Sage Hill School, Director of Middle School

Joseph Moody, PhD has been named the inaugural Director of Middle School at Sage Hill School in Newport Beach, CA. At Sage, Moody will oversee curriculum building, faculty hiring, and fundraising in anticipation of the middle school’s opening in fall 2026.

Moody currently serves as Head of Middle School at The Lovett School in Atlanta, GA. He joined Lovett in 2010 as an eighth-grade science teacher and swiftly rose through leadership positions, serving as Dean of Student Life and Assistant Head of Middle School for Student Life before becoming Head of Middle School. At Lovett, among other notable accomplishments, he led the research-informed gender integration of middle school classrooms and has introduced contemporary restorative practices. He has played an active role in SAIS peer accreditation and has a long history as a counselor, mentor to independent school deans, and coach of wrestling, football, and track. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology at Presbyterian College prior to pursuing his Master of Science in Psychology and doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Walden University. 

Berkley Braden led this search with Diana Carmona and Rachel Banderob.