President's Office Staff

MaryPat Lohse, Ph.D.
Chief of Staff/Senior Advisor to the President for Strategic Planning and Initiatives

As the principal aide to the president, MaryPat handles a wide range of matters on behalf of the president and oversees operations within the office of the president. A member of the president's Cabinet and the Council on Enrollment, MaryPat works closely with the president on the implementation of the university's strategic plan, the development of university partnerships with other educational and cultural institutions, and the implementation of other university initiatives. MaryPat provides leadership, coordination, and oversight in the development of defined core initiatives for the university and serves as the president's primary liaison with university constituencies.

Prior to joining Lesley, MaryPat worked at Brandeis University, Boston College, and Wheelock College. MaryPat holds a Bachelors degree in English from Canisius College, a Master's degree in Administration, Planning, and Social Policy from Harvard University's Graduate School of Education, and a Doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Boston College. She has worked in higher education administration for more than 15 years.

Darlene Cortes
Assistant to the President

Barbara J. Addison Reid
Director of Equal Opportunity and Inclusion

Barbara collaborates with the President, Cabinet, President's Council, Diversity Council and the Affirmative Action Advisory Board in delineating policies and practices that help the organization achieve it vision, mission, and goals. She also has oversight responsibility for equal opportunity, affirmative action, resolving discrimination complaints, and diversity training and development for managers and employees.

Barbara holds a Bachelors degree in Business Administration and a Masters degree in Counseling from Northeastern University. She earned a Doctorate in Education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and has worked in academic institutions for more than 30 years.

Shirin Philipp, Esq.
General Counsel

Shirin joined Lesley in August 2011 as General Counsel. She is responsible for providing or overseeing legal advice and guidance on risk management to the University. Prior to joining Lesley, Shirin was a partner at Foley Hoag LLP, a Boston law firm. She joined the firm in 1997 following a clerkship with the Justices of the Superior Court of Massachusetts. At Foley Hoag, Shirin led the firm's nonprofit practice, advising a broad range of nonprofit clients, including colleges and universities, on a variety of matters such as governance, legal structures, tax-exempt status, executive and board compensation, grant agreements and the use of charitable funds, and service contracts. While at Foley Hoag, Shirin represented private companies and investment advisers on financings, founder agreements, fund formation, and regulatory compliance.

Shirin has her Juris Doctor degree from Boston University and her Bachelor's degree in history from Dartmouth College.

Kathy McWey
Assistant to the President for Advancement and University Projects
Secretary, Board of Trustees

Kathy serves as Assistant to the President for Advancement and University Projects and is Secretary to the Board of Trustees. She is also the Budget Unit Head, responsible for all budgets within the office. Before joining Lesley in 1991, Kathy worked at Amherst College, Boston College, and for several years at Radcliffe College, where she served as Administrative Assistant to the President and as Personnel Officer for the School.

Kathy has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, magna cum laude, from Boston College, and has taken various graduate classes at Harvard University Extension and Lesley University.

Wendy Harris
Assistant to the General Counsel

Wendy joined the President's Office at Lesley in the fall of 2006. She is the Assistant to the Vice President & General Counsel. Prior to joining Lesley, Wendy worked in the Development Offices at Harvard University's Law School and Kennedy School of Government conducting researching and coordinating events.

Wendy graduated from University of Massachusetts in Boston with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English.

Michael Procopio
Administrative Assistant

Michael joined the President's Office at Lesley as an Administrative Assistant in the spring of 2011. He supports the Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to the President for Strategic Planning and Initiatives as well as the Assistant to the President for Advancement and University Projects/Secretary to the Board of Trustees. Before joining Lesley, Michael worked as a human resources assistant at Eastern Corporate Federal Credit Union.

Michael graduated from Stonehill College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English.