DEDHAM -- Ursuline Academy has selected Kathleen Nolan Levesque to be its third president, succeeding Rosann Whiting, who concluded her 11-year presidency in June.

Levesque, a graduate of Ursuline, is well known to the school community. She has extensive experience as an independent school administrator and board member, having previously served on the board and the executive committee of Moses Brown School in Rhode Island. She joined the Ursuline Academy board in 2002 and has served various roles, including president of the academy from 2004-2007, vice chair of the board, chair of the Governance Committee, and interim principal for the 2015-16 school year.

"In appointing Kate Levesque, the trustees determined that Ursuline Academy would gain a seasoned administrator dedicated to Catholic education who already has earned the respect of the Ursuline community," said Margaret Reynolds, chair of the Ursuline Board of Trustees. "The opportunity for a seamless transition was one that we could not pass up."

Ursuline Academy is an all-girls Catholic school guided by the teachings of St. Angela Merici, the founder of the Ursuline Order. The Academy has over 400 students in grades 7-12, and is located on 28 acres in Dedham.

"Returning as president truly brings my Ursuline journey full circle," Levesque said. "I am humbled and excited at the opportunity to partner with the many dedicated and talented individuals in the Ursuline community. More than ever, today's world calls for Ursuline women -- intellectually curious, thoughtful of others, and eager to bring about positive change in the world around them. It is my hope to lead in the way in which I was formed, in the rich tradition of the Ursuline sisters and following in the footsteps of St. Angela Merici."