Alliance for Catholic Education
Mercy High School
Farmington Hills, Michigan
President
Start Date: July 2026
mhsmi.org
Overview
Mercy High School’s storied history began with its founding in 1945 when the Sisters of Mercy established the school to offer young women the opportunity to receive a value-centered education in an environment of academic excellence. As part of the Mercy Education System of America, Mercy High School continues the vision of Catherine McAuley, founder of the Sisters of Mercy, to educate young women who will serve others and make a difference in the world. Now located in Farmington Hills, the school enrolls students from over 70 metropolitan Detroit communities. Mercy is proud of its diverse and multi-ethnic community that inspires and cherishes belonging and a strong sense of sisterhood. The students enjoy a rotating schedule which permits free time during the day for study, prayer, and community-building activities. As the alumnae will often say, “Mercy helps women find their voices.”
The school enjoys a sprawling campus that includes a 1200-seat auditorium, an indoor pool and a beautiful chapel, and the Sisters of Mercy recently gifted 34 additional acres of land to the school, to be enjoyed and conserved in its beautiful, natural state. While enrollment management and fundraising to support school operations need continued focus and improvement, recent new strategies have yielded positive results. The school has no debt, and it has a healthy $13 million endowment which supports financial aid and capital improvement needs.
The school operates with a highly functional President/Principal model. After 16 years of dynamic leadership, the current President, Dr. Cheryl Kreger, has announced her retirement in June of 2026. Mercy High School’s Board of Trustees now seeks a visionary, energetic and passionate new President who will lead the school into a new chapter of excellence. The next President will inherit a joyful community which is faithful to the core tenets of a Mercy education and which empowers young women to pursue excellence with confidence and compassion.
Mission
Compelled by our Catholic faith and the spirit of the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy High School is a premier college preparatory school that educates and nurtures young women of diverse backgrounds to excel academically, serve compassionately, and lead courageously.
Vision
As a shining lamp of Catholic education, Mercy High School inspires young women of diverse backgrounds to lead faith-filled lives, use their voices, and achieve their goals. Our graduates exemplify unity, empathy, knowledge, and leadership to make a difference in the world.
At a Glance
Established: 1945
Students of color: 35%
Total faculty: 39
Faculty of color: 10%
Faculty with advanced degrees: 87%
Student/teacher ratio: 12:1
Financial aid budget: $1M
Students receiving aid: 58%
Endowment: $13.3M
Annual operating budget: $11.4M
AP and Honors courses: 37
Sports offered: 22
Extracurricular activities: 50+
Campus size: 76 acres
Current Alumnae: 17,000
Opportunities and Challenges
The next President at Mercy High School will lead a dynamic community of engaged students and families with a legacy of educating young women for 80 years.
In this work, he/she will have the opportunity to:
● Raise the profile of the school in the broader community, sharing the excellent value proposition and story of a Mercy education in an effort to strengthen enrollment and fundraising.
● Apply strong business acumen in managing the cost of delivering a high quality education.
● Partner with a strong academic leadership team to sustain an exceptional learning environment where students are both challenged AND supported as they explore an impressive range of academic offerings, from the arts and sciences to world languages.
● Continue to promote an impressive array of athletics and extracurricular opportunities that enrich and enhance the whole student experience.
● Be a visionary leader with a progressive mindset who will guide the community to prepare young women of Mercy for the future.
● Leverage 80 years of history to build on the current connections with alumnae and to foster even deeper community connections.
● Tell the Mercy story to prospective donors to continue to build on the legacy of previous Presidents.
Qualifications and Personal Attributes
Mercy High School seeks a President who is spiritually grounded, academically astute, and relationally gifted. The ideal candidate will possess the following qualities and qualifications:
● Practicing Catholic with a deep personal faith, a lived commitment to the Church.
● Master’s Degree Required and proven leadership experience with demonstrated success in fundraising, business management, and community-building.
● Understanding and appreciation of the unique needs and opportunities in educating girls.
● Mission-Driven Communicator with exceptional written and oral communication skills, capable of articulating the school’s mission with clarity and inspiration to diverse audiences.
● Collaborative and Empathetic Leader who listens deeply, values shared governance and empowers others through mentorship and delegation.
● Familiarity and comfort with a highly functional President/Principal model.
● A Relationship Builder who has excellent diplomacy skills.
● Strategic Thinker and Pragmatic Innovator who brings fresh ideas grounded in research and practice, and the ability to implement them within a well-established and tradition-rich institution.
● Visible and Relational Presence, actively engaged in the life of the school—present at student
events, respected by faculty and staff, and trusted by parents and alumnae.
● Strong Cultural Competency, capable of leading a diverse school community with grace, humility, and conviction.
To Apply
Interested and qualified candidates are invited to contact the consultants in confidence. Candidates will ultimately need to submit the following materials as separate PDF documents:
● A cover letter expressing their interest in this particular position;
● A current résumé;
● A completed Candidate Questionnaire (to be provided by consultants);
● A list of five professional references with name, relationship, phone number, and email address of each (references will not be contacted without the candidate’s permission) to:
Barbara Daush
Senior Consultant and Catholic Schools Practice Leader
barbara.daush@carneysandoe.com
Karen Neitzel, Ed.D.
Senior Consultant
karen.neitzel@carneysandoe.com