When Dana J. Okeson takes over as Germantown Friends' head of
school on July 15, 2013, she will become the first female to
hold that position at GFS since 1869.  Okeson grew up in
Philadelphia's Overbrook neighborhood and holds degrees from the
University of Scranton and Villanova University.  She comes from
Saint Ann's School in Brooklyn, NY, which the GFS search
committee referred to as "one of the nation's leading
independent schools, noted for progressive educational practices
and high academic standards."  NewsWorks caught up with an
affable, excited and humbled Okeson  on Monday afternoon to
discuss, among other things, her vision for GFS, her message for
the community and what to expect when she takes over for
retiring Head of School Dick Wade.  NewsWorks: Why did you seek
the Head of School position at Germantown Friends?  Dana J.
Okeson: "I have a great job here, at a place I really love, but
Germantown Friends was a school that I admired from afar when I
was growing up in the Philadelphia area. It w