Dr. Jennifer Zaccara’s tenure as Hewitt’s ninth head of school began in July 2025. Reflecting on her appointment, Dr. Zaccara said, “I am honored to step into the role of head of school at The Hewitt School. From the moment I arrived at Hewitt, I felt the energy across the school’s campus and experienced a deep connection and a sense of coming home. Hewitt has both embraced its proud history and turned deliberately toward the excitement of a rapidly changing world in order to prepare girls and young women to lead ethically and with joy. I look forward to working with an outstanding administrative team and dedicated community of families and faculty to support the growth of every Hewitt girl. Together, with faith and courage, we will embrace the bright future of a great school.”
Prior to joining The Hewitt School, Dr. Zaccara served as head of school at Vermont Academy in Saxtons River, Vermont. From 2013 to 2017, she was associate head of school at The Nightingale-Bamford School in New York City. She has also served as associate dean of faculty at The Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut. Jennifer began her career teaching English at several distinguished independent schools, including the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Greenwich, Connecticut; Rye Country Day School in Rye, New York; and The Winsor School in Boston, Massachusetts. She has also taught in higher education, serving as a lecturer in the English Department at The University of Connecticut in Storrs and as a visiting assistant professor of English, American Studies, and Rhetoric and Writing at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.
Dr. Zaccara has been a board member of the Association of Independent Schools In New England (AISNE) since 2021, served as a board member of the Independent Schools Association of Northern New England (ISANNE) from 2019-2021, and was recently inducted into the Heads and Principals Association. She holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in English from Trinity College, and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Connecticut in Storrs. Her son Bryce is an attorney in Denver and her son Keefe is a lieutenant commander in the United States Navy. She also has two dogs, a red lab named Copperfield and a red golden named Brontë.
