Cabinet
The president’s Cabinet includes high-level administrators of the College who oversee various departments and functions. Through their collaboration, Cabinet and the president ensure that each area of the College works together in achieving our educational mission and strategic goals.
Cabinet members
Gretchen Castle
Dean of the Earlham School of Religion
Gretchen Castle is a global Quaker leader with decades of organizational development experience. She joined Earlham in 2021 as ESR’s first woman dean.
Before coming to Earlham, Gretchen served as the General Secretary of the Friends World Committee for Consultation in the Quaker World Office in London, traveling extensively to bring greater unity to Quakers worldwide.
Gretchen Castle is a global Quaker leader with decades of organizational development experience. She joined Earlham in 2021 as ESR’s first woman dean.
Before coming to Earlham, Gretchen served as the General Secretary of the Friends World Committee for Consultation in the Quaker World Office in London, traveling extensively to bring greater unity to Quakers worldwide.
Gretchen has gained broad experience among Friends globally and across different Quaker traditions. She has served at the Quaker United Nations Offices in New York and Geneva, and participates in the Christian World Communions Annual Meeting of the General Secretaries, where she was recently appointed the first woman chair and the first Quaker chair. As part of the Christian World Communions, she attended the inauguration of Pope Francis in Rome in 2013.
In the United States, she was presiding clerk of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, Director of Leadership Development for several Quaker retirement communities, and a board development consultant for over 20 years.
Gretchen attended nursery school at Stout Meetinghouse on Earlham’s campus and also earned her undergraduate degree in human development and social relations from the College in 1979. Her father, David Castle, was a former pastor at First Friends Meeting in Richmond.
She later earned her master’s degree in organizational development and adult learning from Temple University in Philadelphia in 1986.
Kristen Lainsbury
Vice President for Marketing and Communications
Kristen Lainsbury joined Earlham in February 2021 as the College’s first vice president of marketing and communications.
Kristen was previously the senior director of marketing and creative services at Providence College in Rhode Island. She has deep experience in the areas of marketing, writing and editing, media relations, publishing and strategic planning.
Kristen Lainsbury joined Earlham in February 2022 as the College’s first vice president of marketing and communications.
Kristen was previously the senior director of marketing and creative services at Providence College in Rhode Island and has decades of experience in the areas of marketing, writing and editing, media relations, publishing, and strategic planning.
Before working in higher education, she was a feature writer and columnist at the Bangor Daily News, also in Maine.
Kristen earned her B.A. in journalism from the University of Maine. She also has participated in an executive program in innovation and strategy at MIT’s Sloan School of Management.
Gariot P. Louima
Vice President for Strategic and Diversity Initiatives
Gariot P. Louima joined Earlham in October 2021 as its first associate vice president for strategic and diversity initiatives. He was promoted to vice president in July 2024. Gariot serves dually as the president’s chief of staff and as Earlham’s chief diversity officer, with oversight over nondiscrimination and anti-harassment compliance, including Title IX.
Gariot P. Louima joined Earlham in October 2021 as its first associate vice president for strategic and diversity initiatives. He was promoted to vice president in July 2024. Gariot serves dually as the president’s chief of staff and as Earlham’s chief diversity officer, with oversight over nondiscrimination and anti-harassment compliance, including Title IX.
In this role, Gariot advances the College’s strategic initiatives that widen the path to an Earlham education and build upon the College’s longstanding commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, including the implementation of a comprehensive DEI action plan.
With decades of leadership experience in higher education, Gariot has added expertise to Earlham in the areas of fundraising, marketing and communications, enrollment management and teaching.
He also served in several leadership roles at Goddard College, was editorial director at Miami Dade College and was an editor at Nova Southeastern University.
Prior to working in higher education, he was a journalist at some of nation’s most respected newspapers, including The Palm Beach Post, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, and The Times-Picayune.
The son of Haitian immigrants, Gariot was born in the Bahamas and grew up in Miami, Florida. He earned his Ph.D. in interdisciplinary studies from Union Institute and University; an M.F.A. in writing and literature from Bennington College Writing Seminars; an M.S. in management from Nova Southeastern University; and a B.S. in communication from the University of Miami.
Scot Schaeffer
Vice President for Enrollment Management
Scot Schaeffer joined Earlham in October 2023 and oversees the College’s admissions and financial aid operations. He has 40 years of experience in enrollment management work.
He was previously the vice president of enrollment management at Marietta College in Ohio and served on the school’s senior leadership team, working closely with the president.
Scot Schaeffer joined Earlham in October 2023 and oversees the College’s admissions and financial aid operations. He has 40 years of experience in enrollment management work.
He was previously the vice president of enrollment management at Marietta College in Ohio and served on the school’s senior leadership team, working closely with the president.
Throughout his successful career, Scot has helped his institutions thrive by carefully monitoring trends and changing demographics, and interpreting data to inform decisions and strategies.
Scot earned a Bachelor of Science in Commerce from DePaul University and a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership and Quality from Marian University in Wisconsin.
Kim Tanner
Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Kim Tanner was named vice president of institutional advancement in January 2021 and has been working at Earlham for more than three decades.
A 1990 graduate of Earlham, Kim has served as the interim vice president for institutional advancement, senior associate vice president for strategic initiatives, associate vice president for institutional advancement, director of alumni relations, director of planned giving, and assistant dean of admissions, among other positions.
Kim Tanner was named vice president of institutional advancement in January 2021 and has been working at Earlham for more than three decades.
A 1990 graduate of Earlham, Kim has served as the interim vice president for institutional advancement, senior associate vice president for strategic initiatives, associate vice president for institutional advancement, director of alumni relations, director of planned giving, and assistant dean of admissions, among other positions.
Kim is currently overseeing most ambitious fundraising campaign in the College’s history. “For Good: The Campaign for Earlham College” has raised nearly $85 million and will support initiatives on campus to widen the path to an Earlham education, enrich the College’s signature student success initiative called the Epic Journey, and enhance the student experience.
Kim earned degrees in biology and sport and movement studies from Earlham. She also completed graduate-level coursework at Ball State University while teaching special education at Richmond Community Schools prior to returning to the College in a professional capacity.
Bonita Washington-Lacey
Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students
Bonita Washington-Lacey was named vice president of Student Life and dean of students in April 2021, but has served the College in various leadership roles for more than four decades.
Bonita Washington-Lacey was named vice president of Student Life and dean of students in April 2021, but has served the College in various leadership roles for more than four decades.
A graduate of Earlham from the Class of 1979, Bonita has served the College as interim vice president of student life, senior associate vice president for academic affairs and director of accreditation activities, the associate dean of student development, associate dean of multicultural affairs and associate dean of admissions.
Bonita earned both a Bachelor of Arts in Human Development and Social Relations and Master of Arts in Religion from Earlham.
Lori Schroeder
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Lori Schroeder joined Earlham College as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs on July 1.
Lori was previously the provost and vice president for academic affairs at California State University Maritime Academy in Vallejo, California, and the provost and dean of the college at Franklin College in Franklin, Indiana.
Lori Schroeder joined Earlham College as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs on July 1.
Lori was previously the provost and vice president for academic affairs at California State University Maritime Academy in Vallejo, California, and the provost and dean of the college at Franklin College in Franklin, Indiana.
Lori was on the teaching faculty at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois for 21 years, serving as English department chair from 2003 to 2009 and associate dean of the college from 2010 to 2017. She began her career as an assistant professor of English at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York, and held full professorships at Knox and Franklin.
Her scholarship is focused on the intersections of gender, race and class in the works of Shakespeare.
Lori holds a Ph.D. in English language and literature from the University of Denver; a Master of Arts in English literature from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; and a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from Purdue University.