Lisa Parsons Consultant

Since joining CS&A in 2017, Lisa has been deeply involved in a number of head of school and key administrator searches. Lisa brings a wealth of knowledge from a robust career in independent school admissions and more recently from her work with the search firm Spencer Stuart in Boston.

Lisa’s recent assignments have included head of school search work for Deerfield Academy (MA), Westminster School (CT), IMG Academy (FL), as well as number of deans of admission searches for boarding and day schools across the country.

Previous Experience

Lisa brings a deep knowledge of independent schools, having spent the past 30 years living on the campuses of several New England boarding schools, while also holding multiple roles within those communities. Lisa started her career in the Development Office at Harvard University before transitioning to admissions work in the independent school world, holding positions at Phillips Exeter Academy (NH), The Groton School (MA), and Loomis Chaffee School (CT).

In her previous roles, Lisa worked closely with students and families to navigate the next steps in their educational journeys, and her transition to search work with CS&A has allowed her to continue this work. As each school has their own unique culture, Lisa works hard to understand the nuances and the spirit of each school community, and to help the search committee discover the leader who is both appropriate for the school’s challenges and responsible to its culture. In the service of that process, Lisa works hard to understand each candidates’ strengths and develop a network of exceptional educators who are ready to step into leadership roles in a variety of settings.

In addition to her career in independent school admissions, Lisa took on a wide range of roles throughout her career, including stints as a college counselor, Director of the Annual Fund, Head Girls Varsity Lacrosse Coach, Student Council advisor, dorm resident, and adjunct writer for the College Counseling Office.

Education & Interests

Lisa graduated from Middlebury College with a B.A. in political science.

Lisa enjoys running, skiing, coaching lacrosse, and spending time with her family. She was inducted into the Connecticut Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2016 and continues to coach at the club and regional level.