Holy Names selects new president

After a nationwide search for a president, Academy of the Holy Names Search Committee and its Board of Trustees has unanimously selected Dr. Martin Kilbridge to lead the community and continue a tradition of excellence that began 138 years ago.  

“Dr. Kilbridge is prepared to lead Holy Names as it begins its 2022-23 academic year and builds upon its record of preparing young women for academic success and a lifetime of achievement and community involvement,” said Christopher Edwards, Board of Trustees chairperson. “He is fully committed to a model reflecting the values of Holy Names and an educational environment for young women and cultivating the resources that will ensure a vibrant future.” 

Kilbridge is concluding four years as principal at Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women, a Rochester-based educational leader supporting a student body from grades six to 12. Prior to that position, he was principal at Siena Catholic Academy and has more than 30 years of combined experience, including 18 years as a faculty member at McQuaid Jesuit in Rochester. He accepted the position earlier this month, and his first day on campus will be July 5. 

“The search for a new president required us to focus on identifying exceptional candidates who were prepared to lead the Academy of the Holy Names and its faith traditions today and into the future,” said Sister Linda Riggers, SNJM, who served on the search committee and is an AHN trustee. “What set Dr. Kilbridge apart during the comprehensive search process was his experience in multiple single-gender educational settings, most recently at a Catholic college prep school for young women with more than 700 students. He showed an extraordinary ability to articulate and exemplify how the full potential of each student can be fostered and released.”

Kilbridge received his doctorate at the University of Rochester’s Warner School of Education; a master’s degree in Theological Studies from Harvard University’s Divinity School; and a bachelor’s in History and Religious Studies from the University of California, Berkeley.  

“The opportunity to positively affect today’s community and simultaneously plan for the future of Academy of the Holy Names, is an exciting and energizing assignment. I am committed to ensuring the traditions continue, our actions remain faithful to our mission and meet the high expectations of the network of students, families, alumnae and friends that has been steadfast in its support,” Kilbridge said. “Additionally, I am grateful to those on the search committee and the trustees who expressed confidence in my abilities. Finally, I recognize that those who preceded my tenure selflessly dedicated their lives to the success of students and this institution. I am honored to carry on their legacy of academic excellence in service to God and others.” 

“Academy of the Holy Names has been a central part of my life since I was a girl,” said Rhea Clark. “I have served on its board, and watched my daughters become alumnae. It is part of my soul. I fully endorse Dr. Kilbridge’s selection as president. He is prepared to meet the challenges of the moment and the future.”