Interview with John Finley, Head and Co-Founder of Epiphany School

Posted October 16, 2024

We sat down with John Finley, Head and Co-Founder of Epiphany School, to discuss the journey of founding Epiphany School, and his advice for nonprofit leaders and those looking to make the switch from for-profit to nonprofit.

What inspired you to co-found Epiphany School?

The church has always been really important to me. I went to an Episcopal boarding school, which had a strong tradition of public service, and I loved the experience of combining learning and community service. After boarding school, I went to Harvard, where I continued my public service through an opportunity to run a homeless shelter. Unfortunately, during my time there, I realized that I was often the only person attending the funerals of some of our residents. That experience inspired me to want to start a school, where I could work with younger people and potentially change their trajectory.

So that was my plan: I was going to become an Episcopal priest and then start a school.

Sadly, in 1992, being openly gay meant that my ability to become a priest was at the discretion of my bishop, and the bishop of Massachusetts at the time said “no.” However, around that time, a friend of mine was making a film about the opening of a new Jesuit school that identified and enrolled academically promising kids from low-income backgrounds who had motivated families. I checked it out and immediately fell in love with the idea. I subsequently spent the next five years helping to launch the school. Eventually, a new bishop was appointed, and luckily, he overturned the previous bishop’s decision, which meant I was officially allowed to become a priest.

As a result, I spent my first year of seminary building the Epiphany School—hiring teachers, raising money, and getting the facilities up and running. We officially opened in 1997, and the first students came in 1998. And that’s how it all came to be.

Can you describe the journey of co-founding Epiphany?

The bishop of Massachusetts had been looking for someone to start a school similar to the Jesuit school. His support lent legitimacy to the project, giving others the confidence to contribute their resources.

For the first two years, we had a wonderful space, but it was only available during the week, so every Friday, we had to take the entire school apart—only to rebuild it every Monday. It was tough, but we remained steadfast in our goal. We knew it would be hard, but we were determined to get it done.

What three pieces of advice would you give to nonprofit leaders?

  1. I don’t really have a leadership “philosophy” or an MBA, and there’s no book that told me how to do this. I’ve always been aware of my weaknesses, so I’ve tried to build strength around me in areas I’m either not interested in or not good at.
  2. I worked harder and longer than anyone else, especially in the beginning, because I never wanted to ask anyone to do something I wasn’t willing to do myself.
  3. A group of people thinking together is very powerful, especially when they have different viewpoints. My leadership team is incredibly diverse in thought. In fact, there isn’t a single person who sees the world the same way I do or thinks about problems the same way I do.

What three pieces of advice would you give someone considering nonprofit work?

  1. Start by volunteering.
  2. I’m a big believer in throwing yourself all the way into things. Be brave enough to take risks—especially if you’re young.
  3. Understand and get to know yourself. For example, I used to see people come to work at the shelter because they felt they “had to” work with the homeless due to their faith or tradition. My advice is, “If you’re a giraffe, be the best giraffe you can be. Don’t feel like you have to be a zebra. If you’re a zebra, love your stripes. Don’t feel like you need a long neck to be like a giraffe.”
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