Richardson-Phillips comes to Loyola from St. Ignatius in Cleveland, will be Loyola's first female, African-American president
DETROIT — Deborale Richardson-Phillips, Ph.D., will become the seventh president of Loyola High School, the Detroit-based all-boys school announced Jan. 11.
Richardson-Phillips, who will be the first woman and the first African-American to hold the position in the Detroit Jesuit school’s 30-year history, will succeed retiring president David Smith on July 1, Loyola’s board of directors announced.
“The entire Loyola community is blessed to have found such a qualified and capable executive with extraordinary credentials and experience like Deborale,” said Mike Bernard, chairman of the board at Loyola. “At the same time, we are forever grateful to Dave for his service, leadership and results during a time of unparalleled transformation at Loyola.”
Richardson-Phillips most recently served as vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion for St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, another Jesuit school, where she created the school’s first DEI strategic plan, helped increase stewardship efforts, including an increase in giving among alumni of color, and taught African-American history.
Barb Runyon, chair of the president search committee and vice chair of the Loyola board, said Richardson-Phillips stood out from among a highly qualified pool of candidates.
“It was quite evident from our interactions with Deborale that she has a strong desire to make a positive, lasting difference in the lives of young people by leading a faith-based, mission-driven school like ours,” Runyon said.
Founded in 1993, Loyola High School is the only school in the Archdiocese of Detroit jointly sponsored by the archdiocese and a religious order, in this case the Jesuits. The school is one of just three Catholic high schools remaining in the city, and today educates 150 boys from various socio-economic backgrounds – mainly from the city of Detroit. A majority of the school’s student population is African-American.
Richardson-Phillips earned her bachelor’s in political science and sociology from Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina, as well as her master’s in public administration and doctorate in philosophy and human development from the University of Delaware. She is currently studying for a master’s in theology from Xavier University in New Orleans.
In addition to serving at St. Ignatius High School, Richardson-Phillips has 25 years of corporate and educational experience that includes leadership at FirstEnergy in Akron, Ohio, and at Case Western University and Cuyahoga Community College.
“I have dedicated my career to putting people and relationships first and have found that doing so leads to better outcomes,” Richardson-Phillips said. “This is the same approach I will take as Loyola president. The centerpiece of my administration will be a focus on student success. I am committed and will work tirelessly to enhance the student experience, both in and out of the classroom.”
An adult convert to Catholicism, Richardson-Phillips said she witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit moving during her time at St. Ignatius, and hopes to bring a deep sense of faith with her to Loyola.
“I am honored to be joining such a faith-based school like Loyola and look forward to building on the tremendous success that Dave and his team have achieved these last several years,” she said.
Outgoing president Smith joined Loyola in 2019. Under his leadership, Loyola continued its exceptional streak of 13 straight years of 100 percent college acceptance for the school’s graduating seniors, and the school recently launched its “Empower Loyola” campaign, which aims to raise $9 million for campus renovations including a new 200-seat chapel — the first new Catholic chapel built in Detroit in more than 60 years — a welcome center and scholarship and faculty retention funds.
Work on the new chapel and welcome center began in September 2023.
“I look forward to working with Deborale to ensure a smooth transition between now and July and helping her position Loyola for even greater heights and educational excellence in the years ahead — including realizing the full promise and potential of ‘Empower Loyola,’” Smith said.
Laura Knaus, superintendent of schools for the Archdiocese of Detroit, and Fr. Karl J. Kiser, SJ, provincial of the Midwest Jesuits, also sent congratulations to Richardson-Phillips on her appointment.
“I am confident that the Loyola community and the ministry of Catholic education in the City of Detroit will be strengthened and will achieve great success under her leadership,” Knaus said.
Added Fr. Kiser, "I have known and admired her work for years. Her deep love for the traditions of Jesuit education comes from her experience as a faith leader. The students of Loyola will be in excellent hands."
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