44 CROSSROADS SCHOOL FOR ARTS & SCIENCES
FEATURE STORY
GET TO KNOW MARIAMA RICHARDS
In July, Mariama Richards stepped into the role of interim head of school. The Board asked her to lead Crossroads back in February, after the person originally hired withdrew for personal reasons. As Board Chair Juan Carrillo explained, “When Bob first announced his upcoming retirement, many in our community had hoped that Mariama would throw her hat in the ring. However, at that time, overseeing the COVID-19 response for a school of Crossroads’ size and complexity remained a tremendous undertaking, and
Mariama made the decision not to apply, prioritizing the well-being of the School.”
knowing that I had earned the trust of our community over the last two years.”
Fortunately, the situation is no longer so dire, freeing Mariama to accept the Board’s request. “My number one response is always to say yes,” explained Mariama, who will serve as interim head for the next two years. “If my school needs me, I’m going to do it. And because I felt so embraced as associate head of school, I really felt like this was an opportunity for me to give back to Crossroads,
Mariama holds a B.A. in history from Spelman College and a master’s in Africana Studies from Cornell. She has served as an administrator at notable independent schools including Friends’ Central School outside Philadelphia, Ethical Culture Fieldston School in New York and Georgetown Day School in her hometown of D.C. We asked Crossroads students what else they wanted to know about their new head: