Anacapa School Board members have announced that Mari Talkin has joined Anacapa as Head of School. Talkin comes to Anacapa from Cate School, where she teaches English, humanities, and creative writing.

Prior to being at Cate, Talkin taught at the University of Houston, where she was a member of its highly-ranked creative writing program. Talkin received her MA in English from BYU, an MFA in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and a Ph.D in literature and creative writing from the University of Houston.

She has published several stories and essays, and garnered numerous writing awards. Talkin lives in Santa Barbara with her husband Erik and their daughter Mia.

“We are thrilled to have Mari lead Anacapa,” said Dylan Minor, Anacapa’s board chair. “Mari’s commitment to faculty, students, and learning is palpable, and her deep experience teaching at schools that are terrifically impactful on our community is unparalleled.”

“I am honored to be joining Anacapa to continue to build one of the best independent schools in the community,” said Talkin. “With its depth of faculty expertise and passion, it is uniquely positioned to connect students with their paths to success.”

Talkin formally starts in her new post on July 1; she will work closely with the board to develop the 2023-24 school plans.

For more, visit www.anacapaschool.org.