Our Value
At LeadTeam Partners, helping you accomplish your goals is our priority.

Our core values are the foundation.
At LeadTeam Partners, we are:
Relational: We believe in real, human connection for the long haul.
Resourceful: We seamlessly connect the dots to get things done.
Responsive: We hear your needs and execute quickly, effectively, with intention.
Who are “external school partners”?
At LeadTeam Partners, our community specializes in the needs of K12 private and independent schools. We vet each member to ensure your projects are met with care and quality.
External school partners are any outside experts that independent schools hire to support a strategic initiative. External school partners include:
Consultants
Coaches
Facilitators
Speakers
Meet the Team
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Founder
Chris Pryor brings over 20+ years of experience in the independent school sector to LeadTeam Partners. Chris understands what school leaders face, because he’s been one. He is the former Assistant Head of School for Advancement and External Affairs for Congressional School and the former Director of Admission and Financial Aid for Flint Hill School.
Chris also speaks the language of professional service firms, because he’s been there, too, most recently as the Director for Business Development at Independent School Management.
In founding LeadTeam Partners, Chris blends both of these worlds together. He
connects school leaders with the industry’s leading experts, all so that leaders have support getting their big projects done.
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Community Manager
Nicole McDermott is an educator, leader, ICF-certified coach, facilitator, and consultant with 20+ years of experience. Nicole’s approach is grounded in mutual trust, warmth, integrity, and vulnerability – whether she’s co-creating brave spaces with clients for professional and personal growth through her Quality Matters leadership development work or supporting schools with search and transition as a member of the Educational Directions team. Nicole is a former longtime independent school head and in 2019 was trained by Brené Brown as a Certified Dare to Lead™ Facilitator. Nicole is based in Northern Virginia, has daily meditation and gratitude practices, and is a life member of the Kiwanis service organization.
Nicole was an inaugural member of LeadTeam Partners and now, as community manager, she supports prospective and current members’ questions, coordinates events, facilitates member learning cohorts, and enriches collaboration and engagement across the community.
Testimonials