About

Oh, what a glorious thing it is to be seen.  Children will crane their necks when performing on stage or on the athletic field to catch a glimpse of that beloved parent or trusted family figure watching them.  People want to be seen for their efforts, gifts and talents.  They want to be acknowledged. They want their ideas to be understood.  Most importantly, people want to be cared for.

“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”  Care comes from being in fellowship.  Listening.  Spending time together. Reflecting on what you’ve heard.  Considering what lies beneath the words that are spoken.  To lead is to be fully engaged in caring about the well-being of the people in your sphere of influence.  

Of course, business must get done. KPI’s must be achieved.  Balance sheets and income statements must add up.  Yet, if we have learned anything from the pandemic, we are social beings.  Being in fellowship, in close contact and in communion with other humans, brings meaning.  Even when it’s hard, even when it’s maddening, we are ultimately in this life to care for one another.

Engaging with people, learning about their interests, and helping them to realize their goals is a skill that Inez Odom has cultivated and developed over time. She has had the privilege and responsibility of enrolling students who, through education, have become leaders in the world.

As the former assistant head of school for enrollment management and outreach, Inez Merlyn Odom oversaw the strategic initiatives for the Office of Admission as well as the Marketing and Communications departments for La Jolla Country Day School.

With a master’s degree in communications from Stanford University, Odom implemented progressive initiatives for the office of admission, including state-of-the-art project and student management software, innovative strategies for recruitment and student ambassador programs. She oversaw the practical and experiential aspects of the admission process to ensure that applicants were treated with dignity, fairness and kindness. She also worked closely with her fellow leadership team members to verify that students and their families had a meaningful and positive experience.

TEAM LEWIS
Vice President, Professional Development

March 2023 - Present

Academy of Our Lady of Peace
Strategic Initiatives and Research Director
July 2022— March 2023
Director of Enrollment Management, Outreach and Innovation
2020–June 2021
Assistant Principal
2020–2021

La Jolla Country Day School
Assistant Head of School for Enrollment Management and Outreach
2008–2020

IMO Productions
President/Executive Producer
1992–present

Stanford University
MA, Communication

University of New Hampshire
BS, Business Administration