Sze, O’Byrne Elected as New Trustee Leaders

Morgan Sze ’83 and Deidre O’Byrne ’84 will serve as President and Vice President of the Board of Trustees, succeeding current President Tony Downer ’75 and Vice President Wole Coaxum ’88 on June 30, 2020. Downer announced the decision in an email to all Academy students and faculty this Tuesday.

Downer emphasized the important role Trustee leaders play in overseeing Academy operations and defining its broader institutional direction. “[Sze and O’Byrne] will play a critical role as the school journeys into a promising future which pairs our foundational values with creative initiatives to assure the relevance, leadership and unmatched quality of an Exeter education,” he said.

Principal William Rawson reflected on the great dedication and expertise Sze and O’Byrne will bring to their respective positions. “They bring considerable wisdom and experience to their duties as trustees, as well as a deep commitment to the mission of the school … I am confident they will provide excellent leadership," he said.

While Downer and Coaxum’s terms were limited to three years at the time of their appointment in 2017, the lengths of O’Byrne and Sze’s tenures have not yet been determined. Rawson noted that while most Trustees serve in official board positions for two or three years, bylaws allow for President and Vice President tenures to be extended by a maximum of another three years. O’Byrne is currently scheduled to depart from the Board of Trustees in June 2024, Sze in June 2022.

In Sze’s seven years on the board and O’Byrne’s five, the two have already undertaken many initiatives to engage with the PEA community and participate in strategic planning. “I’ve been fortunate to have learned from our leadership among the Trustees and on campus … in a variety of roles,” Sze said. “I believe the mutual respect, shared values and diversity of experience will be helpful as I take on my new role.”

As President, Sze will have three primary responsibilities. In addition to supporting the Principal and ensuring the efficacy of Trustee projects, Sze will strive to ensure the Academy’s operational wellbeing while upholding its fundamental principles. “I believe we have the opportunity to take the Academy forward to define a mission that embodies the timeless values of our Deed of Gift and maximizes the impact our students and institution will have on the world of tomorrow,” he said.

Sze recognized the Academy’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) statement, gender-neutral dormitory pilot and efforts to reduce its carbon footprint as salient examples of how the Exeter community has recently embodied its values of goodness and service.

O’Byrne articulated her intentions to engage with the Exeter community on a more proximate level in her role as Vice President. “I hope to help the school continue to move forward and always strive for excellence,” O’Byrne said. “I am excited to be on campus more frequently. Some of the highlights for me are the opportunities to meet students, see them perform, watch them compete and converse during dorm duty.”

O’Byrne shares Sze’s strong commitment to DEI, which she describes as the fostering of “a diverse and inclusive community in which each person has the tools to flourish.”

In particular, O’Byrne looks forward to celebrating 50 years of co-education at the Academy next year. “Exeter should remain the lodestar for anyone seeking a community of excellence committed to inclusion in all we do,” she said.

Sze arrived at Exeter as a prep in Merrill Hall in 1979, going on to participate in WPEA and the Ham Radio Club, serve as co-Editor-in-Chief of PEAN, an editor for The Exonian and take part in the Washington Intern Program. “Exeter taught me the values and independent thinking that have played such a formative role in my own life and my family’s lives,” Sze said.

Meanwhile, O’Byrne arrived the following year as a prep in Soule Hall, actively serving as a member of ESSO, a proctor in Dunbar and co-captain of the women’s crew team. Looking back, she especially values the lessons she learned through Harkness in listening to understand others’ perspectives and experiences. “I will always be grateful for the education I received here and feel very fortunate that I have had the opportunity in the years since graduation to try, in different ways, to give back,” she said.

Since 2009, Sze has been active in various Academy committees including Investment, Budget and Finance, Buildings and Grounds, IT and the Committee on Trustees. He acknowledged the significant progress the Academy has made on many fronts in the last decade. “I’m glad to see that the Academy has become more welcoming, supportive and diverse, which is a real credit to everyone on campus and those leaders who have come before us,” he said. “That has made coming back to serve the Academy a pleasure.”

In 2010, O’Byrne was appointed Director of the General Alumni Association (GAA) and named GAA Vice President in 2014. She has also been a member of Institutional Advancement, the Committee on Trustees and the Interim Principal Advisory Committee, and has served as chair of Audit and Risk, the Governance Review Task Force and the Student and Employee Life Committee.

Looking ahead, both Sze and O’Byrne are excited for the chance to positively impact Exeter’s future. “I feel very humbled to have the opportunity to serve Exeter in this way,” O’Byrne said. “I hope to help the school continue to move forward and always strive for excellence.”

In the upcoming months, Downer will help Sze and O’Byrne transition into their new positions. He expressed high hopes for the future leadership of the Board of Trustees. “Our school is most fortunate to have these two exceptionally devoted, experienced and capable graduates to lead our trustees as the Exeter community moves forward into its next chapter,” Downer wrote in his school-wide email.

Looking forward to a new chapter of Academy leadership, Rawson reflected on his experience working with Downer and Coaxum these past three years and expressed gratitude for their service to PEA. “Mr. Downer and Mr. Coaxum have been terrific partners and have supported me in every way possible from my first day on the job,” Rawson said. “I will miss their friendship as much as their wise counsel.”