Dr. Deborale Richardson-Phillips

President

Dr. Deborale Richardson-Phillips is President of Loyola High School in northwest Detroit, a post she was appointed to in July 2024.
Richardson-Phillips is Loyola’s seventh president and the first female and first African American president in the school’s acclaimed 30-year history.

“I have dedicated my career to putting people and relationships first and have found that doing so leads to better outcomes,” Richardson-Phillips said. “This is the same approach I will take as the President of Loyola. The centerpiece of my administration will be a focus on student and staff success and elevating our mission of creating, ‘Men for Others and Men for Detroit.’”

Along with continuing Loyola’s academic excellence, Richardson-Phillips will also oversee the school’s ongoing $9 million initiative, “Empower Loyola – A Campaign for Exceptional Sons.” The campaign includes a new school/community Welcome Center along Fenkell and Wyoming roads; a new Student Courtyard; and a 200-seat Chapel, the first all-new Catholic place of worship in the City of Detroit since the 1960s.
https://issuu.com/loyoladetroit/docs/official_president_s_report
Richardson-Phillips earned both a Ph.D. in Philosophy, Human Development and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Delaware. She also received a B.A. in Political Science/Sociology from Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina and is currently studying for a Master of Arts in Theology from Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans.

Prior to becoming Loyola president, Richardson-Phillips was Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the prestigious Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland, where she created the school’s first-ever DEI strategic plan; collaborated with Office Advancement on stewardship and donation efforts; and taught African American history, among many other contributions. Her 25 years of corporate and educational experience also includes leadership positions at FirstEnergy in Akron, Ohio and at Case Western University and Cuyahoga Community College, respectively.