The Office of Intercultural Development hired two new leaders in diversity and inclusion this summer after months-long vacancies.
Kimberly Weatherly is now the executive director of intercultural development and Gabby Hochfeld has joined the college as the assistant director of intercultural development and coordinator for gender and sexuality programs.
Both Weatherly and Hochfeld declined requests for an interview presently, citing their recent introductions to campus. Both forwarded all questions to Ernest Jeffries, the vice president of the Division of Inclusion.
“Dr. Weatherly was the candidate that stood out from the beginning,” Jeffries wrote in an email. “She is a long time student affairs practitioner with a great deal of expertise in [diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging]. Not only that but her personality and relational approach to the work aligns with the Lafayette community.”
According to Jeffries, he elevated the role of director of intercultural development to an executive director as part of the restructuring of the position. The director role was previously held by Rob Young before his departure in February.
After more than three decades of work in higher education, Weatherly comes to Lafayette from her previous position as William & Mary University’s assistant dean and director of the Center for Student Diversity. Weatherly has also worked at several other colleges and universities, including historically Black institutions, according to her LinkedIn.
Jeffries declined to speak on Hochfeld’s hiring, as he was not yet at Lafayette for the process.
Hochfeld assumed the position of Tommy Lee Jr., the former assistant director of intercultural development for gender and sexuality programs, who departed the college in December.
Before coming to Lafayette, Hochfeld previously worked as a client services specialist at LINC, a non-profit organization centered on learning, inclusion, networking and community for employees in the Lehigh Valley, according to her LinkedIn. She has also had several coordinator positions at a local queer community center.
Hope Basaman ’26, who attended a workshop hosted by Weatherly and Hochfeld, said that she found the directors “very passionate.”
“Even though they had just started, they went in head first,” Basaman said. “I think they’re gonna do great things on campus.”
Weatherly and Hochfeld also spoke at other orientation events, including a Lafayette Extended Orientation training and a diversity, equity and inclusion lecture with Kaleidoscope.
“Both have and will continue to make an immediate impact on our community,” Jeffries wrote. “Through their work along with the inclusion team we will see new programs and approaches that will foster inclusion in our campus. We will also see another level of student support as well.”
A correction was made on September 12, 2024: A previous version of this article stated that Hochfeld assumed both the roles of Lee and Karina Fuentes, the former assistant director of intercultural development. Fuentes was the associate director of intercultural development; Hochfeld did not undertake her role in conjunction with Lee’s.
