Mary Winifred (Marifred) Cilella
Consultant, executive coach
During more than 35 years in education, most of it in independent schools, Marifred has served as a teacher, Program Director, Principal, Associate Head, and Head of School. She began her career in suburban Chicago teaching 7th grade language arts and social studies in a public school. While she enjoyed this public school experience, she couldn’t even imagine the excitement that lay ahead of her in an independent school community.
In 1987, when her family moved to Columbia, South Carolina, so that Marifred’s husband could become CEO of The Columbia Museum of Art, she joined the Heathwood Hall Episcopal School community, first as a parent, and then as an administrator. There she served in many capacities, including Lower School Principal, and ultimately, Associate Head for Finance and Operations. Following Heathwood, a family move to Indianapolis in 2001 led Marifred to Park Tudor School, where she became the Founding Director of The Russel & Mary Williams Learning Project. In 2005, Marifred was asked to lead The Howard School in Atlanta as its fifth Head, a position she happily held for 17 years. With her experience leading a learning center, she was ready to take the helm of a small 55-year-old school founded to help struggling learners.
When Marifred was hired as Head of The Howard School, she was charged with building a new school, moving the school to its new campus, growing the enrollment, and reconnecting with the Atlanta community. During her tenure, she and her team built four buildings on the school’s new 17 ½ acre campus on Atlanta’s growing Westside, and added over 220 students. In 2019, Marifred completed a successful $14.3 million capital campaign, making it possible to build a new high school building, a student center, and an additional campus road. Today, The Howard School serves over 350 students who have average to above average ability but struggle with language-based learning disabilities and learning differences. A college prep high school program prepares its students for college or the next steps on their journey to becoming successful adults.
Since coming to Atlanta, Marifred has served on the Atlanta Area Association of Independent Schools Executive Committee, and a number of boards including the International Dyslexia Association Georgia Branch, the Georgia Independent School Association, and the Southern Association of Independent Schools. She has also chaired and been a member of many SAIS accreditation teams.
Marifred received a BA degree in English, with a minor in Social Science, from Rosary College (now Dominican University) in River Forest, Illinois. She also earned a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from the University of Notre Dame. During her time at Heathwood, Marifred participated in The Principals’ Center program at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, and a doctoral program in education leadership at the University of South Carolina.
Marifred’s husband, Sal, a lifelong museum professional, retired as CEO of The Atlanta History Center, and is now a full-time writer, expecting publication of his fifth book (Civil War history) in early 2023. He and Marifred have two sons, both graduates of Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, and five grandchildren.
