Christopher Tompkins

Speaker Summary

Christopher Tompkins is the Executive Director for Early Childhood through Grade 12 Education for the NEOM project in Saudi Arabia. He is actively leading the sector through the development of education law, regulations, and policy. He hired the founding team and opened NEOM’s first school in September of 2021, with a second school planned for August 2022.

Areas of Expertise

Global Programs – Leadership and Management – Research

Full Profile

Before NEOM, Chris was Head of School at various boarding and day schools in the United States, where he implemented global programs and partnerships from Saudi Arabia to Rwanda, South Africa, and China. Having taught IB History at Academia Cotopaxi in Ecuador, he continued his connection to Latin America by serving on the Cloud Forest School Foundation board, which supports the Cloud Forest School in Costa Rica.

In addition to serving as trustee and Chair of the Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools (ADVIS), he was a founding trustee of AISAP and has served on the NAIS SSS, The Montgomery School, and Chambersburg Montessori School boards.

Tompkins, a regular presenter at various conferences and summits, has authored articles in the Head’s and Trustee’s Letters and the NAIS Magazine. Tompkins wrote the Forward to “Behind the Walls: Life in Boarding School” and the book “The Croton Dams and Aqueduct .” With a lifelong commitment to teaching and learning that includes admissions, college counseling, teaching, and all-school leadership, he brings extensive experience serving students, faculty, and families.

Christopher is a husband to Kate, an educator, and the father of three independent school graduates.