New leadership in Dean of Students office

A 1994 alumna and Andover parent, Elliott returned to campus in 2010 to join the faculty. In her opening years, she served as a member of the History and Social Science Department, varsity girls’ squash coach, and cluster dean. In addition to teaching and coaching, she currently serves as assistant head of school for residential life and dean of students, positions she has held since 2018 and 2015 respectively. Prior to Andover, Elliott held teaching, advising, coaching, and administrative roles at The Stevenson School (Pebble Beach, CA) and The Westminster School (Simsbury, CT).

Kington expects a smooth leadership transition, as Esty is currently a member of the “Dean’s Team,” which is headed by Elliott. Dean of Abbot Cluster, Esty has more than 25 years of experience in education, including serving as Dean of the Class of 2023 and Director of Wellness Education. She helped to design Andover’s Empathy, Balance, and Inclusion (EBI) curriculum and has served as advisor to several student organizations, including Out of the Blue. Working with both faculty and staff, Esty is a trained SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) leader and co-facilitates cultural competence development groups.

“Susan emerged from a talented and experienced group of candidates,” Kington said. “I look forward to welcoming her to the senior team and supporting her efforts to advance student life and residential education.”

Prior to coming to Andover in 2016, Esty served for 12 years in a number of roles at Pingree School in Hamilton, MA. She was Director of Advising and Counseling, and she also chaired Pingree’s student support team, co-founded their community education program, and was a member of the multicultural education steering committee.

Esty studied English at Amherst College and earned a master’s degree in child development from Tufts University and a doctorate in counseling psychology from Boston College. She lives on campus with her husband, Jay, and daughters Charlotte (administrative assistant in CAMD), and Athalia ’22.

Elliott holds a B.A. in history from Dartmouth College and a master's degree in elementary education from Lesley University through Shady Hill School's Teacher Training Center. She will be joined at Choate by her husband, Grant, and their sons, Sam ’22, Peter ’24, George, and James.