Head of School

Max earned his Bachelor of Arts in English, cum laude, from Fordham University in the Bronx, NY, where he was also a member of the Honors Program. He went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts in Writing from the California College of the Arts in San Francisco, CA. Max completed the Achieving Excellence: Leadership Development for Principals program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Cambridge, MA, and is currently pursuing a Master of Education in Independent School Leadership at Vanderbilt University, with a completion date of July 2026.

Max brings more than two decades of experience in independent schools—serving as Upper School Principal at St. Paul Academy and Summit School in Minnesota; a dean, teacher, and administrator at The Blake School and The College Preparatory School; and as Executive Director of Breakthrough Minneapolis, where he advanced educational access and teacher development for public school students.

Max most recently served as the Upper School Principal at Colorado Academy in Denver, Colorado, where his work centered on building systems and aligning the curriculum to strengthen both adult learning and student agency. He was responsible for the daily support, supervision, evaluation, and management of more than sixty faculty members and an eight-member administrative team, including four grade deans and two counselors. He revamped teacher evaluation and professional development systems, including new onboarding processes for new teachers; updated performance review protocols; introduced the "Advanced Studies and Research Program," which emphasizes original research and interdisciplinary inquiry (across departments) departments, replacing traditional AP courses. Max also designed and delivered pre- and post-election curricula for both midterm and presidential elections, offering students structured framing, factual insights, and affinity spaces to process political and societal developments. He introduced new DEIB programming, fostering a more inclusive student body; oversaw the creation of an Academic Affairs Committee to ensure ongoing evaluation and refinement of curriculum. 

Prior to this, Max was the Upper School Principal at St. Paul Academy and Summit School in St. Paul, MN, where he expanded the administrative structure of the high school; led curriculum oversight and evaluation; and managed the opening of the new science and math wings, ensuring the design was student-focused for use and learning. As Dean of Students, he supervised student life programming, discipline, Grade 9 orientation workshops, and all four grade level retreats.. 

During his tenure at The Blake School in Minneapolis, MN, Max became the Executive Director of Breakthrough Minneapolis, where he managed the staff, financial oversight, curriculum and professional development as well as strategic planning and fundraising initiatives. In this capacity, he visited San Francisco to connect with colleagues doing similar work at UHS. Max also served as Class Dean at The Blake School. Prior to that, he was Associate Dean of Students at College Preparatory School in Oakland, CA, where he organized and ran the grade level retreats and Intraterm.

Max has teaching experience in a wide range of English courses, including Literature of the Apocalypse, Philosophy and Literature, Creative Writing, World Literature, Social Justice Literature Circles, and Senior Seminar. Max is also a heritage Spanish speaker. 

Max spent the early part of his childhood in Mexico before his family moved to the United States—an experience that gave him a lasting appreciation for the fluid and multifaceted idea of home. He’s an avid reader, passionate cook, and enthusiastic backcountry camper who relishes every opportunity to visit family in Mexico. Above all, Max is a devoted father to his daughter, Ana, who keeps him on his toes, and he’s currently fielding persistent requests for a second dog.