Norwich — The general director of a preschool through 12th grade school in Colombia and a former educator in Greece and South Korea was named as the new head of school for Norwich Free Academy by the board of trustees Tuesday.

Brian M. Kelly, 48, will succeed current NFA Head of School David Klein, who will depart at the end of June to become president of St. Joseph High School in Trumbull. Kelly’s contract has not yet been signed, but he is slated to start his new position in July at a salary of $252,000. He currently is in Florida and does not plan to return to Colombia in the interim, NFA board of trustees Chairman DeVol Joyner said Tuesday.

In a news release issued following the board’s unanimous vote Tuesday, Kelly called it “an honor” to be selected to head the 2,300-student, privately endowed academy that serves as the chief designated high school for Norwich and seven surrounding towns. He spent three days on campus — during the COVID-19 school shutdown — meeting with NFA officials and the trustees.

“From the very beginning of the process, I was drawn to the unique nature of the school governance and commitment to a culturally diverse and inclusive community,” Kelly said in the release. “It was my time on campus, however, that truly captivated me. ... With each group of people that I had the pleasure of meeting, the sense of community became more and more apparent. Without a doubt, NFA is the ideal place for me and my family.”

For the past three years, Kelly has served as the general director of Colegio Granadino, a school of more than 900 students and faculty and staff totaling more than 200 in Manizales, Colombia.

Prior to that, Kelly served as a middle school principal in Cali, Colombia, for seven years. He also has held educational leadership positions in Greece and South Korea. Kelly also has taught at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Prior to becoming an educator, he worked in educational fundraising at the University of Nevada, Reno, which is where he completed his undergraduate schooling.

Kelly, who is bilingual, holds a doctorate in organizational leadership, policy and development from the University of Minnesota. His Master of Education, Administration and Supervision is from the University of Phoenix. He is married with two children.

“Brian is innovative, and he brings the skills necessary to lead NFA to the next level,” Joyner said in the news release. “He has also had real success with faculty recruitment and training, technology and he has a track record of building strong relationships both in school and in the community.”

Joyner said the board was excited by Kelly’s ability to understand and embrace the diversity of the NFA population.

“We are confident that we have found a transformative leader for our school who will become an integral member of the community as a whole,” Joyner said in the release.

Joyner thanked the board’s search committee, which consists of himself and board members Steve Bokoff, Betsy Conway, David Kalla, Denise Lindell and Todd Postler, and Boston-based search consulting firm Carney Sandoe and Associates for conducting the search mostly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The group identified finalist candidates in early April.

“This was a challenge,” Joyner said of conducting the search during the COVID -19 school shutdown and prohibitions on in-person meetings. “I think that we all became experts on these Zoom meetings and interviewing. It was uncharted waters we were swimming in.”

Joyner thanked the NFA technology staff for arranging the virtual meetings, including Tuesday’s meeting in which some board members attended in person and others attended through video connection.

“A very, very good candidate,” said Postler, who also serves as NFA Foundation president. “We were extremely pleased.”

In addition, the board of trustees authorized creation of a new director of operations position and appointed current Shattuck House Principal Kristin Peckrul to the position beginning July 1 at her current salary of $175,159.

“The board is confident that Kristin will succeed in this new role,” Joyner said in the release. “Her extensive experience at NFA will prove invaluable to our new Head of School.”

c.bessette@theday.com