Peter O’Neill Senior Consultant

Peter is a Senior Consultant. He serves as a member of our Coaching & Mentoring Practice and as a consultant to boards of trustees for strategic planning and governance.

Peter’s recent assignments have included search work for Avon Old Farms School (CT), Palm Beach Day Academy (FL), Woodlynde School (PA), Manlius Pebble Hill School (NY), San Joaquin Memorial High School (CA), St. Catherine's School (VA), and the Catholic Academy of Bridgeport (CT). He has provided coaching for Emma Willard School (NY), Winchester Thurston School (PA), The Ethel Walker School (CT), The Pingry School (NJ), and Northfield Mount Hermon School (MA).

Previous Experience

Peter brings years of experience to CS&A in leading and advising a wide range of independent schools and school leaders. For two decades, he served as Head of School of Garrison Forest School (MD). With a leadership style grounded in collaboration and communication, he also served as Head of School at Wooster School (CT) and as Interim Head of School at Rutgers Preparatory School (NJ), Whitby School (CT), New Canaan Country School (CT), and most recently at The Hotchkiss School (CT).

Recognized as one of the country's most outstanding school heads in 2006 by The Klingenstein Center at Columbia University, Peter has served as president of the Association of Independent Maryland Schools and served on the boards of the National Coalition of Girls Schools, National Association of Principals of Schools for Girls, and Connecticut Association of Independent Schools. He serves on the board of the Chatham Conservation Foundation and served as the vice chair of the Board of Trustees for The Ethel Walker School.

He is a frequent speaker for professional organizations, including NAIS, CASE-NAIS, and the Association of Independent Maryland Schools, and has chaired and served on numerous school accreditation committees. Peter was elected to membership in both the Headmasters Association and the Country Day School Headmasters Association and has served as an adjunct faculty member at the Johns Hopkins Graduate School of Professional Studies, where he created and taught a course on independent school governance.

Education & Interests

Peter received his B.A. from St. Michael’s College and his M.A. from Trinity College, both in American Studies. In addition, he holds a Certificate in Executive Coaching from Columbia University.

Peter has been a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and works to support affordable housing on Cape Cod. He is an avid fly-fisher and is only a few fish away from completing his fly-fishing life list. Peter is also a card-carrying member of Red Sox Nation.