Marie Keith

Marie is a national leader of implementing growth strategies for private faith-based schools. She has been instrumental in creating enrollment management plans which have taken schools slated to be closed to increases of up to 50% in enrollment.

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Marie joined Independence Mission Schools (IMS), an independent network of 15 urban Philadelphia Catholic schools, as the Director of Enrollment & Marketing. In schools where they saw years of declining enrollment, she moved the enrollment in the first year from 3,800 to 4,100 students. Five years later, the combined enrollment was almost 5,000 students, a 25% increase since implementing her enrollment management plan collaborating with the Principal at each of the individual schools. Meanwhile, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s enrollment continued to decline during the same time period (see attached chart).

 

Marie also handled governance by building and supporting a development board for each of the 15 schools. She helped raise funds for the schools through donor cultivation and events, most notably, her creation of a “Dancing with the Stars” type fundraiser, which raised $250K in both 2015 and 2016.

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While working full time with IMS, Marie spent her vacation days and time off to consult with other failing schools to share her expertise and increase enrollments. Due to the demand for her services, and Marie’s desire to have a national impact on Catholic schools, Marie left IMS to start her own full-time consulting practice.

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Marie’s prior career was spent in education and the service industries, in startup or turn-around roles. She became the Director of Career Placement at Villanova Law School at the age of only 21, and was opening staffing offices by the age of 24, while attending Villanova University in the evening. She credits her success and leadership skills to growing up the oldest of eight in an Irish-Catholic family, her passion for her faith and Catholic education, and her ability to be flexible while always maintaining her sense of humor!