Dr. Britt Daniel named president of Riverside Prep

Riverside Preparatory Academy’s Board of Trustees announced today that Dr. Robert Brittain “Britt” Daniel, J.D., has been appointed president, effective July 1, 2024.

 

Dr. Daniel has served the Riverside community for more than 25 years, and his long history of successful leadership spans a wide array of programs, divisions, and efforts at the Academy including prominent roles as dean of academics and as the Academy’s executive vice president for the last nine years. As executive vice president, he has led the day-to-day operations across all divisions, to include academics and the accreditation process in 2017 and 2023, the Infirmary during a global pandemic, public relations, and technology, where he serves as the executive sponsor of the Academy’s Generative AI Taskforce.

 

He will succeed Dr. Stas Preczewski who has led Riverside since January 2019. Preczewski recently announced plans to retire this month after a long and distinguished career in secondary education and higher education.

 

“As a partner in the leadership of the Academy, I have relied heavily on Dr. Daniel for his extensive knowledge and deep understanding of the Academy,” Preczewski said. “His selection as president will mean a seamless transition for the Riverside community, and I can think of no one better equipped to lead the Academy forward.”

 

Given Dr. Daniel's long history of successful leadership at the Academy, the board saw no need for an external search.

 

“A graduate of The Citadel and parent of a Riverside graduate, Dr. Daniel understands Riverside’s rich military history and will continue to honor and respect our traditions while keeping the Academy moving forward,” said Dr. Daniel Kaufman, Board of Trustees’ chairman. “Leading through the pandemic and economic challenges, he has a deep and personal understanding of the school’s strengths and opportunities and will bring his wisdom, commitment, and passion to build on the successful legacy of past leaders.”

 

Dr. Daniel’s appointment following years of proven successful leadership and dedicated service comes as no surprise to many in the Riverside community.

 

“Dr. Daniel’s tenure speaks for itself and harkens back to the days when many senior leaders and teachers were Riverside lifers,” said Jim Van Arsdale, RMA trustee and graduate, class of 1979. “His son is a Riverside alumnus, so he knows first-hand the impact of Riverside’s unique educational model. He has the skills and knowledge to lead, and belief in the Academy’s mission, which is especially critical at this point in the history of our school. I have every confidence that he will do right by us to ensure that Riverside’s legacy is secure.”

 

As one of his first priorities, Dr. Daniel will continue his oversight of the next round of the Academy's strategic planning.

 

“I am honored to serve as president of Riverside Preparatory Academy” Dr. Daniel said. “The Academy’s rich history, military tradition, and timeless mission have been inspiring young men to reach their full potential for more than 100 years. I know what it is to be a parent who wants to put his or her son in the best possible position to succeed. I have witnessed the transformative power of a Riverside education, not only with my own son, who is a recent graduate, but also with countless notable alumni leading successful and distinguished careers and personal lives. I am fully committed to Riverside’s evolved military model that offers structure, self-discipline, and leadership in an atmosphere of mentorship, brotherhood, and academic achievement. Riverside is exactly what families are seeking and what society needs—today more than ever. I look forward to working closely with the entire Riverside community to inspire our next generation of confident, capable, and successful young men.”

 

A native of Georgia, Dr. Daniel earned a doctorate in juris prudence from the University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law. He also earned a Bachelor of Science from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, where he served as a Cadet Second Lieutenant in the Regimental Band and Pipes. He and his wife Robin, the talent acquisition and onboarding manager at Jackson EMC, celebrated 25 years of marriage in August 2023. They have two children; daughter Maddie is a graduate of the University of Georgia, and son Robb, a 2021 graduate of Riverside Prep, is currently a student at the University of North Georgia. The Daniels have been longtime members of Jefferson First United Methodist Church where Dr. Daniel has served as finance chair. Between school terms, he enjoys long-distance backpacking trips and plans to attempt a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail one day.