Bilda Acuña Small

BILDA SMALL HAS NEVER MET A CHALLENGE SHE DIDN’T MEET HEAD ON. At GPS for nearly a decade, she used her strategic acumen to improve operations across numerous roles and departments— which isn’t necessarily the most common trajectory at a school. “The mission of a girls' school charmed me. I joined GPS because I believed a girl who is supported and encouraged the way she needs can change the world. GPS had a unique story to tell and my roles in marketing, development, and admission gave me the opportunity to inspire others through the stories of our school and our girls.”

Small joined GPS in 2014 as the Director of Strategic Communications and Marketing, where she led brand strategy for GPS and oversaw the development of traditional and digital marketing materials, advertising campaigns, social media, and the GPS website while helping to create and implement our previous strategic plan. While that may sound like plenty for some, she was ready for more. In 2019, Small stepped in to serve as the Chief Enrollment and Communications Officer after the retirement of a longtime Director of Admissions. During her tenure in this role, she streamlined the operational model of our admission process, cultivated a team that improved customer service and relations, and led the development of a lead generation strategy.

In 2021, it was time to level up again and, as a result of her extensive experience around strategic planning, she transitioned to serve as the Consultant to the Head of School on Strategic Initiatives. In this role, Small was instrumental in working closely with Megan Cover and our consultants on our current strategic planning process, myriad all-school initiatives, and campus master planning, which meant taking lead on a massive renovation project (see page 10) to ensure our grounds actively address the needs of our community in today’s learner-centered environment. The renovation now complete, Small is proud of her role in the process. She says, “Our Founders were visionary in selecting this location by the river. Investing in our campus is important to show the community that girls deserve the best spaces to learn and to thrive. The renovations reflect the energy and innovation that happens at GPS.”

But while Small’s résumé is something to behold, she is most proud of the family she has created with her husband and their three sons. “I am blessed to help my three boys learn to navigate life. And all I’ve learned at GPS about how boys and girls develop mentally, emotionally, and physically has made me a better parent,” she says.

As Small moves on to new adventures, we are eternally grateful for all she has done and brought to GPS and for the ways she has challenged us to think differently about our school and our community.

“ Bilda routinely volunteered herself to take on new responsibilities, challenging GPS and her colleagues to grow and be their best, just as she stretched herself. Regardless of the endeavor, she demonstrated passion, brilliance of mind and a special ability to simultaneously ‘see the forest and the trees.’ When I had a challenging problem to solve, she was always my go-to for strategic guidance and creative thinking. I miss a lot about Bilda—perhaps the every-day, at-all-times sense of humor and uproarious laughter are what I miss most.”

—MARK VOSSKAMP, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

it’s Elizabeth Resnick. Since 2008, she has modeled for GPS students that interacting with and learning about technology is exciting and that STEM subjects allow girls to take risks and have fun. Whether she and her colleagues were helping the girls design and launch foam airplanes across Smith Courtyard or teaching them to drive remote-controlled cars through an obstacle course via front-mounted cameras, Resnick endeavored to make learning an adventure while her calm demeanor and endless well of patience made teaching look easy.

Her career at GPS took the route that many do—a winding path lined with opportunities to explore and then diverge when warranted. In her first role as a Middle School technology teacher, she taught students how to use Microsoft Office apps. Later she would teach her colleagues all that Google Suite had to offer through hundreds of “Spread the Nerd” columns and technology tutorials.

“My career at GPS has been wonderful and one I could have never imagined,” Resnick says. “At GPS, I was able to transition from a technology teacher to Technology Coordinator and member of the IT department. Later I became the Technology Innovationist and co-teacher of the STEM class with Will Glass.”

Resnick’s unique career path allowed her to teach students and teachers alike, and she wishes the opportunity to take classes had presented itself. “My colleagues are a constant source of inspiration,” she says.

“I honestly wish I could be a student in so many of their classes.”

But her true source of joy has been her students. “My most memorable moments always involve the girls, especially when the STEM students are immersed in and excited about a collaborative project,” Resnick says. “Recently they worked in teams of three in a virtual reality sculpting program. They had so much fun designing and sculpting a park while working in the same virtual space and talking to each other through the VR headsets.”

While we might surmise that her devotion to GPS filled her entire lifetime, Resnick also raised three kind, accomplished children and traveled extensively with her professor husband and family, including two years in Oxford, England. Moving forward, she hopes to hit the road again to visit family in San Francisco, Boston, and New Orleans soon. We wish her nothing but blue skies and smooth roads on her future journeys.

“ Elizabeth’s organizational skills and ability to effectively interact with students play a major role in the success of our STEM classes. She perfectly exemplifies the term “lifelong learner,” and her innate desire to learn has also been beneficial in the development of our classes. From designing large foam airplanes to soldering, Elizabeth is always willing to learn new skills and pass that knowledge on to our students. I will sorely miss my STEM partner, her quick wit, contagious smile, and that little bit of mischievousness, but I am thrilled that she will have more time to spend with family, read, learn new things, and have new experiences. Here’s to Elizabeth Resnick and all she has done for GPS!”

—WILL GLASS, DIRECTOR OF LIBRARY, MEDIA, AND MAKERSPACE