Board of Trustees

American University - BA

Board Chair, Elected 2021
Joined the Board: 2015
Profession: Retired Fixed Income Trader/Analyst
Vision: To facilitate excellence and integrity for Tabor Academy.
Bio: As the Chair of the Board of Trustees, I aim to continue the process of making Tabor a stronger and more cohesive community. In my past role as co-chair of the Parents' Association, I tried to broaden and deepen the connection between Tabor parents and the school. I believed that greater engagement would foster both greater knowledge and greater support. On the Board, I hope to expand the "engaged community" with Tabor to include former parents, alumni, and beyond. I believe very deeply in the vision for our School by the Sea, and I believe that it will gain very strong support if we can inform and engage the broader Tabor community well.

Tabor is a special place to me, one that I love dearly. I’m honored to lead our board and take on this role of responsibility, stewarding us through today’s challenges and finding success as we look toward a very bright future. I want to lead by example, from the top down, and create a respectful, inclusive, and collaborative environment for Tabor’s entire community. We have amazing people here — our students, faculty and staff, alumni, parents, trustees, and friends — and I am deeply committed to working to ensure that we all can come together to become the best Tabor possible.

Additional Roles:
Trustee, Roger Williams University, Bristol, RI
Commodore, Stage Harbor Yacht Club
Former Co-Chair, Parents' Association, Tabor Academy 

University of San Francisco - JD
University of California - BA

Vice Chair, Elected 2021
Joined the Board: 2018
Profession: Biotechnology
Bio: As a student at Tabor, it was a privilege to be part of all the amazing opportunities for education and personal growth. Over the last several years, it has been incredible to see the development and improvements from my perspective out here in California. Now I am excited to be able to contribute as a Trustee, and hopefully give the current generation some of the same experiences I enjoyed.

Colgate University - BA
Cornell University - MBA

Treasurer, Elected 2021
Chair: Buildings & Grounds Committee
Joined the Board: 2018
Profession: Accounting/Financial Management
Bio: For 50 years, Tabor has held a fond place in my heart. The School by the Sea took a chance on a struggling student and prepared me for a path that I would never have been able to otherwise pursue. Now Tabor is challenging me again to reengage and serve the school that has given me so much. It is an honor to be involved again with our “School on the Move.”  I look forward to working with the Tabor community to advance our dreams for the future.

Boston University - BA

Secretary, Elected 2015
Joined the Board: 2013
Profession: Real Estate
Bio: Since moving to Nevada, I have clearly seen how important education is in our lives. I was fortunate to have been involved with independent schools for most of my life as a student, parent, and trustee. I know and believe in the impact a place like Tabor can have on a child, a family, and a community. I know and appreciate the changes and improvements Tabor has made since I graduated. I have enjoyed sharing my business knowledge and exposure to independent schools to help bring Tabor to the next level.

Bowdoin College - BA

Joined the Board: 2021
Profession: Retired-Domestic and International Catalog Print Sales
Bio: As one member of generations of family members that have had the opportunity to learn, teach, and grow in the classroom, in the dorm, and on the playing fields at the School by the Sea, I am honored to be a member of Tabor's board. My goal is to help ensure that all who come to Tabor have an equal or even better chance to grow and excel both inside and outside of the classroom, and to uncover a passion through the numerous activities offered. My ultimate hope for Tabor today, and in the future, is that all who are members of the Tabor community leave the school with an enduring connection and use that to work earnestly to make their community, one another, and our world a place where all can thrive.

Tulane University - BA

Joined the Board: 2011
Profession: Industrial Manufacturing 
Bio: I am very happy and proud to be able to give back to Tabor. I spent many of my formative years here and believe that I owe the institution a lot. I have a lot of great friends and memories from my time at Tabor and would not be the person I am today without the influence it had on my life.

University of Pennsylvania - Ed.D.
New York University - M.A.
Union College - B.A.
Tabor Academy

Joined the Board: 2023
Profession: Executive Coaching & Consulting
Bio: Dave DeFilippo is the principal coach and consultant of DeFilippo Leadership, Inc. which provides executive coaching, leadership development and talent management solutions to organizations. His 25-year corporate career in executive talent management and development roles combined with his doctoral research reflect his passion for developing processes and plans that help individuals and organizations reach their full potential. He is currently a columnist for both Reworked and Chief Learning Officer magazine and serves on the magazine’s Editorial Advisory Board. David received his Bachelor’s degree from Union College, his Master’s from New York University and his Doctorate with distinction from the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a graduate of Georgetown University’s Leadership Coaching Program, is an International Coach Federation Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and has served as an executive coach in Harvard Business School’s Executive Education programs. Dave has been an active volunteer for the school and has served as President of the Tabor Alumni Council. His believes his experience at Tabor “opened up a world of possibilities” that would not have been available to him otherwise and sees the opportunity to serve the school as “a privilege.”

University of Washington - PhD
San Jose State University - B.A.

Joined the Board: 2023
Profession: Research Scientist
Bio: Jen Francis is currently a senior research scientist for the Woodwell Climate Research Center where she has done extensive research on Arctic warming and atmospheric vapor and energy. With a PhD from the University of Washington in Atmospheric Sciences, a B.S. from San Jose State University in Meteorology, she has crossed 4 oceans, visited over 30 countries, and taught courses in satellite remote sensing and climate-change issues. Jen publishes widely and is on the Board of Advisers at Scientific American. She is also a research professor in the Rutgers Department of Marine and coastal sciences. Jen’s work has sparked scientific debate, and she is frequently quoted in major media outlets. She has authored articles in Scientific American, testified to the U.S. House of Representatives Science Committee in 2019, and to the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works in 2013. Reflecting on her work, Jen comments: “The reaction to my ideas about how arctic warming influences weather pushed me outside my comfort zone. I had to learn how to communicate my science to non-scientific audiences, and it has become a passion.”

Northwestern University
Univ. of Rochester

Joined the Board: 2021
Profession: Education Consulting & Training
Bio: Since my first visit, Tabor has been a place that provided security and tranquility. Its location was ideal for educational and personal development and adventures, and afforded easy access to greater resources and opportunities. I called Tabor my second home and stayed in touch with my mentors and peers after graduation. It is a great honor to serve on the board of this incredible school, and I am confident of and eager to take part in its promising future. 

Amherst College - BA
Harvard University - MA

Joined the Board: 2013
Profession: Construction Management
Bio: Years ago I was afforded an opportunity to attend Tabor and become a Seawolf. This once in a lifetime decision has been one of the most transformative and important to date. Not only was I able to receive a great education, but my experiences at Tabor also led me to other decisions and events in my life. Serving on the Board of Trustees allows me to give back to the school that I love so dearly, and to help advance the mission and continue its legacy as one of the best schools in New England. I enjoy being an integral part of the decision-making process which allows me to influence the lives of current and future generations.

Trinity College (CT) - BA
University of Houston - M.Ed.

Joined the Board: 2019
Profession: Education/Youth Advocacy
Bio: My experience with youth and advocacy around social justice issues will help advance our work and focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion at Tabor. I also look forward to helping Tabor elevate the voices of our students in how the school moves forward. I believe and hope that my role as a trustee will serve as a reflection on Tabor’s ability to develop their students to become servant leaders in their community and society.

Tuck School of Business - MBA
Dartmouth College
Georgetown University - BSBA

Joined the Board: 2022
Chair: Advancement Committee

Bio: Tabor challenged me personally, academically and as a member of the rowing team, and I loved my four years in Marion. My teachers, coaches and mentors had a lasting impact on my life, and the friendships that I made have not only lasted, but strengthened over time. Tabor is one of the most unique schools in the world - it is a very special place - and I am humbled and honored to be a member of the board.

Univ. of Michigan - MA
Emory University - BA

Joined the Board: 2022
Chair: Diversity, Equity & Belonging Committee

Columbia University - MIA
Columbia University - BA

Chair: Nominations & Governance Committee
Joined the Board: 2021
Profession: United Nations, counter-terrorism finance, financial crime compliance
Bio: Jacqueline Shire is currently serving as the finance expert on the ISIS-Al-Qaeda-Taliban Monitoring Team at the United Nations Security Council (also known as the 1267 Monitoring Team). Until August 2018, she was the director and global head of U.S. Sanctions for Bank of Nova Scotia. Prior to joining Scotiabank, Shire served as a director of the Global Sanctions Advisory Group at Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi. From 2010 through December 2014, she was the U.S. member of the United Nations Panel of Experts on Iran and sanctions, advising the UN Security Council on effective implementation of Iran-related sanctions by UN Member States and investigating reported cases of noncompliance by Iran.

Shire began her career as a foreign affairs officer at the Department of State where her work included nuclear non-proliferation, export controls, and arms trade licensing. Shire has also worked for a Washington, DC-based think tank, where she investigated and wrote extensively on illicit trade networks. She served for four years as a consultant to ABC News Investigative Unit, developing and contributing to reporting on foreign policy and national security issues. Shire graduated from Tabor in 1984, holds a bachelor's from Columbia University, and a master’s degree from Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs.

Boston University - MBA
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy - BS
Tabor Academy

Chair: Investment & Pension and Audit & Finance Committees
Joined the Board: 2021
Profession: Investment 
Bio: Eric Strand '84 was elected to the Board of Trustees in Fall 2021. He graduated with a B.S. from the US Merchant Marine Academy and earned his MBA from Boston University. He is currently the Principal, President, and CEO of American Research & Management Co., a New England investing firm, located on Front Street here in Marion. Eric is involved in many local Boards, and he and his family — his wife Paula and daughters Alex ’21 and Ava ’24 — organize the annual Marion Holiday Stroll. 

Princeton University - B.A.
University of Hong Kong - M.A.

Joined the Board: 2019
Profession: International Education/Consulting
Bio: I'm forever grateful for the transformational years I spent on campus, and now, I'm ready to give back as a Trustee. Tabor has progressed tremendously since my days, and I'm thrilled to be a part of advancing Tabor's mission and vision forward, so our School by the Sea remains not only a stellar school in New England but also a pioneering educational institution in the increasingly global world.