Office of thePresident

Megan Fitch
Chief Information Officer

The Chief Information Officer provides the vision and strategy for information technology in support of the mission of the College. The CIO also oversees a service-oriented IT organization, Instructional & Information Technology Services (IITS), which supports all of the college’s academic, administrative, client-service and infrastructure needs. Prior to coming to Haverford in 2015​, Megan served as CIO at Beloit College. She has a variety of additional work experiences in higher education, including Kenyon College, and the private sector, including research work on telecommunications and technology for a boutique consulting/litigation support firm. She has a B.A. from Grinnell College, an M.A. from the University of Virginia, and an M.I.L.S. from the University of Michigan.

Jess Lord
Vice President and Dean of Admission and Financial Aid

The Dean of Admission and Financial Aid oversees all aspects of student admission and aid, including recruitment, application review, and enrollment. The Dean is also responsible for working with senior leadership and constituencies on the evaluation and development of admission and aid policies. Before arriving at Haverford in 2005, Jess worked in admission at Pomona College and Brown University. Jess is also a member of the Haverford Corporation and the Advisory Committee of the Corporation.

Jesse Lytle
Vice President and Chief of Staff

The Chief of Staff represents the President and the College on wide ranging business and is the administrative lead in the Office of the President, serving as Secretary of the Board of Managers and Assistant Secretary of the Corporation, as well as Chief Sustainability Officer. The Chief of Staff plays a lead role in institutional planning and assessment and oversees the Office of Institutional Research. Before coming to Haverford in 2012, Jesse Lytle held administrative, research, and teaching roles at Amherst College, the University of Pennsylvania, and Mount Holyoke College.

John McKnight
Dean of the College

The Dean of the College oversees all aspects of student life at Haverford, including academic advising, accessibility services, athletics, diversity, equity, and inclusion and Title IX services, new student programs, residential life, student counseling, student conduct, student engagement, student support and outreach, and student wellness.

John previously served as the dean of institutional equity and inclusion at Connecticut College, and has also held roles in intercultural development, multicultural affairs, and student life at Lafayette College and Lehigh University.

Melissa Shaffmaster
Vice President for Marketing and Communications

As Vice President for Marketing and Communications, Melissa oversees Haverford’s marketing, communications, and branding initiatives to enhance the College’s visibility and reputation as a leading liberal arts institution. This work includes developing strategic communications plans that connect Haverford’s mission and values to internal and external audiences, managing institutional issues, and crisis communications..

Melissa previously served as senior director of strategic communications at Cornell University, and has held roles in public affairs and government relations. She received her bachelor’s degrees in English literature and visual communication from Lycoming College and a master’s degree in strategic communications from American University.

Kimberly Spang
Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Kim Spang, our new vice president for Institutional Advancement, joined Haverford in early August. Kim brings over 25 years of experience, most recently at Lafayette. From her start there in 2003 to her departure 2023 she held roles of increasing responsibility. For the last nine years, Kim led the Development and College Relations team. She led the college through its historic capital campaign, which concluded in 2018, raised a total of $425 million. As the vice president for Institutional Advancement at Haverford, Kim will support and lead a team that builds and sustains understanding, appreciation, and philanthropic support for the educational mission of the College by nurturing relationships with alumni, current and prospective students, parents and families, and other friends of the College. Kim is married with two children.

In the long term, Kim's aim is to position Haverford as a philanthropic leader in higher education, with focus on fostering a culture of giving and engagement and expanding fundraising efforts to meet the changing dynamic of multiple generations and their desire to give generously.

Linda Strong-Leek
Provost and Professor of African and Africana Studies and Gender and Sexuality Studies

The Provost is the chief academic officer of the College, with oversight of the Faculty, the curriculum, general education, faculty research, the three Academic Centers, the Library, and all other academic and instructional support services. In November 2020, Linda was named Interim Chief Diversity Officer, and as of January 1, 2021, served as Interim Co-Chief Diversity Officer alongside Raquel Esteves-Joyce. Before beginning as Haverford's Provost in 2020, Linda served as Provost, Vice President for Diversity & Inclusion, and Professor of Women's and Gender Studies and General Studies at Berea College, where she had taught since 2002.

Nico Washington
Vice President for Finance and Administration

The Vice President for Finance and Administration directs the College's financial affairs and oversees the administrative polices of the college. The Vice President for Finance and Administration’s portfolio includes overseeing campus operations that includes administrative auxiliary services, budgeting and planning, controller’s office, human resources, facilities management, dining services and campus safety.

Prior to coming to Haverford, Nico has held several senior administrative and financial positions and has over 35 years of experience in executive support for finance, administration, accounting, budget planning, strategic planning and project management. Nico holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Maryland.

Thelathia "Nikki" Young
Vice President for Institutional Equity and Access

Nikki is Haverford’s inaugural vice president for institutional equity and access, and a professor of religion and gender and sexuality studies. She directs the College's diversity and equity work. Nikki comes to Haverford from Bucknell University, where she served as associate provost for equity and inclusive excellence since 2020 and taught in both the women’s and gender studies and religion departments since 2011. Nikki earned her Ph.D. in religion and ethics from Emory University, where she also earned two master’s degrees: a master of theology, with a focus on race, gender, and sexuality and a master’s of divinity with a specialization in ethics. She also holds a B.A. in biology from the University of North Carolina at Asheville.