Lawrenceville Welcomes Jason Robinson as 14th Head of School

Jason Robinson H’09 ’10 P’15 ’16 has been named The Lawrenceville School's 14th Head of School, effective July 1, 2027. He will assume leadership from Steve Murray H’54 ’55 ‘63 ’65 '66 ‘16 P’16 ‘21, who announced in February that he will conclude his 12-year tenure at the end of the 2026-27 academic year. Robinson’s formal election to the role by the School’s Board of Trustees was unanimous. 

In consultation with global leadership and advisory firm Spencer Stuart, the Head of School Search Committee, co-chaired by Benji Griswold ’99 P’28 ’30 and Alex Buckley Voris ’96, led a thoughtful and thorough six-month process that included campus conversations, a community survey, and meaningful engagement across the Lawrenceville community. 

“What stood out most to the Search Committee was Jason’s rare combination of intellectual seriousness, personal warmth, operational discipline, and genuine love for Lawrenceville. He understands both the promise and the complexity of this school, and he brings the judgment, humility, and ambition required to build on Lawrenceville’s strengths while helping us meet the demands of the future.” – Celeste Mellet ’94 P’27 ’30, president of the Board of Trustees and member of the Search Committee.

Robinson currently serves as Head of School at St. Albans School in Washington, D.C., where he has been since 2018. During this time, he led a strategic planning process that has advanced the school’s investment in civics education, teaching and learning, interdisciplinary studies, athletics, financial sustainability, and campus improvements, including a comprehensive renovation of the school’s historic chapel. Under his leadership, St. Albans’ endowment has nearly doubled, and annual giving reached the highest level in the school’s history. 

He also knows Lawrenceville deeply. From 2007-13, he was part of the daily life of Lawrenceville as a faculty member in the history department, chair of the interdisciplinary studies program, chair of the Capstone program, and a basketball, baseball, and golf coach. Robinson was Head of Stephens House, where he lived with his wife, Olinda P’15 ’16, and their two daughters, Francie ’15 and Abigail ’16. Olinda worked at Lawrenceville for more than a decade, first in the Alumni and Development Office and then in the Dean of Faculty Office.

Robinson described his return to Lawrenceville as both a privilege and a responsibility. “My years living in Stephens House and gathering with students around a Harkness table profoundly shaped my sense of what teaching, learning, and community are fundamentally about, giving me a lifelong appreciation for the transformative impact of a Lawrenceville education," he said. "The opportunity to return to a place that was so important to my formation is a great privilege. I look forward to the exciting work of partnering with the full Lawrenceville community to write the next chapter of this extraordinary school, to do even more for the wonderful students we are blessed to teach, and to think aspirationally about the great educational questions of our time.” 

After leaving Lawrenceville in 2013, Robinson spent five years at Princeton Day School as Head of Upper School and then Assistant Head of School for Academics. In that role, he was responsible for the development, assessment, and coordination of academic and curricular programs from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, coordinated faculty recruitment, and led a redesign of the academic schedule. He also held faculty and coaching roles at Landon School in Maryland.

Raised in Virginia, Robinson received a B.A. in philosophy from Washington and Lee University, an M.A. in government from University of Virginia, and a J.D. from Stanford Law School. He held a judicial clerkship with the U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, in Baltimore, and practiced corporate law in Washington, D.C., at Covington and Burling before leaving the legal profession to become an educator.

“As we move forward, our mission – to inspire the best in each to seek the best for all – remains our guide,” Mellet said. “Lawrenceville is strong because of the people who believe in it, invest in it, and hold it to the highest standard. With Jason’s leadership, Steve’s continued stewardship through this transition year, and the commitment of this extraordinary community, I am confident that Lawrenceville will continue to reach new levels of excellence and purpose.”

For more information, contact Lisa M. Gillard H'17, director of public relations, at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.