HOLYOKE – Holyoke Community College recently welcomed Linda Chavers, Ph.D., as the inaugural director of its new office of Restorative Practices and Mediation.
A published writer, educator, and consultant, Chavers has spent her career examining structures of institutional inequality and reimagining what justice can look like in the field of education. She brings to HCC a specialization in restorative practices in the workplace, including crisis management, curriculum design, diversity support, and organizational development.
Most recently, she has been working as a nonprofit leadership consultant and a national executive search consultant.
Prior to that, she spent 15 years in higher education, serving as co-director and English professor at The Clemente Course in the Humanities in Dorchester, Mass.; resident dean, assistant dean, and lecturer at Harvard College; and assistant professor of instruction at Temple University in Philadelphia. She also was an instructor of English at Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, N.H.
Chavers holds a Ph.D. in African and African American Studies from Harvard University, a master’s degree in English from Harvard, and a bachelor’s degree in cultural studies from New York University.
She began her role at HCC on July 30.
“I am honored to join Holyoke Community College as the inaugural director of the office of Restorative Practices and Mediation,” said Chavers. “This role is designed to be a first point of contact for workplace concerns at HCC, and my goal is to provide an accessible, safe entry point where concerns can be heard, options explored, and relationships strengthened.”
The office of Restorative Practices and Mediation is part of HCC’s division of People, Culture and Equity. In her position, Chavers works closely with the office of People and Talent (human resources) and the college’s chief impact officer (affirmative action and Title IX) to ensure HCC approaches its work with care, accountability, and a commitment to equity.
“This office represents a bold step forward in our commitment to cultivating a campus culture rooted in healing, accountability, and relational justice,” said Marlowe Washington, vice president of People, Culture and Equity. “We are pleased to welcome Dr. Chavers to HCC. She brings with her a rare blend of scholarly depth, lived experience, and visionary leadership.”
Originally from Washington, D.C., and most recently Boston, Chavers now lives in Hartford, Conn. ■