Matthew Goetting Named Chief Advancement Officer

“Matt comes to Gunn at an exciting time in our history,” said Head of School Emily Raudenbush Gum. “A present, empathetic, and engaging leader, he is clearly aligned with our mission and inspired by the courage and determination of Frederick and Abigail Gunn, who founded our school 175 years ago. Matt is excited to tell The Frederick Gunn School story and to create opportunities for our alumni, parents, and friends to engage with the community in meaningful ways. His ability to cultivate and build strong, authentic relationships across our community will help to ensure The Frederick Gunn School and our students continue to thrive.”

Goetting’s appointment comes at a time when the school is nearing the completion of the ambitious $100 million Campaign for The Frederick Gunn School, and approaching a sustainable $2 million annual fund. Over the past decade, Gunn has achieved tremendous momentum, and in the words of Trustee Emeritus and Executive Chair of the Campaign, Jonathan Tisch ’72, “We are only getting started.” The school has aspirations for many exciting initiatives ahead. Under the leadership of Raudenbush Gum and Goetting, its goal is to raise extensive funding to support the enhancement of the athletic facilities on the east side of campus, and the continued cultivation of the west side of campus in ways that will foster Highlander traditions, old and new, for the next 175 years.

“Highlanders are open-minded and open hearted. We work hard, compete fiercely, and have a lot of fun. This is what it means to have the heart of a Highlander,” Raudenbush Gum said, adding, “Matt was an obvious Highlander from the start. A confident, entrepreneurial, and inclusive leader, he prioritizes collaboration, community pride and a sense of belonging, and a clear sense of purpose. We recognized immediately that he would be a good fit for our community.”

Goetting’s appointment followed an intensive, national, six-month search. Prior to joining Gunn, he served for over four years as Associate Head of School at St. Anne’s Episcopal School in Middletown, Delaware, where he oversaw all external relations along with the educational program. Notably, he led a recent strategic planning effort and played a crucial role in helping the school navigate the global pandemic. St. Anne's experienced a 30% enrollment increase during his tenure. 
Goetting previously served as Vice President of Institutional Advancement at the Maine College of Art, where he energized the advancement and marketing communications departments and helped to secure the largest gift in the college's history. He brings extensive leadership and development experience from both the independent school and higher education worlds after starting his career in management consulting.

“I was attracted to Gunn because it quickly became clear that there is a very intentional, purposeful, and meaningful direction here,” Goetting said. “I found Frederick and Abigail’s story very appealing, especially in terms of their courage, and how they have inspired the school to live the values they embraced. There’s a humanity to this place, and to the mission, which resonates with me. A sense of place is also very important to me, and the absolute beauty of this campus and the greater Washington community reminds me of where I went to college, and Central New York where I was born.”

Born in Syracuse, Goetting was raised in Columbus, Ohio, and the Philadelphia suburbs. He graduated from Colgate University, where he majored in sociology and anthropology, played varsity baseball, and was a Link Advisor, overseeing the Link Program and first-year orientation. Throughout his career working in schools, he has served as an advisor and coach. Goetting holds a master's in educational leadership from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, and he completed the Tuck Leadership and Strategic Impact Program at Dartmouth College.

“I am excited to join the Gunn community and to work with the Alumni & Development Office, Emily, and the Board of Trustees to build on the tremendous momentum that has been created here. I want our alumni, parents, past parents, and the larger community to feel a great sense of pride in their connection to and affiliation with The Frederick Gunn School, and to feel proud of their investment in the school,” Goetting said. “Gunn’s mission and focus are more relevant and necessary today than they have ever been. I am looking forward to getting out there and telling the story of why this school at this time is such a critical part of the educational equation.”

Goetting is married to Karen, an artist and lower school art educator, and has an 8-year-old son, Stone, and a goofy Great Pyrenees named Caspian.