Meet Our Next Head of School

Episcopal School of Acadiana’s Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that Nowell Hesse  will serve as ESA’s next Head of School, beginning July 1, 2026. Mr. Hesse brings to ESA a distinguished career in independent school leadership. 

A Louisiana native and a graduate of Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, Mr. Hesse earned a Bachelor of Science in Genetics/Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Georgia, and a Masters of Education with a focus in Independent School Leadership from Vanderbilt University. A teacher, coach, and advisor, Mr. Hesse served as Science Department Chair, Director of Technology, and Upper School Head at Newman. Since 2019, he has been the Head of High School at Ensworth School in Nashville, where he oversees all operations for their high school campus. 

“Nowell’s experience stewarding academic excellence, fostering inclusive community, and managing the complexities of independent school leadership has prepared him exceptionally well for this role,” says ESA Board Chair Dr. Lon Baronne, ’00. “Perhaps most importantly, he understands that great schools are fundamentally relationship-driven institutions where trust, integrity, and genuine care for students form the bedrock of transformative education. In Nowell, we have found someone whose character, experience, and educational philosophy align beautifully with ESA’s mission and aspirations.”

 

“I sensed ESA was a unique and special place the very first time I stepped on each campus, a feeling fully confirmed in each conversation throughout the search process,” says Mr. Hesse. “The deep connection to the ESA community and the profound appreciation for the ESA experience expressed by everyone I met were both compelling and inspiring. The more I learned about ESA, the more certain I became that it is exactly where I want to invest my personal and professional energy in the years to come.

“Throughout my career, I have seen that students learn best when they are actively engaged in purposeful and appropriately challenging lessons structured by educators who are experts in their content area and who their students know care about them,” Mr. Hesse adds. “It’s clear that at ESA, excellent teachers form meaningful relationships with their students that are the foundation for high expectations for student learning and growth.”

 

Mr. Hesse’s tenure follows that of Dr. Paul Baker, ESA’s Head of School for thirteen years and a member of the ESA community for three decades. Dr. Baker has also served as Middle and Upper School Head, science and music teacher, coach, advisor, and mentor. 

 

“Under Dr. Baker’s visionary guidance, ESA has risen to prominence among Louisiana’s finest educational institutions while fostering a culture of excellence that permeates every aspect of school life,” says Dr. Baronne. “He has strengthened our academic programs, deepened our commitment to character development, and positioned us superbly for future opportunities.”

The ESA community celebrates Dr. Baker’s remarkable legacy this spring and looks forward to continuing the work of preparing students, not simply for academic success, but for lives of purpose, integrity, and service with Mr. Hesse’s guidance. 

Dr. Lon Baronne, ’00, Board Chair

Tyson Cromwell, ’96, Board Member

Dr. A'Dair Herrington, ’00, Board Member

Christaan Mader, ’02, Board Member

Court Ramsay, ’83, previous Board Chair

Dr. Annie Spell, Chair of Head Search Committee/previous Board Vice Chair

Pat Stokes, previous Board Chair