Miss Hall’s names dean of equity and inclusion

Miss Hall’s School is pleased to announce the hiring of Paula M. Lima Jones as the School’s first Dean of Equity and Inclusion.

In this new role, Ms. Lima Jones will provide direction and leadership for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at Miss Hall’s, working closely with students and adults to facilitate a culture of inclusivity on and beyond the MHS campus. A member of the School’s senior Leadership Team, Ms. Lima Jones will join the Dean of Academics and Faculty and Dean of Students to launch new DEI programming and strengthen ongoing institutional efforts toward achieving the School’s strategic goal of inclusive community.

“I am thrilled that Paula is bringing her experience, passion, compassion, and vision to the Leadership Team and will help take our DEI efforts to the next level,” said Head of School Julia Heaton. “We have a responsibility to ensure Miss Hall’s is inclusive for all students and adults, on all levels, from curriculum to policies to community programs. We have been actively engaged in developing cultural competency, deepening cross-cultural dialogue, and seeking to honor and celebrate our diverse community. These goals are important to me as Head of School, and to the School’s Board of Trustees, who committed earlier this year to create this leadership-level position. I am excited to partner with Paula in this crucial work.”

“I am most looking forward to making connections with students, faculty, and staff and empowering them to continue with the strong DEI work they have been doing, and I want to champion that work with them,” said Ms. Lima Jones. “The opportunity to be back in a residential campus setting, teaching young people and seeing their growth and development is exciting. I am also excited to impart tools and strategies and to have the opportunity to do DEI work, particularly at this time, when issues of DEI on the national and global stages are playing out in challenging ways. I see my role as helping Miss Hall’s be true to its vision to make DEI a central component of the experience for students and adults.”

As a member of the School’s Leadership Team, Ms. Lima Jones will work closely with key administrators and others to shape schoolwide policies and practices, both in the classroom and in student life at MHS. “Paula is an important addition to our leadership team and school community,” said Dean of Academics and Faculty Lisa Alberti ’73. “She has jumped right in and brings expertise and perspective to our work. I am particularly excited to be partnering with her as we begin departmental equity audits this fall.”

Added Dean of Students Christie Higuera, “Paula is a great addition to the Miss Hall’s community, bringing her experience, creativity, and vision to the School’s key programs. It has been a joy getting to know her and also partnering with her on Student Life initiatives. I am confident that students will respond well to her warmth, sense of humor, and wealth of expertise.”

Ms. Lima Jones, a Massachusetts native who began July 22 at MHS, brings several years of experience in DEI efforts to Miss Hall’s. From August 2006 to May 2014, she served as Director of the Office of Diversity Initiatives at Dickinson College, in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where she provided strategic leadership for the college’s diversity programming. In that role, Ms. Lima Jones collaborated to develop, facilitate, and implement campus-wide initiatives to promote diversity and foster a more inclusive climate. She also participated in student advising and mentorship, campus climate assessment, and several college-wide committees and projects.

From July 2014 to July 2016, Ms. Lima Jones was Racial Justice Program Manager at the YWCA Boston, where she led workshops and training and grew a signature dialogue facilitation program. Most recently, she served as a Teacher’s Assistant at Spring Street Preschool, in Amherst. Ms. Lima Jones holds an M.A. in Community Psychology & Social Change from Penn State Harrisburg and a B.A. in Psychology from Emory University.