AMANDA RIEGEL:
CEO & Founder

Inspired by her belief that success for women in leadership requires a space for transparency and trust, Amanda is the CEO and Founder of Excelle. The Excelle Collective builds a community of trusted peers, engaging in honest and vulnerable conversations. Amanda has a keen sense of how to make others feel seen, heard, and celebrated, and she believes that Excelle is a vehicle through which women will gain strength and confidence. 

Leading by example, Amanda values self-reflection, vulnerability, and transparency, and she encourages women to be brave in taking space for themselves. Amanda’s vision for Excelle is ambitious, as she believes that attending to the needs of women in leadership is a shared endeavor that is worthy of investment, and she is excited to push the traditional boundaries of who will embrace that opportunity with creativity and resource.

With over 20 years working in/among independent schools and as a former search consultant at a leading search firm, Amanda understands the foundational power of relationship-building and unique characteristics that will optimize success in school leadership. In recruiting women heads, Amanda saw a trend of incredibly talented female leaders reluctant to take the plunge because of how the position is perceived, specifically related to potential work/life sacrifices. Additionally, as past Search, Transition, and Board Chair at The Gordon School, she worked closely with a female head of color and observed first-hand the complexities surrounding the role. 

Amanda received her BA in Psychology and Education from the College of William and Mary and her M.Ed. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She was the co-captain of her Division One field hockey and lacrosse teams in college, and she continues to prioritize the importance of teamwork and mental and physical health in her life and community. Empowering women is close to her heart, as Amanda is also the fierce mother of two teenage girls.