The Division of Student Development consists of a dedicated staff of professionals who are committed to student development, well-being, and success. Our work is student-centered and guided by our Jesuit Catholic identity and the College’s mission. The division consists of nine departments that work collaboratively to deliver an exceptional and formative out-of-classroom student experience. The deans and directors below lead our divisional team and departments.
Senior Leadership
Michele C. Murray, Ph.D.
(she/her/hers)
Senior Vice President for Student Development and Mission
Dr. Michele Murray provides leadership for integrating students’ intellectual, spiritual, and emotional development, delivering excellent services and programs for all students, and translating the College’s vibrant Jesuit Catholic mission for today’s audience. Dr. Murray has served on several executive boards, including as current president of the Jesuit Association for Student Personnel Administrators. She co-authored Helping College Students Find Purpose: The Campus Guide to Meaning Making,and also Teaching College Students Communication Strategies for Effective Social Justice Advocacy, and numerous chapters and articles about Ignatian spirituality and meaning-making. Dr. Murray has dedicated her professional life to Jesuit higher education, with previous roles at Seattle University and Loyola Maryland.
Email: svpsdm@holycross.edu
Phone: (508) 793-2414
Charles N. Todd, PhD
(he/his/him)
Associate Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students
Email: ctodd@holycross.edu
Phone: 508-793-2669
Paul A. Irish
Associate Dean of Students
Paul Irish oversees the Offices of Residence Life and Housing, the Office of Student Integrity and Community Standards and chairs the Student CARE team. Dean Irish provides support and guidance to students to assist in their success in and out of the classroom. He has been actively engaged in the work of advising and assisting college students since 1990, and has served in a number of roles at Holy Cross, representing the Division of Student Development in various capacities.
Email: pirish@holycross.edu
Phone: 508-793-2669
Michelle Bata, Ph.D
(she/her/hers)
Associate Dean for Student Engagement
Dr. Michelle Bata is responsible for ensuring a vibrant campus life, building collaborative programs with academic affairs, and divisional assessment. Prior to working in student affairs, Dr. Bata taught sociology and served in several administrative posts in academic affairs at both Fordham University and Clark University. All of her professional positions have allowed her to think deeply about the student experience and student learning, and as a result she is broadly interested in the factors that shape student outcomes. Michelle received her Ph.D. and M.A. in sociology from the University of Arizona, and her A.B. in sociology from Boston College.
Email: mbata@holycross.edu
Phone: 508-793-2432
Neal E. Lipsitz, Ph.D.
(he/his/him)
Associate Dean for Student Wellbeing and Director of Student Accessibility Services
Dr. Neal Lipsitz oversees Counseling and Psychological Services, Health Services, Student Wellness Education, and Student Accessibility Services. He also teaches a Montserrat seminar on Positive Psychology. Dr. Lipsitz is a licensed psychologist and has been working in higher education for 35 years. He presents at local and national conferences on many aspects of service provision to students with disabilities. He is co-editor of: Beyond the Americans with Disabilities Act: Inclusive Policy and Practice for Students with Disabilities in Higher Education (2014), co-editor of CRUCIAL COLLABORATIONS: A Practical Framework to Assure Access, Equity and Inclusion for Students with Disabilities (in press). He has also published a number of articles. He truly enjoys helping Holy Cross students flourish within the context of such a supportive and nurturing environment.
Email: nlipsitz@holycross.edu
Phone: 508-793-3693
Cathleen Doane Cannon
(she/her/hers)
Special Assistant to the Senior Vice President for Student Development/Director of Parent and Family Engagement
As Special Assistant to Dean Michele Murray, Cathleen Doane Cannon’s work focuses on a variety of divisional and College projects including Commencement, online educational courses, and strategic planning. Her previous work at Holy Cross built a strong foundation and allowed her in 2022 to launch the division’s newest department, the Office of Parent and Family Engagement. Having spent the entirety of her professional career at Holy Cross, Cathleen continues to be drawn to the community and inspired by its mission and Jesuit Catholic tradition and the way it frames her work. She enjoys partnering with families and colleagues to think about how to best empower and support students as they navigate their emerging adulthood and more deeply discover who they are, who they want to become, and who they will be for others.
Email: cdoane@holycross.edu
Phone: 508-793-3344
Divisional Directors
Kelsey DeVoe, FNP-C
(she/her/hers)
Director, Health Services
Kelsey DeVoe is honored to serve as the Director of Health Services, leading a dedicated team of practitioners and administrative staff in ensuring the wellbeing of our students. As a passionate nurse practitioner for more than a decade, dedicated to health promotion and preventative health care, she aims to empower students to make informed decisions about their wellbeing. She is deeply committed to fostering a culture of inclusivity and accessibility in Health Services, ensuring that every student feels heard and supported.
Email: krdevoe@holycross.edu
Phone: 508-793-2276
Liz Drexler-Hines
(she/her/hers)
Director, Student Wellness Education
Liz Drexler-Hines brings a wealth of experience in public health and health promotion from her experiences working at a variety of institutions of higher education for more than two decades. With a passion for creating campus environments that prioritize student wellbeing, Liz has created data-driven impactful programs, initiatives, and collaborations that have shaped the student health and wellness landscape at Holy Cross As the director, Liz oversees the planning, implementation, and evaluation of health promotion strategies that meet student needs. She actively collaborates with campus stakeholders, community partners, and students to ensure a comprehensive and inclusive approach to promoting a healthy campus culture. Liz holds an MPH, is a Certified Wellness Coach and has served as a leader at regional and national levels for college health professional organizations.
Email: edrexler@holycross.edu
Phone: 508-793-2302
Paul Galvinhill, Ph.D.
(he/him/his)
Director, Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS)
Dr. Paul Galvinhill provides leadership for supporting our students' mental health needs that is grounded in our Jesuit values, professional ethics, and inclusive excellence. He is a Clinical Psychologist licensed in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and past president (2021-2023) of the International Accreditation of Counseling Services (IACS). Dr. Galvinhill works with a wonderful team of professionals in the delivery of psychological services to support students. He considers it a privilege and honor to be invited by students to accompany them in their growth and healing.
Email: pgalvinh@holycross.edu
Phone: 508-793-3363
Brenda Hounsell Sullivan
(she/her/hers)
Assistant Dean/Director, Student Involvement
Brenda has led the Office of Student Involvement for the past 11 years and has devoted her career to providing and creating vibrant outside-of-the-classroom experiences for students through events, programs, and leadership development. She centers her work around Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) efforts and the Ignatian principles of reflective habits. Brenda received her Bachelor’s of Science degree from Western New England University and her Master’s of Education in Student Personnel Administration from Springfield College and is currently a doctoral student at UMASS Boston’s program for Global Inclusion and Social Development.
Email: bhounsel@holycross.edu
Phone: 508-793-3487
Kevin O'Connell
(he/him/his)
Director, Student Integrity and Community Standards
Kevin O'Connell has worked in the functional area of student conduct for more than 10 years. Prior to his arrival at Holy Cross, Kevin worked at Roger Williams University and the University of Connecticut, also assisting with institutional threat assessment and Title IX compliance efforts.The Office of Student Integrity and Community Standards at Holy Cross aims to both challenge and support students, as they explore newly acquired freedoms and work to align their decisions and behaviors with their own goals and values.
Email: koconnel@holycross.edu
Phone: 508-793-3475
Jamie Shannon
(she/her/hers)
Director, Campus Recreation
Jamie Shannon oversees the Office of Campus Recreation, which includes the 52,000-square-foot Joanne Chouinard-Luth Recreation and Wellness Center, campus's newest home for exercise classes, workout space, club sports, and intramurals. She has a passion for supporting students in the exploration of recreational interests by offering a wide range of recreational activities through competitive, instructional, informal, and recreational leadership opportunities. Jamie received her M.Ed. in Sports & Recreation Administration from Temple University, and her B.A. in Business Administration from Franklin & Marshall College.
Email: jmshanno@holycross.edu
Phone: 508-793-3721
Antonio Willis-Berry
(he/him/his)
Director, Residence Life and Housing
Antonio Willis-Berry is the Director of Residence Life and Housing and provides oversight, vision and management for the College’s residential program. As a proud member of the Class of 2013, Antonio is excited to return to the campus to elevate the residential student experience and champion opportunities for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Antonio has held leadership positions within Residence Life and Housing at Bentley University, Merrimack College, and the University of Connecticut. He holds a M.S.Ed in Higher Education from the University of Pennsylvania, a BA in Music from the College of the Cross, and is currently working towards completing his Ed.D. at Regis College.
Email: awillis@holycross.edu
Phone: 508-793-2411