Teton Science Schools Board Chair, Peter Stalker, announced Wednesday that Scott Ferguson of Santa Fe,New Mexico will lead TSS as its next Executive Director. In July, Scott will replace Jack Shea who is moving to Seattle, WA to take a position as the Head of the Meridian School. Ferguson was chosen after a thorough international search process that included almost 400 applicants and was unanimously approved by the TSS Board of Directors at a meeting on April 16, 2013.
Peter Stalker stated, “We are excited to have Scott join us and integrate his non-profit and business expertise along with his global experience into Teton Science Schools. TSS programs are today stronger than ever. We provide significant educational experiences across an exciting array of program areas. We trust Scott’s vision and innovative style will continue the growth and success of the organization.”
April Landale, search committee member and Associate Executive Director said of Ferguson, “Scott’s leadership will develop the Science Schools’ full capacity through increased efficiencies and effectiveness that supports the delivery of our mission and educational programs.”
Nate McClennen, Head of Journeys School and Associate Executive Director of Teton Science Schools, states, “Scott brings a firm belief in innovation and excellence which are synchronous with the goals of Teton Science Schools. It is evident that he also values communication, collaboration, and creativity – all hallmarks of TSS.”
Teton Science Schools provided the following biography for Ferguson. After graduating from Phillips Exeter Academy, Scott completed a B.A. in the History of Science at Harvard. Ferguson then taught high school math and science in Massachusetts and abroad on the island of Malta. He went on to complete an MBA at INSEAD (European Institute of Business Administration), one of the world’s largest and most prestigious graduate business schools. His global work experience began when he joined the Computer Sciences Corporation in Boston and Brussels in 1981. With colleagues he began a management training and consulting company in Brussels and Paris. He then joined the World Bank Group in 1992 as an Investment Officer, working on private sector development projects in Southeast Asia, the South Pacific, and French West Africa. He left the Bank in 1996 to head a venture capital firm in Croatia. After subsequently working as CFO and Director of Strategy for a consumer goods company and a medical services company in Europe, he joined CIMMYT (Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maíz y Trigo) in Mexico in 2009 as Deputy Director General, where he worked to increase food availability in developing countries. Scott is 55, married, with two sons. He is currently finishing a book on non-profit management.
When asked about moving to Jackson Hole Ferguson stated, “The Jackson Hole area is a center of nonprofit expertise and a center for leadership of institutions generally. Already the community probably has more impact than any other similarly sized community in the country and I’m excited to contribute my energy to that impact.” Ferguson continued, “Teton Science Schools blends expertise in business, education and learning,logistics and research. It is a leader in place-based education for all levels, from pre-kindergarten to adult. TSS is also an incubator and implementer of new ideas for better understanding and managing our environment. I believe strongly in its balanced, human, science-driven, locally-anchored approach, whether applied to specific issues of conservation and development, or to broader issues, such as how best to prepare people – young and old — for the future.” He also said, “I thank the TSS Board, TSS employees, and particularly members of the Search Committee, for their support, for the warm welcome extended to me and my wife, and for the diligence and professionalism shown throughout the search process. We are excited to move to Jackson Hole and join the TSS community!”
