At a time of educational leadership changes Island-wide, the Vineyard’s Charter School has just named its new executive director, who will start in the role next school year.
Christopher (“Chris”) Nace, an educator from the mainland with more than a dozen years of experience, will begin his tenure as the new executive director of the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School (MVPCS) on July 1, 2026. He will take over from Peter Steedman, who has been the executive director since 2018. Steedman announced in November that he’s leaving to take a job in Hyannis.
Nace is joining the ranks of several new educational leaders on the Island, such as a new regional high school principal and an incoming superintendent of all public schools, both of whom will also start this summer.
The Charter School hosts about 175 students from kindergarten to 12th grade. The school’s board and search committee conducted a national search to find qualified applicants, and received more than 40 applications. Nace was one of three finalists who went through a public interview process where the community was invited to provide input.
MVPCS board chair Sheila McHugh Hazell said the school “had so much community involvement,” and that insight from members of the public, parents, and staff helped them make the final decision.
Nace’s career has spanned multiple years in Washington, D.C. He was most recently the principal of the D.C. International School, which is a Tier 1, IB charter school for about 900 students in grades nine through 12. Before that, he was the school’s director of student support services, and a special education coordinator. He also has experience at the D.C. Department on Disability Services and the D.C. Public Schools.
Nace has cerebral palsy, a neurological condition that affects body movement and muscle coordination. He said the condition presents differently in everyone, and for him, it primarily affects his arms and hands. Nace said he’s used his experience with a physical disability to advocate for inclusionary teaching strategies.
“Cerebral palsy has taught me that leadership is not about perfection or ease, but about resilience, patience, and the determination to keep moving forward even when the path requires more effort than others may see,” Nace said to The Times.
He said when he was growing up with the condition, “disability was misunderstood” or “frowned upon.”
“I was determined not to let those assumptions define me. That determination ultimately led me to become the first member of my family to graduate from college and pursue a career in education,” Nace said.
Currently, Nace is finishing a Ph.D. in education policy and leadership at George Mason University. He holds a M.A. in secondary special education and transition services, with a concentration in autism spectrum disorder, and an M.S. in conflict analysis and resolution. He also has a B.A. in government and international politics, and a B.A. in conflict analysis and resolution.
As for housing, which leadership candidates in the past have cited as a challenging factor for a new position on the Island, Nace said he and his husband, Erik Gallup, have been looking for a way to relocate to New England, as they have family on the Cape.
“I am thrilled to be relocating to the Vineyard, and to becoming immersed in the unique Island community. It feels like home,” Nace stated in a press release.
There will be a lot of new faces, including Nace’s, in top positions in the local school system next school year. Jaime Curley was named as the new superintendent of schools in February, after the announcement that Richard Smith will retire, and the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School committee is currently undergoing a search for a new principal to replace interim Principal Sean Mulvey. Announcement of the new principal is expected soon.
“Our board of directors is delighted to welcome Chris as MVPCS enters an exciting new chapter. Throughout the search process, he demonstrated vision, empathy, and a deep alignment with our school’s mission,” Hazell stated in the release.
Nace said the perspective garnered from his life and his educational background has directly informed his teaching style, which he told The Times is grounded in “a commitment to ensuring that every student, especially those who feel different or underestimated, knows they belong.”