By Catholic Philly staff • Posted May 4, 2023

The Board of Independence Mission Schools (“IMS”) has announced Gianna D’Angelo will serve as President and Chief Executive Officer of the organization beginning July 1, 2023. D’Angelo joined IMS in January 2021 as chief financial and operations officer.

“I could not be more excited to welcome Gianna as the new leader of Independence Mission Schools,” said Brian McElwee, chair of the IMS board.

“In her two years with the organization she has had an enormous impact. Gianna is an established professional with proven success in a myriad of settings. IMS is very fortunate to be the beneficiary of her commitment to making a difference in children’s lives.”

As President and CEO, D’Angelo will build on the successes that IMS has experienced and lead the organization as it enters its second decade of delivering affordable and impactful Catholic education, positively changing lives of the 4,000 students in its fourteen schools across greater Philadelphia. This selection will also provide management continuity that enables the organization to continue forward without disruption.

In addition, current President and CEO Bruce Robinson has agreed to continue with the organization focusing on completing the $50 million fundraising goal of the strategic plan.

“I am honored to carry forward IMS’ commitment to providing a transformative Catholic education that develops students intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually,” D’Angelo said.

“Guided by our Catholic faith, our schools focus on developing the whole child and helping them to live productive, independent, and faith-filled lives. Our investments in data-informed instruction, research-based math and ELA curriculums, and the overall improvement of school facilities are paying off, with graduates attending high-performing high schools and earning thousands of dollars in scholarship.”

D’Angelo’s wealth of organizational experience, formerly as a principal in the management consulting division at KPMG, and as partner at IBM, makes her an exceptional choice to lead IMS, according to McElwee. She is a proven leader, strategic-thinker, mentor, collaborator, and, importantly, committed to the belief that every child should have the same opportunity for a quality education that she had at our own St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School in South Philadelphia.

D’Angelo will work collaboratively with the dedicated IMS community including the board of directors, staff and leadership, and external partners and constituents to position IMS for its long-term sustainability and continued achievement. She will ensure the mission remains consistent, offering families of all faiths and income levels the opportunity for their children to learn and grow in a culture of love, setting them on the path to a promising future.

“In recent years, we have raised more than $87 million to subsidize tuition for families, and we will continue to support every family in our network, making our schools affordable for all,” D’Angelo concluded.