Rachel Skiffer '88
Rachel Skiffer '88 was the 2011 Distinguished Alumna Award Recipient.
Rachel Skiffer ‘88 was most recently the Head of School at Head-Royce School, a private co-educational college preparatory K-12 school in Oakland, California. Prior to that role, she was the Head of School at the Khan Lab School and the Dean of Policy and Strategic Planning at Phillips Academy (Andover). She has occupied other administrative leadership positions at San Francisco University High School, The Latin School of Chicago, and Harvard College. Prior to her career in education, Rachel spent time as a commercial real estate attorney with Kirkland & Ellis LLP and as a management consultant with McKinsey & Company.
Rachel currently sits on the board of trustees at Burke’s, Phillips Brooks School, the Exploratorium, and Children’s Fairyland.
Rachel holds degrees in women’s studies and law from Harvard University. She lives in the Bay Area with her two children.
Do you have any anecdotes about your time at Burke's to share with us?
We did Peter Pan for our eighth grade musical and I was Captain Hook. In fifth grade, we did Winnie the Pooh, and we also did our own homegrown version of Annie in Lower School, just my class. I was Miss Hannigan and Aimee Anderson directed it—there was always space for us to be creative.
And I learned photography! I won a runner-up prize at the Academy of Sciences when I submitted a photo I took at the zoo. I also won an epic game of Trivial Pursuit in high school because there was a question about what company uses the most silver—Kodak— and I knew that because of what I learned in photography.
Is there anything else you would like to share about how Burke's inspired you?
We're coming from near and far, and not everyone graduated with us, but the whole class of ’88 in its entirety is going to gather in Napa for a picnic to celebrate turning 50.
I also love being on the board because I love to see how the school has evolved. There’s a through line of the essence of Burke’s, but we’re never resting on laurels. I respect that and think about it as a school leader. And it’s nice to be part of an organization that matters to so many people. People are shocked that I still have friends from kindergarten!
Q&A from Burke's Magazine, Fall 2024.
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Can you share a specific experience or teacher at Burke's who inspired you to pursue a career in education?
I had such a positive experience at Burke's and looking back, I'm more appreciative because there was something so freeing about having a multitude of definitions of what it was to be a girl. That expansiveness has served me well. I think probably Ms. Wiley and Mrs. Samake and also Ms. Coleman... these were the mirrors I saw. I think about that often—mirrors for me and windows for some of my classmates. Those were incredibly powerful to have. The Head of Lower School, Georgia Malan, was firm and I had so much energy. I could tell she believed in me even as I was getting redirected and maybe disciplined for some things. She saw me, which I really appreciated.
How did the values and teachings of Burke's shape your approach to education?
The approach to education I always talk about is the fact that students, for the most part, spend the majority of their waking hours at school, and so the environment is incredibly important. I think about teachers, supportive friendships and helping kids work through conflict. I even think about the physical green and open space. At Burke’s, I appreciated that we had grass out in the front and trees that we could look at. It just felt very open.
I think a lot about “courage be undaunted”—I would say that to myself from the school song, and it shaped my approach to education. I just feel like everyone is capable, and you can also have fun while you learn.
In what ways did Burke's prepare you for a career in education, both academically and personally?
I took a seminar in law school with a professor named Lani Guinier and it was all women, except for one guy who dropped out. At some point, we all determined that somewhere between kindergarten and college, we had all attended a girls’ school or a women’s college. We also realized that in our large sections, which were maybe a couple hundred kids, we were one of the few women who would speak. I think about that when preparing to advocate for myself and to not be afraid to do things that are unorthodox. When I was applying for academic leadership positions, I didn’t think about whether this might be particularly hard for me to do because there aren’t a lot of women who do this, not to mention black women. I just threw my hat in the ring.
How do you incorporate the principles of leadership and empowerment learned at Burke's into your work?
At Burke's, we had people who led quietly in addition to our extroverted people—leadership came in a lot of different forms, not just one standard of what it is like to be a leader. Today, I think about asking teachers what they need to support their practice to make their role sustainable. I build complementary teams and bring different perspectives. I don’t presume to have expertise where I don’t, and I feel I can be open to multiple disciplines.
What advice would you give to current Burke's students who are considering a career in education?
We are all one-of-a-kind, so embrace your unique background. Whether your journey to education is conventional or non-traditional, every experience you bring to the table is valuable. Diverse perspectives enrich the educational environment and help you connect with a broader range of students.
Cultivate a lifelong love of learning (I am grateful to Burke’s for planting that seed in me). As educators, our passion for learning should be infectious. Continue to seek knowledge, stay curious, and be open to new teaching methods and technologies.
I had such a positive experience at Burke's and looking back, I'm more appreciative because there was something so freeing about having a multitude of definitions of what it was to be a girl. That expansiveness has served me well. I think probably Ms. Wiley and Mrs. Samake and also Ms. Coleman... these were the mirrors I saw. I think about that often—mirrors for me and windows for some of my classmates. Those were incredibly powerful to have. The Head of Lower School, Georgia Malan, was firm and I had so much energy. I could tell she believed in me even as I was getting redirected and maybe disciplined for some things. She saw me, which I really appreciated.
How did the values and teachings of Burke's shape your approach to education?
The approach to education I always talk about is the fact that students, for the most part, spend the majority of their waking hours at school, and so the environment is incredibly important. I think about teachers, supportive friendships and helping kids work through conflict. I even think about the physical green and open space. At Burke’s, I appreciated that we had grass out in the front and trees that we could look at. It just felt very open.
I think a lot about “courage be undaunted”—I would say that to myself from the school song, and it shaped my approach to education. I just feel like everyone is capable, and you can also have fun while you learn.
In what ways did Burke's prepare you for a career in education, both academically and personally?
I took a seminar in law school with a professor named Lani Guinier and it was all women, except for one guy who dropped out. At some point, we all determined that somewhere between kindergarten and college, we had all attended a girls’ school or a women’s college. We also realized that in our large sections, which were maybe a couple hundred kids, we were one of the few women who would speak. I think about that when preparing to advocate for myself and to not be afraid to do things that are unorthodox. When I was applying for academic leadership positions, I didn’t think about whether this might be particularly hard for me to do because there aren’t a lot of women who do this, not to mention black women. I just threw my hat in the ring.
How do you incorporate the principles of leadership and empowerment learned at Burke's into your work?
At Burke's, we had people who led quietly in addition to our extroverted people—leadership came in a lot of different forms, not just one standard of what it is like to be a leader. Today, I think about asking teachers what they need to support their practice to make their role sustainable. I build complementary teams and bring different perspectives. I don’t presume to have expertise where I don’t, and I feel I can be open to multiple disciplines.
What advice would you give to current Burke's students who are considering a career in education?
We are all one-of-a-kind, so embrace your unique background. Whether your journey to education is conventional or non-traditional, every experience you bring to the table is valuable. Diverse perspectives enrich the educational environment and help you connect with a broader range of students.
Cultivate a lifelong love of learning (I am grateful to Burke’s for planting that seed in me). As educators, our passion for learning should be infectious. Continue to seek knowledge, stay curious, and be open to new teaching methods and technologies.
Do you have any anecdotes about your time at Burke's to share with us?
We did Peter Pan for our eighth grade musical and I was Captain Hook. In fifth grade, we did Winnie the Pooh, and we also did our own homegrown version of Annie in Lower School, just my class. I was Miss Hannigan and Aimee Anderson directed it—there was always space for us to be creative.
And I learned photography! I won a runner-up prize at the Academy of Sciences when I submitted a photo I took at the zoo. I also won an epic game of Trivial Pursuit in high school because there was a question about what company uses the most silver—Kodak— and I knew that because of what I learned in photography.
Is there anything else you would like to share about how Burke's inspired you?
We're coming from near and far, and not everyone graduated with us, but the whole class of ’88 in its entirety is going to gather in Napa for a picnic to celebrate turning 50.
I also love being on the board because I love to see how the school has evolved. There’s a through line of the essence of Burke’s, but we’re never resting on laurels. I respect that and think about it as a school leader. And it’s nice to be part of an organization that matters to so many people. People are shocked that I still have friends from kindergarten!
Burke's mission is to educate, encourage and empower girls. Our school combines academic excellence with an appreciation for childhood so that students thrive as learners, develop a strong sense of self, contribute to community, and fulfill their potential, now and throughout life.
Burke's admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.