Leadership

Dr. John Barnhardt
President/CEO

From the moment I walked through the halls at Bishop McNamara, I knew right away that I was home. Our students, our faculty, and our families fill our school with a spirit of love, faith, and excellence. Our school is unlike any other school in the Washington community and we are blessed to be a part of its story.

Dr. John Barnhardt is the fourth president and chief executive officer of Bishop McNamara High School, and he has served in this role since 2020. Dr. Barnhardt's goal is to “educate both the heart and minds of children,” which he believes is essential to his personal mission as an educational leader. 

Originally from northern Wisconsin, Dr. Barnhardt is a lifelong educator who has dedicated his career to building and refining transformational schools for students and families in the DC metropolitan region. Before Bishop McNamara, he served as a principal and eventually the Director of School Design for KIPP DC, a charter school management organization that oversees 19 schools across the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

Board Chairperson Robert N. Summers '86 shared, “John is an exceptional leader for Bishop McNamara High School. His leadership has been motivated by the relationships he has with students, parents, alumni, and faculty and staff communities. John recently shared with me that while it was at first the legacy of Bishop McNamara High School that attracted him to our school, it is the values that our Bishop McNamara family stands for that humbles him and calls him to become our next President/CEO.”

Dr. Barnhardt believes wholeheartedly in an education steeped in mission and values like the Holy Cross tradition. His work is grounded in modeling this in every facet of school leadership, and the responsibility to maintain and strengthen the necessary conditions that allow students and faculty to be highly engaged in teaching, learning, and growing in their faith and academic study.

"I believe the ultimate measure of a great school is the opportunities afforded to our alum," Dr. Barnhardt shared. "When our alumni walk with Hope in the world, and when they provide solutions to complex problems and lead a life full of love and community, we know we are on the right track."

Dr. Barnhardt received degrees in Sociology and Legal Studies from the University of Wisconsin, a Master's in the Art of Teaching from American University, and a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania.  His dissertation research focused on the experience of K-12 students with school safety and security systems, policies, and practices. 

He volunteers on numerous boards, including the Association of Independent Schools Greater Washington (AISGW) and the Wisconsin Union (Wisconsin Union at The University of Wisconsin).   

Dr. Barnhardt resides in Silver Spring with his wife Erica and their children: Jackson, Brooklyn, and Mason.

Mrs. Dian A. Carter
Principal

I truly believe that becoming an educator was my calling and, thirty years later, with various job titles under my belt, I never once regretted teaching, mentoring, or praying with children and young adults. Mrs. Dian Carter

Mrs. Dian A. Carter is the Principal of Bishop McNamara High School who now enters her fifth year in this position. Mrs. Carter is the twelfth person in school history and the first woman to serve in this key leadership role. 

Mrs. Dian Carter guides Bishop McNamara High School with tremendous passion and resolve, leading with conviction,  and concern for the safety and well-being of the entire Bishop McNamara community. This was most evident during the required transition to full remote learning that began in March of 2019 and 2020, transitioned to hybrid learning in the Spring of 2021, and then a full return with modifications in the Fall of 2021.   

Prior to her appointment as Principal, Mrs. Carter served as Bishop McNamara's Assistant Principal for two years and as the Principal at Saint Ambrose Catholic School in Cheverly, MD for nine years.

Before beginning her tenure as a Catholic school educator, she worked as a high school English teacher for Prince George’s and Montgomery County Schools. She began her career as an administrator at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in Bethesda, Maryland, as an Assistant Principal, and prior to leaving Montgomery County Public Schools, she also served as a Vertical Articulation Specialist, Test Coordinator, and Assistant Principal at Wheaton High School in Wheaton, Maryland. 

Mrs. Carter earned her Bachelor of Arts in English Education from the University of Maryland, College Park, and her Master’s in Supervision and Administration from Bowie State University.

She has spearheaded numerous academic and community initiatives during her tenure at Bishop McNamara.  She brings boundless energy to the role as she serves as a wonderful mentor and example to the school's faculty, staff, and students.  As a thirty-year educator, she remains excited about Bishop McNamara's present success and bright future.  Mrs. Carter is an administrator who possesses high standards and expectations of student conduct and she remains committed to fostering a culture of respect among students, faculty, and staff. As the parent of two Bishop McNamara alumni, Mrs. Carter is dedicated and enthusiastic to support the teachers, students, and parents in every way possible.  Through her words and actions, Mrs. Carter advances Bishop McNamara High School’s mission to educate hearts and minds in a dynamic, inclusive Catholic school community rooted in the Holy Cross tradition.