Bilda Acuña Small, the chief enrollment and communications officer at Girls Preparatory School, has been with the school since 2014. She oversees the admission of new students, re-enrollment of existing students, and marketing communications. Before she came to GPS, Small spent 18 years with Unum in marketing communications and market development. She is an Addy Award winner and in 2014 was named one of the top five Latina Executives of the Year by LATINA Style magazine. In 2015, she was the La Paz Latina Leader of the Year recipient. She currently serves on the board of La Paz and has previously served on the board of Girls, Inc. She also enjoys volunteering as a consultant with nonprofits and other independent schools.
What books have you read that influence the way you approach your job and your leadership role?
Recently, I’ve been immersed in a book by Lisa Damour, Ph.D., entitled “Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood.” I’ve heard Damour speak and her book is as engaging, real, and [as] relatable as she is.
In my role as chief enrollment and communications officer for Girls Preparatory School, her wisdom and experience are invaluable in helping parents understand that girls have unique support needs during their middle and high school years.
The adolescent years for girls can be full of wonder, exploration, and sheer joy. It’s a time when girls are transitioning through important stages of self-discovery. But it’s also time when parents feel like they’re losing their minds trying to support their daughters through the ups and downs of all the changes.