Thayer Academy has named Roberta “Bobbi” Moran as its next athletics director. Moran, who currently serves that same role at Kent Place School (KPS) in Summit, New Jersey, will begin at Thayer this summer.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ms. Moran to our community,” said Head of School Chris Fortunato P ‘26, ‘28. “She brings to Thayer a wealth of experience and excellence as an athletic administrator, a coach, and an educator. Throughout the search process, she demonstrated a commitment to the highest levels of integrity, sportsmanship, and competition in independent school athletics and, most importantly, an unwavering focus on the student experience.” 

After a national search, said Fortunato, Moran clearly emerged as the leading candidate and impressed all whom she met with her experience, enthusiasm, vision, and authenticity. 

“She cares deeply about student-athlete success in education as well as the physical and emotional health of all those she works with,” he said. 

Moran has served as the athletics director at KPS for six years while also coaching field hockey. In that time, she built a culture of winning programs; under her leadership, KPS teams captured county, regional, and state championships. The percentage of KPS graduates matriculating to collegiate athletic programs grew from 4% to 19%. She worked to secure a $75m commitment from that school’s board of trustees to a Leadership Center for Athletics and the Arts. She also fostered professional development programs for her coaches and staff. 

Prior to that, Moran spent 15 years at The Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Connecticut, where she was an associate athletic director and a sports information director. At Loomis, she governed a girls dormitory for eight years as a live-in house dean for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors; she also coached field hockey, golf, lacrosse, and softball. 

Moran received her master's degree in Strategic Communication from Purdue University and her undergraduate degree from Siena College. At Siena, she was a four-year NCAA athlete and two-year team captain of the field hockey team. She has presented nationally and worked with Big Ten, Ivy, and NESCAC college athletic teams to create programs that improve mental focus and enhance athletic performance. She is a member of NOMAD (National Organization of Minority Athletic Directors) as well as the SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) group on the KPS campus. 

Moran said she is incredibly impressed with Thayer’s student-athletes, coaches, parents/guardians, faculty/staff, and administrators. She added her excitement to build upon the strong foundation laid by current Athletics Director Rick Foresteire P ‘19, ‘21, who in February shared his decision to step down at the end of the year. 

"Thayer has a tremendous history in the ISL and NEPSAC leagues, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work with some of the best coaches and administrative professionals in New England,” said Moran, who is also a certified personal trainer and fitness instructor specializing in mindfulness and meditation and who earned her 500-hour yoga certification during a 2015 sabbatical in Bali, Indonesia. “It’s a great day to be a Tiger!” 

Members of the search committee praised her mix of experience, enthusiasm, and community-first attitude. 

“Her vision for Thayer Athletics grades 5-12 is invigorating,” said one committee member. “As a coach, parent, and alum, I am so excited to welcome Bobbi to Thayer." 

Said another: "Bobbi has a clear philosophy of how athletics fits into the educational process and its life applications as well. Under her leadership, we will be modeling what we expect from our students. Her strength of character and strong beliefs will serve Thayer well, not just in our community but wherever she represents Thayer." 

Fortunato lauded Foresteire’s leadership over the past seven years, including the athletics director’s work in helping to create the new Thayer Sports Center and Valicenti Rink. In addition to his numerous duties, Foresteire also serves as the varsity baseball coach. 

“We thank Rick for his dedicated service to Thayer,” said Fortunato. “We look forward to building on Rick’s achievements to bring Thayer athletics to even greater heights.” 

On campus, Moran takes pride in her work with student-athletes and coaches. Off campus, she enjoys spending time with her husband, their four children, and Boomer, the family’s husky-lab mix.