Wheeling, WV – With more than 50 long-form interviews, blogs, and podcasts behind her, Elizabeth Hofreuter is evolving a yearlong sabbatical project and stepping into her next educational leadership role as the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools.
Hofreuter is the former head of school at Wheeling Country Day School and the Founder and CEO of GEN-Ed, a company built to empower leaders at all levels to embrace challenges and foster a culture of innovation and inclusion. As part of the GEN-Ed venture, Liz developed Walk With Me, a long-form, multimedia storytelling series designed to document leadership, parenting, and learning differences through the lived experiences of its subjects. This series has received national acclaim, particularly from the educational and learning difference communities, and was most recently nominated to be a featured panel participant at South by Southwest EDU (SXSW EDU) 2026.
Liz now steps into her new position as the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS) with the charge of supporting and strengthening more than 125 independent schools across Pennsylvania and Delaware. She will also promote the growth and development of PAIS through advanced accreditation services, professional learning opportunities, and crowd-sourced networking support, as well as usher in a new era of storytelling for the independent school model.
“This appointment follows an extensive national search that brought forward a field of exceptional candidates…Liz stood out for her ability to support the full ecosystem of a school, placing children and families at the center while developing the trustees, administrators, and educators that make that work possible,” said Chad Barnett, Chair of the PAIS Board of Directors. “Her experience and temperament reflect the qualities that define PAIS at its best.” To read the full announcement, please visit pais.org.
Congratulations to Hofreuter for the next step in a career dedicated to children and for continuing to represent the educational community of the Ohio Valley in the most impactful ways.
For more information regarding this appointment, PAIS, GEN-Ed, or Walk With Me, please contact Liz Hofreuter at lizhofreuter@gmail.com or Luke Hladek at luke@strongmindedagency.com.
