In August 2023, Debra P. Wilson began her tenure as theninth president of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).
From 2019 until 2023, Wilson served as president of the Southern Association ofIndependent Schools (SAIS), where she led the organization through a period ofgrowth and supported school leaders in her region through the COVID-19pandemic. Her SAIS role followed 19 years at NAIS, first as assistant directorof regulatory affairs and later as general counsel. In that capacity, sheoversaw regulatory and advocacy work for the organization, supported schools incrises, advanced best practices in governance, and created dozens of legaladvisories along with other informational resources. Before joining the NAISstaff, Debra was a tax litigator at the Department of Justice.
In addition to serving on the boards of several schools, Debra’s board serviceincludes The Enrollment Management Association (EMA), the Council for American PrivateEducation (CAPE), International Council Advancing Independent SchoolAccreditation (ICAISA), and serving on the advisory board of National Networkof Schools in Partnership (NNSP), a division of Close Up.
Speaking frequently on topics such as trends impacting education, leadershipand governance, school safety and risk, and community health and well-being,Wilson is also co-author of the NAIS Trustee Handbook (10th and 11th editions).
Wilson received a B.A. in English from Sewanee: The University of the South anda J.D. from the University of South Carolina at Columbia. She is a graduate ofthe Williams School, an independent school located on the campus of ConnecticutCollege. She is an avid reader, photographer, and cook who loves to be outdoors.