About our Chief Educational Leadership & Policy Officer

Dr. Carey L. Averill has built her career at the intersection of Catholic education, military-connected schooling, and educational leadership. She has served in school communities where student mobility, complex family needs, and the importance of strong relationships shape daily teaching and learning.

For eight years, Dr. Averill served as principal of Star of the Sea Catholic School in Virginia Beach, Virginia, a PK–8 school serving a highly mobile, high-need population and receiving Title I services. In that role, she led significant instructional, operational, and enrollment growth while strengthening the school’s Catholic identity, academic programming, and partnerships with families.

Before joining the Diocese of Richmond, Dr. Averill taught with the Department of Defense Education Activity, serving military-connected students and families in Germany, South Korea, and at Fort Bragg. As the spouse of an Army service member for more than 20 years and the mother of two sons, she also understands military life from a personal perspective. Her experiences navigating frequent transitions, deployments, and changing school communities continue to shape her approach to school culture, student support, and family engagement.

Dr. Averill holds a master’s degree in school counseling. Early in her career, she stepped away from a traditional school setting for one year to work with children and adolescents between the ages of 3 and 18 at a rape crisis center in New York. That experience deepened her understanding of trauma and its impact on children’s development, behavior, and capacity to learn. It continues to inform how she prepares educators, supports students, and develops compassionate, responsive school cultures.

Dr. Averill earned a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from The George Washington University and holds a Virginia Superintendent’s License. She currently serves as adjunct faculty at Regent University and Grand Canyon University, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in education and educational leadership.

Her scholarship focuses on faith and leadership in education, servant leadership theory, military-connected school communities, and the experiences of women in educational leadership. Her peer-reviewed publications include a 2023 article in the Journal of Catholic Education examining a whole-school STREAM project-based learning initiative developed with her school community. She also has forthcoming book chapters addressing servant leadership and the intersections of women, spiritual formation, and educational leadership.

In addition to her teaching and scholarship, Dr. Averill serves on Purdue University’s Education Engagement Board, with an appointment extending through 2028.

Dr. Carey L. Averill resides in Virginia Beach, Virginia.