About
Background
Antonio Viva is an educator, researcher, artist, leader, and executive coach. He is currently a partner at Leadership+Design, where he collaborates with clients to create strategies, clarify identities, redesign programs, and build teams and culture. He recently served as the Executive Director of Artisans Asylum, one of the oldest, largest, and most vibrant makerspaces in the country. The members of Artisans – artists, hackers, hobbyists, engineers, designers, and performers – create awe-inspiring works that generate wonder and joy. Between 2010 - 2022, he served as Head of School at Walnut Hill School for the Arts, one of the top independent arts high schools in the country. During his tenure, he transformed programs and expanded artistic facilities, including the creation of a Writing, Film, and Media Arts department, the design, funding, and construction of the Delbridge Family Center for the Arts, and, most recently, The Boston Ballet School Professional Division at Walnut Hill, the nation's premier all-inclusive professional ballet academy. Prior to Walnut Hill, Antonio was the Associate Head of School and Chief Information Officer at Worcester Academy in Worcester, MA.
A child of immigrants and a first-generation college student, Antonio has been a lifelong diversity practitioner. His commitment to the work of diversity, inclusion, and justice dates back to his early days as a public school arts teacher and includes groundbreaking anti-racism work and building a culture of restoration in predominantly white institutions. As a researcher for the United States Department of Education, Antonio worked to improve the learning environment for students in underserved communities in Boston, New York City, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. With a background in theater, photography, writing, and design, his creative pursuits include storytelling, photography, analog media, and photography. His recent work explores the concept of liminal spaces. With an insatiable curiosity for exploring the creative process, his artistic work as a director and writer focuses on creating and making work that inspires the mind's eye. He earned his undergraduate degree in English and Theater and graduate degree in Education from Union College in Schenectady, NY, and has served on the boards of the Association of Independent Schools in New England, The Association of Boarding Schools, and The Glasgow Group. He currently lives in the Boston suburbs with his family and two cats.
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Antonio's opening keynote session was the highlight of our conference. His warm and personable style was a perfect match for his astute observations and unique perspectives on the political, environmental, financial, social, and technological trends impacting education now and in the future. He offered us several challenges and provocations that were referenced frequently by attendees throughout the remainder of our conference. Several of our attendees felt that he was one of the best speakers on this topic that they had heard in quite some time!
/ BONNIE RICCI, EXECUTIVE Director - International Council Advancing Independent School Accreditation /
Upcoming Speaking, Exhibits and Presentations
Teaching and Learning Conference - Denver Academy, Denver, CO - March, 2024
NEALS Annual Conference - “Educators as Experience Designers, Thinking Like Futurists” Emma Willard School, Troy, NY - April 2024
NWAIS Leadership Institute - Alderbrook Resort - Union, WA - June 2024
Past Speaking, Publications and Presentations
ISACS 2024 Head of School Conference - Chicago, IL - January, 2024
PAIS 75th Anniversary Speaker Series - “Futurists Thinking for Boards” - Virtual - January, 2024
The Head’s Network 2024 Annual Conference - San Diego, CA - February, 2024
VAIS Annual Conference Keynote Address - Richmond, VA - November, 2023
NWAIS Board and Head’s Conference - Seattle, WA - November, 2023
AISNE Board Retreat - Boston, MA - September, 2023
The Reset: A Summer Adventure for Heads of School Who Are Ready to Lead in New Ways - Leadership+Design, Sonoma, CA - July 2023
Society for College and University Planning - "Spaces for the Future of Arts Education" 2023 Annual Conference, Cleveland, OH - July, 2023
Association of Colorado Independent Schools - Heads of School Conference “Thinking Creatively: Developing a Curious and Creative Mindset” - June 2023
Virginia Association of Independent Schools - Heads of School Conference “Thinking Creatively: Developing a Curious and Creative Mindset” - June 2023
Art at the Intersections - Union College Magazine, Union College - Spring 2023
Innovation Showcase - NewTV - Artisans Asylum - April 2023
TILL WAVE Gallery- “Through Your Lens” Photo Exhibition, Watertown, MA - March 2023
Mayor Wu Announces $626,000 in Boston Cultural Council Grants - March 2023
Boston Globe, February 2023 - After three-plus decades, a plan for that big warehouse along the Pike in Allston-Brighton
Head’s Network Annual Conference - Annual Conference “Leadership Seminar with Leadership+Design” - February 2023
New Jersey Association of Independent Schools - Annual Trustee Enrichment Day “Scanning the Landscape - How to Assess Global Risks at the Local Levels” - January 2023
Head’s Network Annual Conference - Annual Conference “Leadership Seminar with Leadership+Design” - February 2023
WBZ News Boston - “Brighton studio provides creative space for local artists and entrepreneurs” - January 2023
Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools - Annual Boarding School Conference “The Unique Challenges Facing Boarding Schools” - January 2023
Boston Globe, December 2022 - Artisans Asylum Gets New Digs in Allston
Connecticut Association of Independent Schools - Annual conference on Business, Operations & Technology “Scanning the Landscape: Implications of World Economic Forum Global Risks Report for Independent Schools” - November 2022
Speak Up II, Piano Art Gallery November 2022, Boston, MA - Juror
ICAISA, Annual Meeting, September 2022 - Scanning the Landscape: Understanding the Implications of the World Economic Forum Global Risks Report for Independent Schools
CommonWealth Magazine, August 2022 - Finding synergy between artists, innovators, developers Artisan's Asylum expanding footprint in Allston-Brighton
The Reset: A Summer Adventure for Heads of School Who Are Ready to Lead in New Ways, July 20 - 22, 2022 (Boulder, CO) - Leadership+Design
NBOA Annual Conference, February 2021 - Structuring Meaningful Institutional Partnerships
AISNE Heads Retreat, January 2021 - Structuring Meaningful Institutional Partnerships
Pointe Magazine, December 2019 - Boston Ballet School and Walnut Hill Are Merging Their High School Pre-Professional Programs
Boston Globe, October 2019 - Boston Ballet School creates professional ballet academy at Walnut Hill School for the Arts
AISNE Annual Diversity Conference, October 2019 - The Integral Relationship Between DEI Director and Head of School
NAIS Independent School Magazine, Spring 2017 - Innovating Their Way To and From the Top
NAIS Independent Teacher Article, Spring 2016 - Freedom and Failure in Learning
NAIS Annual Conference, Boston 2015 - Enrollment Management Planning- The Head of School and Director of Admission Partnership
TABS Annual Conference, Washington DC 2015 - New Heads Symposium: Support the Unique Life and Work of a Boarding School Leader
TABS Annual Conference, Washington DC 2014 - New Heads Symposium: Support the Unique Life and Work of a Boarding School Leader
Korea JoongAng Daily, Seoul South Korea 2014 - Arts educator highlights ‘questions’
CASE District 1 Annual Conference, Boston, MA 2013 - “Effective Engagement: A Multi-Channel Approach”
Boston Globe, July 2013 - Organizations join forces to improve children’s theater
AFPMA 2012 Conference on Philanthropy, Boston, MA - “Managing Up for Annual Fund Success"
CASE NAIS Independent Schools Conference, San Francisco 2012 “Headmasters who Lead”
NAIS Annual Conference, Seattle 2012 - “The New Normal: Rethinking Technology Leadership in a World of Ubiquitous Access”
ESHA Annual Conference 2012 - Strategic thinking, flexibility, & mission: The Internet a Decade Later
mStoner A Carnegie Company September 2012 - Presidents and Social Media*: Antonio Viva, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, Boston
TABS Annual Conference Pre Conference, Boston, MA 2011: Social Media Institute.
NAIS Annual Conference, Washington DC, 2011 - “Leading Change in a Facebook World”
AISNE Conference 2010 - Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century
ISANNE Webinar, 2009 - The Story of WA Mash
NAIS Annual Conference, New York City 2008 - “21st Century Strategies for Managing and Enhancing Technology for School Leaders”
The Laptop Institute, Created and Hosted by Lausanne Collegiate School, Memphis, TN 2007 - “The Evolving Role of CIOs in Academic Institutions”
NAIS Annual Conference, Boston, MA 2006 - “The Evolving Role of CIOs and Information Technology” and “From Meat and Potatoes to a 21st Century Curriculum”
MIT Comparative Media Studies Conference Game Simulations for Educational Leadership & Visualization: Virtual U and Beyond, March 2005, Panelist - “What in Educational Leadership Should Games Be Utilized For?”
NESDEC Institute, Co-Presenter, Winter 2002 - “Excellence and Diversity in the Classroom: Differentiated Instruction”
National Staff Development Council, Co-Presenter, Denver, CO March 2001 - “Developing Faculty Inquiry Teams”
EDC Leadership Symposium, Memphis, TN February 2001
EDC Teaching For Understanding Institute, Jackson, MS and New York City, July 2000
“I Never Saw Another Butterfly” Play by Celeste Raspanti., Director, Amherst, MA, Spring 2000
“Twelve Angry Jurors” Play by Reginald Rose, Director, Amherst, MA, March, 1998
“The Princess Bride” adapted for stage, Director, Amherst, MA, May, 1997
“The Baltimore Waltz” Play by Paula Vogel, Director, Schenectady, NY, April 1995
Clients
- Artisans Asylum, Boston, MA
- Association of Colorado Independent Schools (ACIS)
- Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools (ADVIS)
- Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE)
- Brookwood School, MA
- Cambridge School of Weston, Weston, MA
- Connecticut Association of Independent Schools (CAIS)
- Dedham Country Day School, Dedham, MA
- Denver Academy, CO
- Esperanza Academy, Lawrence, MA
- Forth Worth Country Day School, Fort Worth, TX
- Georgetown Day School, Washington, D.C.
- Holy Ghost Prep, Bensalem, PA
- Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS)
- Inly School, Scituate, MA
- International Council on the Advancement of Independent School Accreditation (ICAISA)
- Lincoln School, Providence, RI
- Mercersburg Academy, Mercersburg, PA
- Middlesex School, Concord, MA
- Montessori School of Denver, Denver, CO
- Near North Montessori, Chicago, IL
- New Jersey Association of Independent Schools (NJAIS)
- Northeast Association of Learning Specialists
- Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS)
- Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS)
- St. Andrew’s School, Barrington, RI
- St. Patrick's Episcopal Day School, Washington, D.C.
- The Meadowbrook School, Weston, MA
- Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS)
- Wardlaw+Hartridge School, Edison, NJ