Pomfret Announces New Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Coretta McCarter, Ed.D, brings with her a proven ability to navigate complex challenges, especially those related to the history of race and education in America.

Pomfret School is proud to announce DR. CORETTA MCCARTER as our next Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. In his announcement to faculty and staff, Head of School Tim Richards wrote, "Cory brings not only a wealth of professional experience — you should see her resume! — but a dynamic warmth that showed throughout her interactions with our community."

Dr. McCarter’s journey into education began over thirty years ago when she realized the quality of education provided to urban city schools fell short of realistically preparing students for life outside of that realm. "If you want something different," she says, "you have to do something different."

Most recently, she has worked for the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as an Influence 100 Fellow. In that role, she has sought to increase racial and ethnic diversity in Massachusetts superintendents and to promote more culturally responsive districts and leaders.

Since 2019, Dr. McCarter has also served as the chair of the Worcester Advisory Committee on the Status of Women. She also works with Wayfinding Partners, a consulting agency that focuses on racial equity and justice.

A product of New York City Public Schools, Dr. McCarter holds an Ed.D and C.A.G.S. in Education Leadership from American International College, as well as an MA and BA from City Universities in New York. She is a recipient of the John F. Kennedy Jr. Fellowship and Ezra Jack Keats Awards. She is also a certified life coach.

Dr. McCarter’s commitment to public service, whether in practice or policy, includes the following pillars: (1) leading with integrity (2) encouraging and building capacity in others (3) student-centered learning aligned to goals and expectations and (4) solution-focused approaches to addressing issues or problems.

At Pomfret, she will be joined by her partner, Chareese, who is a trauma nurse at UMass Memorial, her teenager Ming Li, who will join the Pomfret Class of 2025, and her goldendoodle, Zuri Chai. Dr. McCarter takes up her new role starting July 1. She can be reached at cmccarter@pomfret.org.