Norm Jones Named Interim Chief Diversity Officer

Norm Jones has been named Haverford College’s next Interim Chief Diversity Officer. He replaces Raquel Esteves-Joyce and Linda Strong-Leek, who remain with the College as assistant dean of first-generation, low-income student support and programming and provost, respectively.

“I'm thrilled to join the Haverford community at a time when institutions, within and beyond higher education, are re-thinking approaches to racial healing and reckoning and also committing to building community in ways that allow more people to be seen and heard,” he said. “In the coming year, I seek to establish a clear and accessible infrastructure within which a permanent CDO can advance the important work of diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice. This work requires input and participation from all facets of the college, including alumni and [the Board].”

Jones will establish Haverford’s CDO office and portfolio over the coming year, including instituting recommendations from the Advisory Committee on the Future CDO Structure. His physical office will be in the President’s Office suite on the first floor of Founders.

“I am thrilled to welcome Norm Jones to Haverford,” said President Wendy Raymond. “Norm’s appointment reflects a convergence of multiple factors, including the appeal to Norm of our simultaneously urgent and long-term advancement of actions in diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism; national networking; and the good fortune of aligned timing to bring such an accomplished national leader to Haverford. Norm’s professional expertise and experience, interpersonal and scholarly talents, and high energy for accomplishing the work will soon be felt across our campus. I look forward to everyone intersecting with Norm during his 12 months with us.”

Jones comes to Haverford following five years at Amherst College, where he served as Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer. In that role he led diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts across the campus as a member of senior staff. He built the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, which houses an Office of Faculty Equity and Inclusion, Office of Workforce Equity and Inclusive Leadership, Office of Academic Engagement and Student Success, and Office of Student Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  He also co-chaired the President’s Task Force on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, eventually establishing it as a standing committee.

Prior to joining the Amherst administration, Jones was associate CDO at Harvard University and worked at Dickinson College for 12 years, where he rose through the ranks to become associate vice president and dean of institutional diversity. He also worked as a special assistant to the Harrisburg superintendent of schools. He holds a Ph.D. in workplace education and development and an MPA in public administration from Penn State and B.A. in English from Morehouse College.

Jones recently joined members of his family in launching a non-profit organization that supports families of color as they think about the intersections between legacy narratives and philanthropy. He joined the Haverford community this month part-time and full-time on Aug. 1, while continuing his work with that organization.

“I believe,” he said, “in distributive models of leadership and working with stakeholders across the institution to support them in their work and better understand what it means to use a DEI lens to ensure that all Haverford community members, irrespective of their social identities, experience the best the College has to offer.”

The search for the College’s permanent CDO begins this fall.