Leading with Trust: Welcome Back, Doctor Nadia Guy

CRJS Founding Principal Dr. Nadia Guy

Women’s History Month calls us to honor the leadership and lived experiences of women. In March, Cristo Rey Jesuit Seattle proudly welcomed back Principal Dr. Nadia Guy. Her return is a moment of gratitude, reflection, and affirmation of what is possible when leadership is rooted in trust and shared responsibility.

After taking time away to be fully present with her family, Dr. Guy returned with a renewed commitment to both her vocation as a mother and her calling as a school leader. Reflecting on that experience, she shared, 

“Thank you to leadership, to students and families, for letting me take the time to be home with my daughter so that I could be the best mom I could possibly be, and be the best principal.”

Her words highlight a reality that remains uncommon, particularly for women in educational leadership. Too often, women are asked to choose between professional excellence and personal wholeness. Dr. Guy’s experience offers a different narrative, one where community, faith, and mission create space for both.
 

She acknowledged the strength of the Cristo Rey Jesuit Seattle community during her absence. 

“There aren’t a lot of jobs, especially principal jobs, where you can take time to focus on your family and the school,” she noted. “The school didn’t burn down, which let me know that you were doing just great.” Behind the humor is a powerful truth. Faculty, staff, students, and families stepped forward together, ensuring continuity and care.

During Women’s History Month, Dr. Guy’s return invites reflection on how schools like Cristo Rey Jesuit Seattle help shape how women show up in the workforce. By modeling leadership that honors balance, dignity, and collaboration, we are supporting today’s women leaders and forming future graduates who will carry these values into their professions and communities.

As Dr. Nadia Guy resumes her role, her leadership continues to inspire a generation of young people, especially young women, to imagine workplaces where excellence and humanity go hand in hand. Listen to her reflective answers to three questions on leadership, purpose, and who inspires her.