Iswari Natarajan, St. Mary’s Academy President & Head of School, has been chosen by Women We Admire as one of Colorado’s Top 50 Women Leaders for 2024. This is the second consecutive year she has received this recognition. 

Iswari's passion for education and impactful work at St. Mary’s Academy have positioned her as an innovator in education for children from Preschool through Grade 12. Being named among the Top 50 Women Leaders in Colorado reflects her exceptional leadership abilities and SMA’s significant accomplishments under her tenure. This accolade celebrates women who have made remarkable strides in their areas of expertise, and Iswari truly embodies what it means to be a deserving awardee.

"I am incredibly proud that Iswari has been recognized for her leadership. Her unwavering dedication to excellence in education, her initiatives aimed at fostering belonging and empowering young minds, and her remarkable ability to inspire staff and students alike have elevated SMA and set a benchmark in education leadership,” said Susan Lintonsmith ‘83, Vice-Chair of SMA Board of Trustees. “We are fortunate to have such a visionary guiding our future generations."

Iswari brings to her leadership position considerable expertise, education, cultural understanding, and a valuable point of view as a female engineer and person of color. She joined SMA in 2012 as a teacher and chair of the mathematics department in the high school and rose through the ranks to become the high school principal in 2018, and assistant head of school and VP of academic affairs in 2022. SMA’s Board of Trustees has unanimously selected her to become the President/Head of School, a position she assumed on July 1, 2023. 

SMA is immensely proud of Iswari’s achievements. Her recognition as one of the Top 50 Women Leaders of Colorado for 2024 reflects her remarkable accomplishments and embodiment of our Loretto School Values. She continues to build a school environment that encourages excellence, collaboration, communication, and a powerful sense of community. 

Iswari holds a BE in electrical and electronics engineering from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in India and an MS in engineering from the University of Maryland. She also holds a diploma in educational leadership and administration from Montessori Casa International. She is the recipient of a 2015 Outstanding Educator/Mentor Award from Stanford University, a 2017 Outstanding Colorado Educator Award from CU Boulder, and a 2022 Outstanding Educator and Teacher of Influence Award from Carleton College. In 2018, IBM recognized Iswari as a Global Women Leader and invited her to present a keynote about leadership. She has been featured in numerous articles for her work in STEM education and presented at the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools Global Forum and Advanced Placement conferences. 

Congratulations, Iswari, on this well-deserved recognition!

Read more about Iswari.