New Administrative Appointments
Alex Young
OES Chief Financial Officer
We are thrilled to announce that Alex Young will join Oregon Episcopal School as Chief Financial Officer beginning in July 2026. Alex brings more than 20 years of leadership experience spanning finance, strategy, operations, and analytics across a range of global organizations, including ZipRecruiter, Nike, Netflix, The Walt Disney Company, Epic Games, and The Boston Consulting Group.
Most recently, Alex served as Vice President of Growth, Planning, & Analytics at ZipRecruiter, where he partnered across the organization on long-term strategic planning, financial analysis, operational leadership, and growth initiatives. Prior to ZipRecruiter, Alex held a number of senior leadership positions at Nike, including serving as CFO of Nike Japan and as Vice President of Strategy to the President of the Nike Brand. Across his career, Alex has built a reputation for thoughtful leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and helping organizations navigate complex strategic and financial decisions.
Alex has deep personal ties to both Oregon and independent school education. Born in Eugene, Oregon, he spent much of his childhood abroad attending an independent international school in Japan, where both of his parents worked as educators. Alex earned his undergraduate degree from Stanford University and later received his MBA from Harvard Business School. He served as Treasurer and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Multnomah Athletic Club. Alex and his family have been part of the OES community for the past decade, and this spring, his twins graduated from OES after 10 years at the school.
Head of School Michael Spencer shared, “Throughout the search process, Alex distinguished himself through a combination of strategic insight, financial expertise, humility, and genuine warmth. As a seasoned and accomplished professional. he brings extensive experience leading through complexity and change in dynamic organizational environments, while also demonstrating a deep understanding of community and mission-driven leadership. As a parent, he has seen and appreciates the transformational impact of an OES education firsthand and this, in turn, deepens his mission-aligned commitment to the School. Alex’s background, values, and highly relational and collaborative style strongly align with OES, and I am excited to partner with him as we continue advancing the school’s strategic vision.”
Alex shared, “I am honored and excited to join the OES community in this new role. OES has played a profoundly important role in the lives of our family and our children, and I feel deeply connected to the school’s mission and values. I look forward to partnering with Michael, the leadership team, faculty, staff, and Board to support the next chapter of OES.”
Dr. Kaela Clapp
OES Associate Head of School
We are thrilled to announce the appointment of Dr. Kaela Clapp as Associate Head of School. With experience as a classroom teacher, academic leader, and athletic coach, she brings a thoughtful, people-centered approach to strengthening academic systems and supporting meaningful learning in dynamic environments.
Most recently, Kaela served as Dean of Academics at EF Academy Pasadena, an international boarding high school. As a founding member of the school, she helped design and align the academic program to serve students from over 30 countries. Her work included developing school-wide learning outcomes, establishing professional learning cycles, and leading interdisciplinary curriculum development. In addition to her role as Dean, Kaela served as Head of Department for English, Director of Innovation and Impact, and girls and boys volleyball coach.
Kaela began her career in education at Punahou School, where she taught English and Humanities and co-designed an interdisciplinary, team taught course which evolved into a multi-year, service-based pathway for students to apply their learning in meaningful partnership with their communities.
Kaela’s deep connection to Hawaii extends beyond her foundational work at Punahou. She played volleyball at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa on Oahu, where she earned her BA, MA, and PhD in English. She also taught composition and rhetoric classes at the University. Kaela’s doctoral research explored how project-, place-, and competency-based learning, alongside critical and community-engaged pedagogies, can deepen student engagement and agency. Kaela continues to write and present on student-centered learning, interdisciplinary studies, and the real-world application of classroom skills.
Head of School Michael Spencer shared: “Kaela’s deep commitment to students—as a teacher, coach, and administrator—combined with her background as an educational leader dedicated to inquiry-based learning and cultivating meaningful partnerships, wonderfully resonate with the mission, vision, and values of OES. I look forward to developing a strong partnership to support the OES strategic vision for the future.”
We look forward to welcoming Kaela and her family to Portland and the OES community this summer.