Philicia Levinson P’19 Announced as Morristown Beard School Interim Head of School

The Morristown Beard School Board of Trustees is pleased to share that Philicia Levinson P’19 will serve as Interim Head of School for the 2025–2026 academic year, effective immediately.

Philicia’s connections to the MBS community run deep, as an alumni parent, beloved faculty member, CFO/COO, and most recently, Director of Human Resources. That Philicia agreed to put her retirement plans on hold to step into the Interim Head role is a testament to her love for and loyalty to MBS. Philicia brings considerable operational and financial acumen, holding the CFO position for two publicly traded companies before arriving at MBS. As CFO/COO, Philicia played an integral part in helping MBS successfully navigate the pandemic, working tirelessly to keep the School open and our community safe.

A graduate of the University of Virginia with a BA in Economics, Philicia also holds an MBA from Harvard University. Prior to joining MBS in 2018, she taught mathematics at Kean University, where she specialized in pre-calculus for Business and designed a new Business Calculus course.

The Board also announced that Ryan Liese P’31 has been named Associate Head of School, a role he will assume in addition to Head of Upper School. When Ryan arrived at MBS five years ago, he immediately understood the School’s culture and embraced it. Visible and approachable, Ryan is consistently lauded by MBS families for his focus on students and his accessibility to parents. Moreover, Ryan has proven to be an exceptional collaborator. His leadership and collaborative spirit are expected to be a strong complement to Philicia’s vision and experience, helping the Senior Leadership Team guide the School forward during this important transition year.