The Saint Joseph Academy Board of Directors named Kathryn Purcell as the school’s next president, beginning with the 2020-2021 school year. Purcell will succeed Mary Ann Corrigan-Davis, SJA’s first president, who will retire in June.
Purcell joins SJA after 24 years at Laurel School, where she most recently served as associate head of school. She also served in other leadership, administrative, teaching and coaching roles at Laurel during her tenure at the all-girls school.
As a senior administrator at Laurel, Purcell has a crucial role in both the daily operations and the strategic vision of the school. She was a key part of the creation, communication and execution of the school’s five-year roadmap.
“In addition to the strong and innovative academic program, Saint Joseph Academy’s commitment to faith, service, character development and community is particularly compelling to me. We want young women to feel empowered, confident and comfortable with people like and unlike themselves. We want them to ask questions and to stand up for what they believe. The Saint Joseph Academy community is organized to help deliver this mission in a faith-filled setting, and I feel inspired to serve as its new leader,” Purcell said.
“With gratitude to Mary Ann Corrigan-Davis for her 14 years of strong leadership, we warmly welcome Kathryn Purcell and look forward to the many contributions she will bring to Saint Joseph Academy in her role as the next president,” said K. Kelly Hancock, who chairs the SJA Board of Directors
Purcell earned a master of arts in education from Ursuline College and a bachelor’s degree from John Carroll University. She and her family are parishioners at the Church of the Gesu in University Heights.
SJA, which has an enrollment of 700, was founded in 1890 by the Sisters of the Congregation of St. Joseph. Located at 3470 Rocky River Drive in Cleveland’s West Park neighborhood, it is the only all-girls Catholic high school in the city of Cleveland.
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