Success Stories

Lawrence Alexander and Carney, Sandoe & Associates' Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Practice helped make history at Maine Regional School Unit 21. Dr. Terri I. Cooper became the first female African American superintendent of schools in the history of the State of Maine. And it is all because of Lawrence and Carney Sandoe.

Maine Regional School Unit has been a district in crisis since a race-based harassment incident. After five changes in the superintendent seat in just the past 12 months, we reached out to a search firm for the first time in district history. We had serious doubters who didn’t think that Lawrence or CS&A could deliver value to a public school district. Yet, it took just one meeting to realize we had found a remarkable leader who could help us build our cultural fluency, create an inclusive (and virtual) hiring process, widen our choice of candidates, and hire an exceptional leader from a pool of highly qualified candidates.

Lawrence has gone viral in our surrounding towns, and I have watched as he has changed the way people think and act and compelled students, teachers, and community members to embrace the power of inclusion. Beyond sourcing an incredible new leader for our schools, beyond guiding our Board and inclusive hiring process, Lawrence has opened people’s minds and touched people’s hearts. We have been getting Lawrence and CS&A fan mail from our stakeholders! One young staff member wrote to say that being part of our inclusive interview committee has “helped me reshape some of my educational philosophies as I go on to become a certified teacher.” It does not get any better than that.

We couldn’t be more pleased with CS&A and more grateful for your firm’s courage and commitment to diversity and inclusion with game changers like Lawrence. We look forward to more collaborations as we continue our DEI journey, and believe that you have a timely and important point of view and services for all of Maine’s public education.

As a new head it was hard to trust myself. But Peter helped me learn to trust myself and work through the steps that would make it possible to hit the ground running. The work included getting clarity about my approach to leadership and what I needed to focus on at the start of my tenure.

Through conversations with Peter I was able to keep the 30,000-foot view of the school front and center and identity my priorities. I learned both the importance of balance in my work and my life and how to find it. As a new head of school, I was able to clarify my view that what matters most is focusing on the school culture and environment — creating a climate where students and adults thrive. This big-picture thinking has even distilled itself down to a simple guiding principle: “To look within and see beyond.”

Ralph Davison conducted a workshop for the Indian Springs School Board of Governors in December 2019. Indian Springs School had just completed a search for the School's next long-term head of school, and Ralph's guidance was timely, substantive, and enormously valuable. Several members of the Board expressed the wish that we had asked him to conduct the workshop a couple of years earlier, and several others asked that we make plans to have him return.

I want to thank you and Ralph Davison for leading us through this process so meticulously. Your support and guidance have been invaluable. I know it is not over, and I look forward to working with both of you during the transition.

I cannot wind down after this busy day without taking the opportunity to once again thank you and praise you for your "platinum" presentation at Palmer Trinity this morning. From the very start, I was transfixed! Both the content of your talk and its presentation were transformational. As a veteran teacher, I can feel a bit jaded at times. But your magic reignited my spirit and reminded me of the need to always, always strive for excellence and do our utmost to motivate our young wards, as well as each other. Sir, I offer my most sincere thanks! I hope to cross paths again.

We have really enjoyed working with you, Art Charles, and David Chojnacki. The value-add of your advice throughout the process, as well as your contacts within the international school world, have been incredible. We hope that you count on us as a reference going forward.

Lawrence's thoughtfulness, intelligence, and charisma are really something special. He is able to walk a very delicate line of being both approachable, kind, and forgiving, as well as challenging and thought provoking. With an intense topic like implicit bias, he was able to guide us forward into a series of discussions that may otherwise have felt overwhelming. Lawrence has a special talent as moderator, teacher, and soundboard. In addition, his deep understanding of the college admission process meant that our work together could launch right into the heart of our challenges. I would highly recommend Lawrence to any office.

Thanks go to Amanda Riegel of Carney, Sandoe & Associates. She did a wonderful job first of learning a great deal about our school and then seeking out the candidates who were the best fit for us. I have never met a consultant who works harder on behalf of a school.

I just wanted to send you a brief final note of gratitude. Conducting conversations and facilitating dialogue is what you do for a living but, for me as a witness, it takes on special significance. Your expertise, professionalism, and experience help different people (with different perspectives) find a common table around which all can gather and communicate. Thank you for your time, patience, and especially your dedication to the process. Your attention and professional acuity serve as life-giving sources to those of us who view this transition as not just important but urgent. We are grateful for your viewing STA not simply as another project but, as you said so well, an opportunity to find s/he who will best carry the Catholic mission forward.

Lawrence Alexander works beautifully with independent schools on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. His background as an independent school administrator, faculty member, and parent positions him uniquely to understand the most effective and lasting way to help schools bring about needed change. He believes it's important to start this work with the community you have rather than to wait for the community you would like to have. He draws on a wealth of resources as well as years of experience, and he brings his whole heart and mind to each community he helps. We have found him to be the perfect match for our DEI work at East Woods School.