VILLANOVA, Pa.—Villanova University Vice President and Director of Athletics Mark Jackson today announced the hire of Leashia Lewis to the newly created position of Assistant Athletic Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion/Director of UNITAS. Lewis has more than 15 years of experience as a certified school counselor and has held numerous leadership positions teaching and leading conversations around race relations and gender dialogue. She is familiar to the Villanova community as an adjunct professor in the Department of Education & Counseling, a board member of the Varsity Club Hall of Fame and a former student-athlete on the women's track & field team.
 
"Villanova is excited to welcome Leashia back home in this important role leading our UNITAS efforts around diversity, equity and inclusion," Jackson said. "In many ways, Leashia has never left Villanova and has remained connected on multiple fronts across our campus.  Her love, passion and commitment toward building a stronger community is exemplified in her wealth of experiences, leadership style and her unique ability to build meaningful relationships with everyone she comes in contact with."
 
"It is an honor and privilege to serve as the Assistant Athletics Director for UNITAS-Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for my alma mater, Villanova University.  I am a social justice activist, and former runner for Villanova which leads to me to believe that I am stepping into my purpose as an educator at a place I call my second home," Lewis said. "I am proud of Villanova Athletics for creating and supporting a role dedicated to uplifting, collaborating, and seeking equity for our student-athletes and most importantly, I am excited to build relationships within the Villanova community. It is my goal to work intentionally and meaningfully to build structures and provide resources for student-athletes to achieve their greatest potential." 

In her role at Villanova, Lewis will direct the Villanova Athletics diversity, equity and inclusion initiative – UNITAS – which is a framework to build a welcoming and supportive athletic department through constructive dialogs, educational programming and community engagement. Through UNITAS, Villanova Athletics is committed to fostering an inclusive, anti-bigotry environment where every member of the community has a voice and feels respected, valued and safe.
 
Lewis has been an adjunct professor at Villanova and a Co-Facilitator of campus workshops related to Intergroup Relations. She has taught courses on Socio-Economic Status Dialogue and Gender Dialogue in addition to Counseling Theory & Practice. Lewis comes to her alma mater in a full-time capacity after being a Certified School Counselor at nearby Conestoga High School since 2004. Her professional areas of interest include support for underrepresented students, diversity issues in public education, social justice, race and equity educational dialogue and reform, mentally coaching athletes for performance and African American male achievement.
 
While at Conestoga High School, Lewis has been the team leader of the school's Navigate Program which serves underrepresented students. Her duties as team leader include staff development and the creation and planning of the program's curriculum. Lewis also organizes college trips for students and coordinates the Navigate Program activities with students, parents, teachers, administrators, teacher volunteers and outside community sponsors. She is affiliate certified through Pacific Educational Group with proficiency in Courageous Conversations about Race Protocol. Lewis is a member of the District Director Leadership Team charged with learning and addressing race and equity systematically in the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District. She leads the district in-service training for teachers and is trained to facilitate Beyond Diversity Workshops for teachers and staff members.
 
Throughout her career as an educator Lewis has served as a safe place and an understanding ear to all underrepresented students. She is the advisor for S.O.A.R. – Students Organized for Anti-Racism – as well as the African American Student Union where she supports club members with celebrating African American culture, responding to racist incidences and engaging with the school community internally and at large. Lewis has also supported teachers, administrators and staff in developing lesson plans, working with students and families, and with building their own racial identity journey. Lewis was also a member of the track & field coaching staff during her time at Conestoga where she coached several state championship athletes, high school All-Americans, college recruited athletes and a state championship team title.  
 
Lewis graduated from Villanova in 2000 as a double major in Sociology and Human Services. She completed three minors during her undergraduate studies: Africana Studies, Education and Psychology. Lewis also earned a Master of Science in Secondary Counseling from Villanova in 2002 and has continued her education through several professional development programs. She completed her Principal Certification (2008-2010) at Immaculata University and obtained a Coaching and Leadership Certification from Penn State Great Valley (2010-2012). Lewis spent a professional development sabbatical at Villanova in 2015 where her courses included Motivational Interviewing, Special Education for Teachers and Counselors, Psychopharmacology and Human Sexuality. During this time, she was an intern and co-facilitator for Villanova's Inter Group Relations team.
 
Lewis has studied at Gratz College where her coursework includes Understanding and Helping Abused, Neglected and Abandoned Children; Domestic Violence and Abuse: Preventative Strategies for Educators; Contemporary Sexuality Issues in Education; and Creating Safe Spaces: Addressing LGBTQ Issues in Schools. Lewis is a board member of the Villanova University Varsity Club Hall of Fame for Athletics. She is a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC); Pennsylvania Association for College Admission Counseling (PACAC); American School Counseling Association (ASCA); and affiliate certified by the Pacific Educational Group.
 
During her collegiate career, Lewis was an All-American on the Villanova women's track & field team. She ran the 400 meter leg of the distance medley relay which earned All-America accolades for a seventh place finish at the 1997 indoor NCAA Championships. Lewis was also a part of BIG EAST champion distance medley relay squads in 1997 and 1998. She ran the second leg of the 4x400 meter relay which finished first in the ECAC section at the Penn Relays in 1997. Lewis was named to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team as a senior in 2000.