Endorsements for Pete Upham

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In my 40 years of school work, I don't think I have worked with another individual with Pete’s keen grasp of strategy, his excellent writing skills, his creativity, his gift for asking probing and tough but good questions, his ability to identify the essence of a school’s challenges and opportunities, and his stellar integrity. 

I worked with Pete first as a colleague and then as a Board member in the association space, and later when I moved to a Head of School role. Pete demonstrates a unique blend of insight, humor, and collegiality. In multiple settings, I’ve seen Pete help Boards and leadership teams see more clearly and think more deeply. And his own understanding, especially when it comes to marketplace issues for schools, is unmatched. He’s both a thinker and a doer, and that makes him invaluable as a consultant.

The experience with Pete Upham consulting and Pete himself was excellent. We received support throughout a comprehensive boarding review for which Pete was instrumental in advising, but also framing the approach and implementation. Through surveys, visits to campus, and regular opportunities for support and consultation, the final review we received was excellent as it reflected a deep understanding of our school and community, but also detailed recommendations, data summaries and interpretation, as well as subsequent additional support as needed. We are so grateful for the expertise, time and care that Pete committed to the project. 

Pete Upham maximized the work of Santa Catalina’s Board of Trustees and Leadership Team attending our Strategic Planning Retreat. Pete surfaced the essential questions, specific to our school, to support Santa Catalina’s core values and mission. He masterfully led our efforts to make the hard choices in order to prototype strategy, which included specific follow-ups. In addition to his deep knowledge regarding all aspects of school life, it is his principled approach, working in partnership with school leaders, that creates such powerful outcomes.

When Charlotte Latin needed to evaluate its Financial Aid program in order to look at everything from practices and efficiencies to trends and analysis, I knew the perfect person for the job, Pete Upham. Pete's ability to synthesize information and mark a course for the future is second to none in the industry. His background in enrollment management and at TABS makes him a fantastic strategic resource for any school.

Pete’s ability to render the complex issues organizations face clear provides decision-makers the perspective and insights they need to make smart, decisive, strategic decisions. Ask anyone who has ever worked with him and they’ll tell you, it’s his superpower.