Kalyan Balaven, entering his second year as head of school at Dunn School in Los Olivos, has been selected to serve on the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) Board of Directors.    

Founded in 1941, CAIS is responsible for establishing educational standards and ushering member schools through a challenging and innovative accreditation program. Balaven had previously served with the organization to help evaluate schools in the accreditation process. He is the first Dunn head of school to serve on the board since 2008.  

“As a member of the board, I will help schools stay in line with their missions and remain accredited institutions in association with Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC),” Balaven said. “CAIS helps our schools in being responsive to growing trends and making sure our students are at the cutting edge of learning opportunities.”

CAIS executive director Deborah Dowling said Balaven was chosen from a competitive pool of heads of school based on his strong experience in school accreditation, broad understanding of school management, legal background and alignment with the association’s priorities.

“Kal brings a breadth of knowledge and experience to the CAIS Board,” said board president Steve Morris, of The San Francisco School. “He has a collaborative and charismatic personality that will inspire his fellow Directors to take on the essential work that the Board will be doing on behalf of our independent schools across California.”

The appointment caps a busy first year at Dunn for Balaven, who launched a video and audio podcast titled “The Whole Student.” The 10-episode first season allowed notable guests to shine a spotlight on the teachers in their lives who put them on the path to becoming the leaders they are today.

The “Whole Student” podcast is published on YouTube and the Dunn School website. The audio format of the show may also be found on Spotify and other podcasting platforms.

As an author, Balaven has written articles fora variety of publications, most recently a guest essay in the Enrollment Management Association’s Spring 2022 edition of “The Yield” magazine. Headlining the “Influencers + Innovators” section, he promoted the concept of blending storytelling with digital marketing and innovative curriculum to optimize reach.  

Under Balaven, Dunn also launched the Emergency Ukrainian Student Scholarship. Conceived to help support a Dunn student from Ukraine whose family was displaced by the Russian invasion, Dunn expanded its scope to secure funding to bring more displaced students from Ukraine to campus. Dunn will begin the upcoming school year with five Ukrainian students.