Principal Search
Announcing Our New Principal
Archbishop Williams High School is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Gina M. Mathews '87 as the school's next Principal, effective July 1, 2026.
A respected Catholic educational leader with more than 25 years of experience in teaching, administration, curriculum development, and instructional leadership, Dr. Mathews brings a deep commitment to academic excellence, faith formation, and collaborative leadership.
In Her Own Words
Listen as Dr. Mathews reflects on what inspires her about Archbishop Williams and what she's looking forward to as she begins her new role as Principal.
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Dr. Mathews most recently served as Chief Academic Officer at Boston Renaissance Charter Public School, and previously spent five years as Associate Superintendent of Academics and Instruction for the Archdiocese of Boston Catholic Schools Office.
For the Archbishop Williams community, Dr. Mathews' appointment also represents a celebrated homecoming. An alumna of Archbishop Williams (1987) and a member of the AWHS Academic Hall of Fame, she previously served the school as Assistant Principal and Academic Dean from 2017 to 2019, where she worked closely with faculty and department chairs to strengthen curriculum alignment, instructional leadership, and professional collaboration across departments.
"Dr. Mathews is an exceptional educator and servant leader whose experience, vision, and dedication to Catholic education make her uniquely suited to lead our school into its next chapter," said AHWS President and CEO Dennis M. Duggan, Jr., Esq. '70. "She understands the mission and values of Archbishop Williams because she has lived them as a student, administrator, and leader within the Archdiocese of Boston. We are thrilled to welcome her home."
Throughout her career, Dr. Mathews has demonstrated a passion for empowering teachers and fostering strong school communities rooted in relational trust and shared leadership. In her work with the Archdiocese of Boston, she supported school leaders throughout the region in areas including curriculum development, instructional coaching, strategic planning, faculty evaluation, standardized testing, and school improvement initiatives.
At Blessed Sacrament School in Walpole, where she served in multiple leadership capacities while with the Archdiocese, Dr. Mathews helped oversee strategic planning efforts that contributed to enrollment growth, faculty retention, campus improvements, and the launch of a capital campaign.
Prior to her diocesan leadership work, Dr. Mathews spent two decades at Notre Dame Academy as a mathematics teacher, Mathematics Department Chair, coach, advisor, and Interim Principal. Her leadership experience spans elementary, middle, and secondary Catholic education.
Dr. Mathews earned a Ph.D. in Education from Walden University, where her doctoral research focused on educational leadership and the role of department chairs in instructional improvement. She also holds a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Educational Leadership from Bridgewater State University, a Master of Arts in Teaching from Emmanuel College, and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Saint Michael's College.
"I am honored and humbled to return home to Archbishop Williams," said Dr. Mathews. "This school played an important role in shaping who I am, and I look forward to working alongside our outstanding faculty, staff, students, families and alumni to continue advancing the mission of Catholic education in the spirit of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. Archbishop Williams is a special community, and I am excited for all that lies ahead."
Dr. Mathews succeeds Dr. Michael R. Volonnino, Ph.D., who has served as Principal since 2014 and will become President of Bishop Fenwick High School and St. Mary of the Annunciation School on July 1, 2026.
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Archbishop Williams High School is an independent, co-ed, Catholic, college preparatory, grades 7-12 school located in Braintree, Massachusetts. We endeavor to educate young men and women spiritually, intellectually, ethically, and physically. Driven by the love of Christ, in the tradition of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, we integrate learning with faith. We strive to graduate socially aware, morally responsible citizens prepared to succeed and to serve their local and global communities.