Appointed 2024

Virginia was born in the charming coastal city of Montevideo, Uruguay. She moved to the United States when she was eleven, yet she returned to Uruguay often, nurturing her deep-rooted connections to her homeland. Virginia attended the University of Virginia and after finishing her BA, pursuing her passion for literature and a desire to explore her heritage, she earned her Masters and PhD in Latin American Literature from UVA as well.  She soon embraced her calling as an educator, taking her first teaching position as Assistant Professor at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, where she taught Latin American Literature. Soon, though, Virginia’s extensive connections to the world of independent schools and her love for teaching and engaging with students led her to a position teaching Spanish at Deerfield Academy. She dedicated twenty rewarding years there. Her journey then took her to Spain, where she served as the Resident Director of School Year Abroad (SYA), an experience that deepened her understanding of the administrative side of independent education. After three transformative years in Spain, Virginia returned to the United States for a term as the Anacapa Scholar at The Thacher School in California. Her Eastern roots drew her back to the Northeast, where she took a position teaching Spanish at St. Paul’s School in New Hampshire where she taught for five years. Just last year, she made a heartfelt return to Deerfield Academy, filling in for a sabbatical position and bringing her experience full circle. Besides having experienced teaching in different schools, Virginia’s long-standing involvement with Harvard’s Project Zero has profoundly shaped her teaching and educational philosophy and she is excited to join CRMS in 2024 as a teacher of Spanish.

In her free time, Virginia enjoys cycling, gardening, and cherishing moments with friends and family, consistently seeking balance in both her professional and personal life.

vinvernizzi@crms.org