University Settlement will promote Dr. Michelle Paige to a newly created senior executive role, Chief Program and Equity Officer, the pioneering NYC social justice agency announced today.
The appointment comes as part of an ongoing reorganization at the Settlement: Melissa Aase, who was formerly the agency’s Executive Director, was named Chief Executive Officer on July 1, 2021. Paige, who previously led the agency’s Early Childhood Education programs, will continue to report to Aase.
In her new role, Paige will partner closely with University Settlement’s board, executives, and program leadership to assess the agency’s programmatic strengths, identify opportunities to partner more deeply and more broadly in the communities where programs operate, and coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to strategically identify resources and advance priorities. As a vital part of this work, she will centralize and further systematize University Settlement’s various Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives, elevating the agency’s executive commitment to this key strategic priority.
“I’m excited to take the opportunity to evaluate the broad spectrum of our offerings – the things we partner with our communities to do together – and identify ways we can improve,” said Dr. Paige. “As I’ve led our Early Childhood Education programs, I’ve been passionate about bringing fresh thinking and best practices into our work, and I’m excited to begin sharing that commitment with the entire agency going forward.”
“Michelle has led our largest program since 2018, and she’s demonstrated the power and value of her leadership every day,” said Melissa Aase, CEO of University Settlement. “I’m inspired by her insight and by her long commitment to the settlement house movement, and I’m grateful she’ll now lead our continued efforts to infuse equity and belonging into every aspect of our programs, as an indispensable part of world-class social impact work.”