A strategic thinker and supportive coach, Gardner partners with schools to strengthen:
- Leadership development
- School culture and organizational health
- Strategic planning and performance
- Executive coaching
- Clarity mapping
In his role at ISM, Gardner does the following.
- Leads a dynamic team of consultants and executive coaches serving schools, associations, and education-focused organizations.
- Oversees the development and delivery of ISM’s consulting services, ensuring each partnership is rooted in mission, strategy, and sustainable impact.
- Provides expert consulting and research-driven surveys, anchored in frameworks such as the ISM Circle, which helps schools align their structure and function to deliver and support their missions effectively.
Learn more about Gardner—
Gardner joined Independent School Management (ISM) in 2025. With over 25 years of experience in independent schools, Gardner brings deep, hands-on leadership expertise to his work with school heads and leadership teams.
His career spans roles as Head of School at Forsyth Country Day School, Assistant Head at both Summit School and Westchester Country Day School, and over a decade as a Division Director. Gardner has taught middle and upper school students, coached athletics, and built school culture from the classroom to the boardroom.
Gardner holds an MBA from Wake Forest University, an M.Ed. in Middle Grades Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and a B.S. from Virginia Tech. His passion lies in empowering school leaders to build healthy, mission-driven institutions where students, faculty, and communities thrive.
Gardner considers it a true privilege to serve the independent school community through ISM’s mission. He is grateful to collaborate with independent schools everywhere as they shape the future of education for the next generation.
