A Message from the AJC Board
Dear AJC Family,
The Board of Trustees of Anna Julia Cooper School is delighted to announce our next Head of School, Tommy Blain, effective July 1, 2026.
A native of Richmond, Mr. Blain’s first teaching job was in New Orleans with Teach for America, whose mission is to find, develop, and support extraordinary leaders to transform education and expand opportunity for all children. Mr. Blain then journeyed north to Boston where he worked as teacher, Assistant Principal and Principal at KIPP Public Charter Schools, a national network of tuition-free, open-enrollment college preparatory public charter schools serving students in historically underserved communities.
After six years in Boston, leading his school through the challenges of remote learning during Covid, Mr. Blain and his wife returned to Richmond, where he has been an educational consultant, most recently at TNTP, The New Teacher Project. At TNTP, Mr. Blain has been leading a large federal grant working with leaders of small rural schools across the country. He graduated from the University of Virginia as an Echols Scholar, and Johns Hopkins University where he completed his Master of Science in Elementary Education. In Mr. Blain’s own words, “The opportunity to lead a school so rooted in faith, community and possibility feels both humbling and profoundly aligned with my personal and professional calling.”
Since Mike Maruca announced his intention to step aside, we have conducted an extensive search for the next leader to carry forward his legacy of servant leadership. The job posting in June attracted 150 applicants, a huge credit to this young, unique school. With the help of an excellent consultant, the search committee seriously considered 24 candidates, then interviewed six excellent semi-finalists, and finally invited two superb finalists to meet parents, students, faculty, staff, and trustees on campus.
In reaching its unanimous decision, the trustees prioritized passion for our particular mission to love, educate and uplift our students and graduates; faith that welcomes all and undergirds leadership; experience in and understanding of a school community similar to ours; an instinct and fervor for telling the stories of Anna Julia Cooper School to a broad and generous constituency; a reputation for listening, collaborating and making thoughtful decisions; a commitment to nurturing relationships with faculty and staff, and supporting their development; and, of course, the high regard of previous colleagues and supervisors.
Some of the many comments about Mr. Blain from those people, as well as our own community, include:
“His work (at KIPP) has been excellent in all his roles”
“He is truly a rare find”
“He is driven by passion for the population served at AJC, has impeccable people skills, institutional skills, and would be excellent in fundraising and development”
“Forthright and humble”
“Authentic”
“(I value) his youth, his directness, his warmth with students… and his ‘here for the long haul’ declaration”
The Board of Trustees is grateful for the excellent work of the Search Committee. As we celebrate the extraordinary leadership of Mike Maruca in the coming months, we look forward also to offering a number of opportunities for you to get to know Mr. Blain and join us in welcoming him to the community.
Sincerely,
D. Fleet Wallace
Board Chair
A Message from Tommy Blain
Thank you for offering me the opportunity to become the next Head of School at Anna Julia Cooper. Let me say clearly, without doubt or hesitation, that stepping into this role is the honor of my life.
My connection with AJC started three years ago. My wife, Dr. Stephanie Chubb, and I had recently moved to Richmond, back to my hometown, and were both on parental leave, taking care of our newborn daughter, Nella. A longtime friend brought me to AJC for a visit. I have vivid memories of first setting foot on campus. I popped into a magical kindergarten classroom, then watched middle schoolers deeply engaged in Chapel. I recall that everyone was smiling. Teachers took time out of their busy days to welcome me and share a bit about the day’s lessons.
The interview process further highlighted the love and care that abounds within the AJC family. A few moments in particular stand out.
I began the final interview round with a parent panel. For the first fifteen minutes, they didn’t ask me a single question. Instead, the parents told me everything they loved about AJC, noting not only the incredible support their children received, but also how much the staff shows up for families and the community. The next day I sat down with a table of lower school students. In between an in-depth description of the nuances of the playground equipment, a fourth grader said—and I’m quoting now because I wrote it down—“My school is like a dreamland every day.” I spent an hour engaging in Q&A with the staff. I watched staff members weep with pride and care for their school. They asked hard questions. We laughed together. More than anything, I felt at home. I found the same love and pride in every corner of the school, in every member of the community—including volunteers who described their role as tutors as the most important part of their week, every week, for the past five years.
I’ll share a bit about who I am, and more importantly, what you can expect during the upcoming transition. I spent most of my career working as a kindergarten teacher and Principal at a KIPP school in Boston. For the past four years, I worked as an educational consultant helping school districts, colleges and universities, and state departments of education to better train, support, and retain teachers and leaders. We also welcomed a second child, our son Charlie, just over a year ago. I’m aware now that I was training all over the country so that I could step fully into my calling back home. “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21). Expect me to listen, to build and strengthen trust, to walk with humility and intention. Expect me to serve all members of our community with love. Expect me to do whatever is needed to support the unparalleled staff, families, and students of AJC.
From what I have learned about him, I know Mike may not appreciate this, but I’d be remiss not to acknowledge the leader he is for this school. To a person, everyone I interacted with described the big shoes—big clown shoes, according to one parent—I would be filling. I hope to be half the leader that Mike has been for AJC, and I stand in awe at what Anna Julia Cooper School has become since its inception.
I look forward to connecting with each of you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out for a phone call or a coffee in the meantime.
With love and gratitude,
Tommy Blain
