- Administration & Operations
Michaela M. Chipman will join The Lawrenceville School as its new Meng Family Dean of Campus Wellbeing on July 1, 2025. As a member of Senior Staff and reporting to Assistant Head of School for Student Life Blake Eldridge, Chipman will work closely with Lawrenceville’s Wellness Team, students, residential life, faculty, and external partners to advance a holistic approach to student wellness, embedding wellbeing initiatives into various aspects of the School community.
Chipman has strong experience in meeting the unique needs of boarding school students as a wellness coordinator, school administrator, teacher, dorm head, and coach. She is committed to implementing proactive, solution-driven strategies that align with the goals outlined in Lawrenceville’s strategic plan, House, Harkness, and Heart: A New Era for Community Wellbeing.
“The Dean of Campus Wellbeing is essential to the success of Lawrenceville’s aim to promote the overall health of our students. In Ms. Chipman we found a leader whose passion for holistic wellbeing and deep understanding of boarding school life align with Lawrenceville's vision for student wellness. Her proactive, solution-oriented, and relational approach to addressing student needs will help Lawrenceville further embrace a culture of wellbeing,” said Head of School Steve Murray. “I am excited to welcome Ms. Chipman’s expertise and collaborative spirit to our community and am confident that she will help us provide a healthy, happy campus for our students.”
At Lawrenceville, promoting a proactive and holistic approach to wellbeing is a collaborative, campus-wide effort. Chipman will join a dedicated Wellness Team that includes Eldridge along with Director of Counseling and Psychological Services Tonita Balcom, Dean of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement Cameron Brickhouse, Director of Risk Management Marcia Isaacson, Medical Director Chris Renjilian, and Assistant Head of School for Strategic Initiatives Marquis Scott, who also chaired the Dean of Campus Wellness Search Committee.
The team is tasked with:
• Developing and overseeing holistic systems and programming to enhance the wellbeing of all students on campus
• Creating a campus environment that prioritizes student social-emotional health
• Fostering a residential culture of care and inclusion
• Providing leadership and support for student organizations that promote health and wellness
Chipman's work will also be informed by student perspectives, particularly through input from the Wellness Council. She will consider student feedback alongside best practices, focusing on supporting personal growth and overall wellbeing.
Scott said, “Throughout the search process, what stood out most about Ms. Chipman was her deep understanding of independent boarding schools, student-centered leadership, and ability to develop creative, solutions-oriented approaches to supporting student wellbeing.”
Chipman comes to Lawrenceville from The Loomis Chaffee School with a proven track record of fostering a thriving boarding school community. She is the Interim Dean of the Senior Class, a member of the School’s Wellness Strategic Planning Committee and Student Life Committee, and leads the Peer Health Educator program. Her current responsibilities include developing a framework for healthy relationships and working with faculty and students to create common language and understanding on this particular aspect of wellness. Chipman previously held a faculty role at Loomis as a member of the English department, teaching 10th-12th grade.
She has served as a dorm head in both girls’ and all-gender housing and is a member of the school-wide Dorm Life Committee. She coaches the junior varsity field hockey team, advises the Young Women’s Affinity Group, and teaches in the Chaffee Leadership Institute, a yearlong leadership seminar for 10th grade girls. Last summer, she was the Dean of Students for Loomis Chaffee Summer Programs.
Chipman earned her master’s degree in education at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. She also holds a B.A. from Boston College with a major in political science and minors in both women's and gender studies and management and leadership.
Chipman said she is “honored and excited to join the vibrant Lawrenceville community and to contribute to its ongoing efforts of educating and nurturing the whole student. It is a privilege to work with bright, ambitious young people, and I firmly believe that guiding them to cultivate intentional living is as crucial as fostering their intellectual and co-curricular passions. Adolescence is a pivotal time for developing the foundational habits that will enable students to flourish not only in their young adulthood but throughout their lives.”
She continued, “I am deeply impressed by Lawrenceville’s dedication to integrating wellness into the core of the school experience, and I am eager to build systems that empower students to act as the architects and stewards of their wellbeing. My personal mission is to ensure that every student feels dignified in their individuality, connected to their community, and equipped to craft a life that brings them enduring joy and a deep sense of purpose.”
Eldridge looks forward to welcoming Chipman to Lawrenceville, saying, “At Lawrenceville, we recognize that student success begins with a foundation of wellbeing. She will play a pivotal role in fostering a community where every student feels supported and connected. Her expertise and student-centered approach will help us ensure that wellbeing is deeply ingrained in life at Lawrenceville."
The Search Advisory Committee for this position included members of the Wellness Team, along with Emilie Kosoff (Assistant Head of School/Dean of Faculty), George Long (Associate Director of College Counseling), Kristen Oberlin (Director of Human Resources), and Kelly Wise (Associate Director of Athletics/Multicultural Affairs Coordinator).
For more information, contact Lisa M. Gillard H'17, director of public relations, at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.