Ms. Hodge was born and raised in Chicago and has been well versed in the independent school world from a very young age. She graduated from The Latin School of Chicago before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Iowa. After moving to New York City 22 years ago, Ms. Hodge attended New York University and received a Certificate of Fundraising.
Ms. Hodge has over 20 years of leadership and business development experience in both nonprofit and corporate sectors. She spent the last eight years establishing BASIS Independent Schools as premier educational institutions in NYC. Starting in 2014, Ms. Hodge worked alongside the executive team to open BASIS Independent Brooklyn. She served as the Director of Enrollment and Admissions there until fully transitioning to the Manhattan campus after its opening in 2017. With her breadth of experience and expertise, Ms. Hodge advanced into the role of Regional Director for the network’s East Coast schools, focused on maximizing efficiencies and overall performance.
In the most recent expansion of BASIS Independent Manhattan to include an Upper School campus, Ms. Hodge was an integral part of the executive team that played a key role in the construction process and opening of the new building.
As a member of the Spring Education Group Diversity Inclusion and Belonging Advisory Committee, Ms. Hodge is wholeheartedly committed to creating an inclusive culture and a diverse community. She maintains a priority of creating diverse pipelines of talent while also advancing partnerships with Parents League, ISAAGNY, and RIISE to pave a path of increased opportunities for the school and the local community. Ms. Hodge further explains, “As the Head of School, I feel compelled to reiterate, reinforce and rededicate myself to the principles of diversity, inclusion, and social justice that is at the core of who I am as an educator.”
Lastly, not only was Ms. Hodge a former employee at BASIS Independent Brooklyn, but also a parent, and she maintains close relationships across the campuses to synergistically strengthen staff collaboration, school operations, and student-life experiences.
Ms. Hodge says, “I am honored to serve in this leadership role, as the success of our school is of utmost importance to me.” On a daily basis, she works across all levels to build a strong academic community for our students. Her strong initiative and extensive knowledge of educational and professional school management, combined with her ability to excel in environments requiring independent decision-making and collaborative thinking allow Ms. Hodge to creatively and dynamically problem solve and generate long and short-term solutions for our school community. Ms. Hodge is passionate about fostering the social aspects of a school community while remaining focused on the dedicated faculty and staff who care deeply about the well-being and success of every student. She says, “Our fundamental purpose is to guide young men and women to engage with the world, embrace challenging work, and discover that this curriculum is a gift to them.”
Outside of school, Ms. Hodge finds solace in her summer weekends in Fire Island playing tennis. She brings her competitive spirit to the court in Central Park, too, where she plays with students and faculty in the annual Wildcat round robin.
