Leadership Head of School

Meet Kelly Sortino

Through a rigorous international search to lead our strategic plan and vision of “One Crystal on two campuses,” in July 2019, Kelly Sortino was chosen as the seventh Head of School, promising to advance curriculum, faculty development, and facilities planning.

Actively engaging with students and educators, and promoting empathy and collaboration, Kelly embodies Crystal’s values. As Head of Crystal’s Upper School and Director of College Counseling, Kelly demonstrates her strategic abilities by reshaping educational initiatives, including leading the initiative to evolve Crystal away from the rigid AP curriculum and partnering with Challenge Success.

Before Crystal, Kelly served as an English teacher, Princeton University admissions officer, Boston Consulting Group consultant, and Google intern. She holds an MBA and M.Ed. from Stanford and an A.B. in Art and Archaeology from Princeton, where she graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. A former semi-professional dancer and varsity golfer, Kelly values athletics and the arts in the student experience.

Students and parents trust Kelly’s dedication, extensive experience, and strong leadership to guide the school.

Your Future is Bright

Crystal kids have one thing in common: They come to school fired up to be here. Paired with brilliant, bold, invested faculty, our students are encouraged to take risks, explore the world, and inspire each other. We take the time to ask each of our students, “What excites you?” When students discover and pursue what makes them tick and are supported by people who believe in them, magic happens.

I am thrilled to be the seventh Head of Crystal Springs Uplands School. Every day, I am inspired by the students and teachers who make up the seven-year Crystal journey. I invite you to delve deeply into this website and visit us in person to experience the magic of Crystal firsthand. Our people — students, faculty, parents, and alums alike — make us who we are, and I encourage you to reach out to them to hear about Crystal's impact on their lives. We hope you enter our school with a spark and leave ignited.

Sincerely,
Kelly Sortino

Our Crystal Academic Leaders

List of 4 members.

  • Photo of Amanda Carroll

    Amanda Carroll 

    MS Director of Academic Support
  • Photo of Alexis Nemer

    Alexis Nemer 

    US Director of Academic Support
  • Photo of Meena Tahiliani

    Meena Tahiliani 

    MS Director of Teaching & Learning
  • Photo of Julia Rubin

    Julia Rubin 

    US Director of Teaching and Learning

Journey Onward

This is the start of Your Journey

Contact

Admission Questions:  admission@crystal.org

Middle School

10 Davis Drive, Belmont, CA 94002
650-645-1000

Upper School

400 Uplands Drive, Hillsborough, CA 94010
650-342-4175
Nondiscriminatory Policy: Crystal Springs Uplands School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

Website Accessibility Statement: Crystal Springs Uplands School is committed to making this website accessible to visitors with disabilities and is continually working to increase its accessibility and usability. We are on a regular basis seeking opportunities to bring all areas of the site up to the same level of overall web accessibility. If for any reason, you cannot access any of the material on our website, please email webadmin@csus.org and we will work to resolve the problem as soon as possible.