Atlanta Girls' School Names Joan King New Interim Head of School

board of trustees recently announced the appointment of Joan King, former English department chair, as interim head of school, effective July 1.

She is replacing Pinney Allen, who announced the end of her four-year tenure as head of school, effective June 30, according to representatives from the Atlanta Girl's School.

King has been with the Buckhead school since 2003, serving as an English teacher, entrepreneurship program creator, department chair and seventh-grade dean. Before joining the school, she spent more than 20 years with accounting firm Accenture, where she rose to be a senior partner in charge of major financial accounts and was the company’s first female partner in the Southeast.

“I fully embrace my new role at AGS and look forward to guiding our community through the transition process. I feel tremendously lucky to have this opportunity and am optimistic about what we can accomplish for the future of AGS,” King said. “I am dedicated to AGS in as many ways as is possible — including as a parent of a graduate who fully reaped the benefits of the risk-taking and discovery afforded her here, and I am excited about my time ahead as the interim head of school.”

Allen, who is currently away on vacation, was unavailable for comment. Harold Daniel, Chair, AGS Board of Trustees had this to say about the former head of school:

“Pinney has been a tremendous force at AGS, leading a number of initiatives that have positioned the school for its many successes across the AGS community,” he said. “Most impressive has been Pinney’s leadership that resulted in the strongest financial performance in the school’s history with balanced budgets every year. We are forever grateful to Pinney for her many accomplishments at AGS and her dedication to building one of the best all-girls’ schools in the country.”

King is married to Kevin Salwen and has a daughter and a son. Their daughter, Hannah, a 2011 graduate of the school, is a student at New York University and was co-author with her father of the book, “The Power of Half,” according to a press release.

King’s family has actively supported the school over the years, including creating a fundraising initiative called the Acceleration Fund, which brought in $750,000 for major improvements in 2005. She is also active with Habitat for Humanity and she lists running, piano, cycling, skiing and gardening as her passions.