Megan Walton
Assistant Head of School for Internal Affairs - Dean of Students & Residential Life
Tel: (805) 646 4343 Ext 133 (Nicole Nicoletti, Asst.)
Administration, Freshman Seminar
Year Appointed: 2008
B.A. John Carroll University
Megan spent the majority of her pre-Ojai life in the Cleveland, Ohio area. The seventh of eight children, she learned early the importance of sharing, respect and having a voice. Megan’s professional experiences are both diverse and comprehensive. Her interest in politics and the legislative process led her to a Congressional Internship on Capitol Hill, followed by appointments to County Offices of Economic Development and Regional Planning. Growing increasingly disillusioned with governmental bureaucracy, Megan accepted a position as Vice President of Operations for a regional retail chain. After her decision to take a sabbatical from the corporate world to spend more time with her young children, Megan re-entered the work force in a new realm, education. Prior to her arrival at Besant Hill, Megan’s independent school experiences at Gilmour Academy, Gates Mills, OH, and Andrews Osborne Academy, Willoughby, OH, included roles as Dean of Students for Middle and Upper School, Director of College Counseling, Director of Athletics, Academic Department Chair, Advancement Associate, Director of Diversity Initiatives, teacher and coach.
Megan’s responsibilities have encompassed almost all areas of independent school administration, including: discipline, counseling, academic intervention, curriculum and professional development, strategic planning, communications, faculty mentoring, supervision of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities and the development of student leadership and community service programs. Megan has had direct responsibility for the residential life programs of three distinctly different independent schools. Having had the privilege to work and live in these day and boarding communities, she feels entirely at ease working with students, parents and families, both domestic and international. This myriad of experience has fueled her commitment to the educational, emotional and social development of adolescents and to the promotion of the independent school mission. At Besant Hill, Megan serves as Dean of Students and Residential Life, under the umbrella of her responsibilities as BHS Assistant Head of School for Internal Affairs.
Megan is a past recipient of the Remember the Children Foundation's Close-Caputo Educator of Humanity Award, in recognition of “educators who have shown an intense commitment to educating and developing students of character who model the principles of kindness, caring and mutual respect”. She was honored to receive the WNBA/Cleveland Plain Dealer “Woman on a Mission” award, in recognition of her actions as “a positive role model and pioneer of opportunity for women”. In addition, Megan has served as a consultant to the Cleveland (OH) Metropolitan School District’s Single Gender Schools initiative and was a founding member of the National Federation of Women in Coaching.
Megan was “called” from 2500 miles away to Besant Hill by the progressive vision of the school. She is passionate about her commitment to BHS and has the utmost appreciation for the culture of respect fostered in this unique community. She and her partner, BHS Facilities Coordinator Kim Reichenbach, reside at Lower Campus with Maxxine, the wonder dog. They are the proud parents of three incredible, diversely talented children - Brendan, Patrick and Meg.