About AAAIS
The Atlanta Area Association of Independent Schools was founded in 1971 by a small group of school leaders and admission directors.
They wanted to end high-pressure admission procedures and put families first.
The first decision they made was to agree on a common notification date, whereby all families that applied to one or more of the member schools would receive all acceptance decisions on the same date, with a request to respond within roughly two weeks. This gave families time to weigh their options and make a decision without feeling rushed or pressured.
Common admission dates are still a cornerstone of AAAIS, but as the organization steadily grew to its current size of about 70 schools serving over 40,000 students, additional focus has been placed on collaboration and the sharing of ideas and strategies in many different areas, including groups comprised of guidance counselors, alumni directors, diversity coordinators, and learning specialists. This gives all our schools fresh, new ideas, which in turn makes all the schools stronger and better able to serve your child.
AAAIS operates under the leadership of an Executive Committee, all of whom are school heads. An Executive Director manages the day-to-day operation of the organization.
Our Mission
The Atlanta Area Association of Independent Schools (AAAIS) is the only professional organization of accredited independent schools dedicated to the Atlanta metro area that promotes the highest standards and best administrative practices for the benefit of its schools and the families and students they serve.
Executive Committee
Maria Croley Madden joined St. Martin’s Episcopal School in July 2023 as the Head of School. She is a proud product of Atlanta area independent schools, having attended St. Joseph’s in Marietta and as an alum of The Walker School, where she started her career in education more than twenty years ago.
Prior to joining St. Martin’s, Mrs. Madden served as middle school head at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School in Columbia, S.C. She also spent more than 13 years at The Lovett School in a variety of leadership roles, including as dean of student life, classroom teacher, and coach of both cross country and track.
An active leader within the independent school community, Mrs. Madden has served as a conference speaker for Independent School Management and The Heads Network. Through the Southern Association of Independent Schools, she has participated in the SAIS reaccreditation process as both a team member and chair, and she is excited to join the AAAIS executive committee. A native of Atlanta, she earned a B.A. from Furman University and both an M.A. and Ed.S. in educational leadership from Kennesaw State University. Mrs. Madden is also an avid runner and the mother of three boys, all of whom are current St. Martin’s students.
Maria Croley Madden
Kristy Lundstrom
Kristy Lundstrom leads the Mount Vernon School organization, which includes the Atlanta Campus, Mount Vernon School Online, and Mount Vernon Ventures, a research and design consultancy. With 30 years of experience across the United States and Europe, Kristy is an innovative educator celebrated for her applied leadership and emotional intelligence.
At Mount Vernon, Kristy drives a dynamic learning ecosystem that empowers students to explore, design, and lead real-world change. Her strategic vision integrates personalized, purpose-driven education with cutting-edge research and global collaboration, positioning Mount Vernon as a leader in 21st-century education.
Before joining Mount Vernon, Kristy held prominent leadership roles, including Executive Director of Viktor Rydberg Schools in Stockholm, Sweden, and Head of School for the Scandinavian School of Brussels. Guided by her personal motto, “Kids Go First,” Kristy is a steadfast advocate for students, a mentor to faculty, and a visionary shaping the future of education through bold innovation.
Mandy Crock serves as the principal at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School in Brookhaven, GA. OLA School was founded in 1951 with the Sisters of Mercy and we continue the tradition of service to others and a Catholic nurturing environment today. Mrs. Crock was appointed to principal in 2022, however she started her teaching career in 1996 at OLA.
Mrs. Crock has 22 years of experience as an educator and is committed to Catholic education with all her education experience at Catholic schools. She is a certified Orton-Gillingham instructor and has a passion for students learning to read. She has been a classroom teacher, grade level chair, tennis coach, student success team leader and leader of UDL instruction, director of plays and school camps, and was the Archbishops Honoree recipient in 2015. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Furman University in elementary education, a Masters of Arts degree from Oglethorpe University in early childhood education, and a Masters in Instructional Leadership with an emphasis in Catholic schools from Creighton University.
Mandy and her husband, Chris, have two boys who are graduates of Catholic school and are now in college. They enjoy spending time with family, going to Atlanta sporting events as Mandy is an Atlanta native, and going to Lake Burton.
Mandy Crock
Kevin Glass
Kevin Glass has been Headmaster of Atlanta International School since July 2009. He has a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from Framingham State College, Massachusetts; a Post Graduate Certificate of Education in Biology and Chemistry from Cambridge University, UK; and a Bachelor of Science (Hons.) Degree in Bacteriology and Virology from Manchester University, UK.
Mr. Glass' career in education spans over 25 years and includes educational leadership and teaching positions in South and West Africa, Central and North America, and Central Asia. Prior to joining Atlanta International School, Glass served as Director of Tashkent International School in Uzbekistan for five years.
He is a board member of the Academy for International School Heads and the Center for the Advancement and Study of International Education. Glass is a member of the International Baccalaureate Grant Committee, along with serving as an advisory board member for The International Educator and The Principals’ Training Center. Glass is also currently the Board President for the Association for the Advancement of International Education. Glass is also a Board Member for the Buckhead Coalition, a member of Buckhead Rotary, and a Leadership Atlanta Graduate of the Class of 2011.
He and his wife, Stefani have three children: Liam, Lilly and Leanne, who all attend Atlanta International School.
Adam Greenwood is the Head of School at Annunciation Day School. He was previously Head of a London prep school and has experience working across both the public and private school sectors. With almost 20 years of leadership experience, his career began in the British Army. He commissioned from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst into the Royal Signals as a technology specialist and later deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan. He retired as a Captain and promptly joined the teaching profession, completing the UK equivalent of Teach for America.
After a period in the classroom as a Geography teacher, his first administrative role was as Head of Lower School. He completed his bachelor’s degree at Loughborough University (UK) and holds an M.B.A. in Educational Leadership (International) from University College London.
Adam and his wife, Kacey (also an educator), have three children who all attend Annunciation Day School.
Adam Greenwood
Chris Pomar
Chris Pomar is Head of School at the Swift School in Roswell, GA. Swift School serves students with dyslexia and other language-based learning differences in grades 1-8. He joined Swift as its third Head of School in 2000.
Chris’ career includes work at Emory University, Birmingham-Southern College, Agnes Scott College, Coxe Curry & Associates, Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, and he was the founding director of the Dyslexia Resource outreach program of The Schenck School. He oversaw the PruittCares Foundation and the communications and corporate chaplaincy departments at PruittHealth from 2018 to 2020. He attended Oxford College of Emory University and earned a B.A. in English from Emory and an M.P.A. with a concentration in Nonprofit Management from Georgia State University’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies.
Chris is on the board and executive committee of The Giving Kitchen and has served on the Oxford College Alumni Board, was president of the AAAIS admissions cohort in the early 2000s, and served on the boards of Horizons Atlanta’s HIES location and the International Community School.
Chris and his wife, Pam, have three adult children and one grandchild. An active student of leadership and life, Chris enjoys reading, music, the outdoors and coming up with creative menus for dinner.
Amy Shafron currently serves as the Head of School at The Alfred & Adele Davis Academy in Atlanta GA, the largest Reform Jewish Day School in the United States. During her tenure as Head of School, Amy has led the school through generations of students and families, several cycles of long-range strategic planning and SACS/SAIS reaccreditation and multiple fundraising campaigns and construction projects to expand the school’s campus.
Prior to her appointment in 2010, Amy served as The Davis Academy’s Associate Head of School for two years, after serving as its Advancement Director for the previous four years.
Amy is originally from Canada and is an attorney, having graduated from The University of Western Ontario’s School of Law. After practicing corporate and taxation law at one of Toronto’s leading firms, Fraser & Beatty, Amy moved to the U.S. and transitioned to non-profit leadership as a communal professional, adjoining her skills and expertise with her personal passions. She served in a variety of roles in social service agencies and in education prior to relocating to Atlanta and joining The Davis Academy’s administration.
Amy and her husband Michael have two adult children, Max & Rebecca.
Amy Shafron
Kevin Bracher
Kevin Bracher serves as the head of school at Whitefield Academy in Smyrna, GA. Whitefield is a Christ-centered, college-preparatory school that was founded in 1997. Dr. Bracher arrived at Whitefield in 2007 as principal of the Middle School and continued to assume roles of increasing responsibility. Prior to being appointed as head of school in 2013, he was serving as the academic dean, focusing on curriculum, faculty development, testing, technology, and accreditation.
With over 30 years of experience as an educator, Dr. Bracher’s career began as a high school math teacher (ranging from algebra through AP calculus) and coach of three sports, followed by leadership posts in all three K-12 levels - high school, middle school, and elementary school. Dr. Bracher earned his bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University in mathematics and secondary education, and he holds three graduate degrees from Georgia State University, including a Ph.D. in educational leadership.
Kevin and his wife, Becky, have four children who are all graduates of Whitefield Academy. Spending time with his family, engaging in activities through his church, and enjoying the outdoors hiking and biking are among his favorite activities.
Paul A. Barton began work as the 10th head of school at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School in 2014. Prior to his move to Atlanta, Mr. Barton led the Avery Coonley School near Chicago for seven years.
During his career, Mr. Barton’s roles in pre-K through 12th grade have included being a teacher, coach, residential dean, admissions associate and senior administrator. He has participated in two of the most respected professional development programs for educational leadership, the Klingenstein Visiting Heads Fellowship at Teachers College, Columbia University, and the Kellogg Executive Scholars Program at Northwestern University.
Mr. Barton holds a master’s degree in education, administration and supervision from DePaul University, a Master of Arts in liberal education from St. John’s College and a Bachelor of Arts in history from Loras College.
Mr. Barton and his wife, Leanne, have three children: Sam, Abby and Charlie.
Paul Barton
Tom Taylor
Tom Taylor is Head of School at The Paideia School in the Druid Hills neighborhood of Atlanta. Prior to his current appointment, he served as the Head of Upper School at Riverdale Country School, a p-12 independent school in the Bronx, NY. Before that, he was the Upper School Director at Breck School and, in an earlier stint, worked at Riverdale as a physics teacher, Director of Financial Aid, dean, college counselor, and coach. He also served on the faculty of the NAIS School Leadership Institute for 6 years. An alum of St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Potomac, MD, Tom has been actively involved as a board member of that school as well. He is currently in his second term on the board and in his fourth year as Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees. Tom is also the chair of the advisory board of the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning.
Tom holds a bachelor’s degree in physics and theater from Oberlin College, an MA in private school leadership from Teachers College at Columbia University, and his PhD in education policy and leadership from the University of Minnesota.
Tom and his wife, Sara, have two children, Linus and Elsie, both of whom attend Paideia.