Profile

A native of Vermont, Laura Burgess holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and educational studies from St. Lawrence University, and a Master’s degree in liberal studies with a focus on education policy from Dartmouth College. A graduate of Emma Willard School in New York, her experiences led her to embark on a career in independent school admissions that has spanned almost two decades.

Ms. Burgess served most recently at Kimball Union Academy in New Hampshire and other independent boarding schools including Tabor Academy in Massachusetts, her own alma mater Emma Willard School, and Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania.

At Tabor Academy, where she served as director of admissions marketing and senior associate director of admissions from 2016-2023, Ms. Burgess led collaboration between the admissions and communications offices that yielded award-winning print and digital materials and incorporated virtual events and parent networking initiatives. During her tenure at Emma Willard School, she led initiatives to personalize recruitment efforts and utilize digital communication tools to emphasize the school’s value proposition.

Over nearly two decades, Ms. Burgess became a sought-after presenter on the boarding school value proposition and a trusted confidante for colleagues, peers and parents. She has served simultaneously in other capacities within boarding school life such as advisor and dorm parent, which informs all aspects of her enrollment management work.

Ms. Burgess joined King’s Academy in 2024 as the dean of enrollment management.