Chair of the Bronx Preparatory Charter School, and a member of the NYSAIS Healthcare Consortium Board. He currently serves as a Trustee of the Nantucket Lighthouse School (MA).

Scott’s search work has focused on Head of School, Chief Finance and Operations Officer, and Director of Advancement positions. In addition, he leads Carney Sandoe’s Head of School Compensation Benchmarking Service, and he has completed financial sustainability assessments for schools. You can read his thought piece on Head’s Total Compensation Benchmarking below.

Scott received his A.B. in Political Science from Brown University (where he was co-captain of the University’s first Ivy Championship Football Team) and his M.S. in Education from Fordham University.