Gaynor to Welcome Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

After a comprehensive search, Stephen Gaynor School will be welcoming Stella Heyliger-Mulatu as the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion beginning July 1, 2023. She will report to Head of School Dr. Scott Gaynor and will be tasked with advancing Gaynor’s DEI initiatives to support students and families within the school and in the greater community.

Ms. Mulatu comes to us from The Town School where she currently serves as a first grade Co-Head Teacher. In addition to her work at Town, Ms. Mulatu is an Area Captain for Councilwoman Kristin Richardson Jordan’s District 9 City Council Office. Prior to working at Town, Ms. Mulatu taught first grade at The Children’s Storefront School in Harlem, NYC. She also served as Program Coordinator and Summer Camp Director for the Hawassa Children’s Project, an orphan-care center in Hawassa, Ethiopia, where she lived for almost two years. Ms. Mulatu holds a B.A. in Africana Studies from Vassar College and an M.S.Ed. in Early Childhood Special Education from Hunter College.

In her past nine years at The Town School, Ms. Mulatu has led, designed and advocated for DEI initiatives that have aligned the school more closely with its mission, and enhanced the academic, social and emotional experience of its students, faculty and families. She has used a critical DEI lens to examine and expand upon current school programs, as well as spearhead new initiatives, with the goal of affirming and celebrating the diverse identities that make up the school community. These programs and initiatives have provided her the opportunity to collaborate closely with administrators, faculty, parents, caregivers, and students with the goal of fostering a more equitable and inclusive school community for all.

She is excited to join the Gaynor community, saying, “With over 14 years of experience teaching in the classroom, I enthusiastically take this next step in my career as an equity practitioner. I bring to Gaynor my love for students, my personal experience in independent schools as a Black student, parent and faculty member, and my deep desire to create affirming and inclusive spaces of belonging for children to thrive.”

She continued, “My personal experience as a Black student in predominantly white institutions has shaped my perspective as an educator and inspired me to become an equity practitioner. Throughout my career I have remained steadfast and resolute in my mission to ensure that every child and family that I come in contact with – regardless of race, ability, family structure, socioeconomic status, religious practice, sexual orientation, or gender identity – feels seen, heard, respected, and a genuine sense of belonging. I see myself in the eyes of each of my students. This inspires me to create safe, loving and affirming spaces where students know that they can be themselves and that they will get what they need to access their true potential.”

Over the past several years, Gaynor has made great strides in incorporating a DEI lens into the curriculum and community. The school’s DEI curriculum was developed by Gaynor teachers with developmentally-appropriate lessons and resources focused on identity, respect, social justice, and combating inequality. The Employee Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (EDEIC) meets every other week, and has been instrumental in helping to keep a DEI lens focused on all aspects of the school community. All faculty and staff have participated in multiple professional development workshops focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Parents’ Association DEI Committee has hosted creative and engaging events for parents, including lectures and social gatherings. In addition, the current strategic plan is focused in large part on ensuring that diversity, equity, and inclusion becomes the thread through which Gaynor fulfills its mission.

Ms. Mulatu was struck by the sense of community at Gaynor, and said, “When I walked into the Gaynor school building I immediately sensed the warmth, kindness, and openness of the school community. I also sensed a collective desire to take actionable steps towards achieving the school’s DEI goals. What inspires me most about working at Gaynor is collaborating with a community that is already so deeply rooted in the values of equity and inclusion, evidenced by how expertly the school serves its neurodiverse student population. Gaynor is ready to deepen its commitment to those values, and it is my honor to support that initiative. As Gaynor’s inaugural DEI Director, this is a very exciting moment!”

Head of School Dr. Scott Gaynor said, “We are excited to welcome Ms. Mulatu into our community. We reviewed a strong pool of candidates and believe Ms. Mulatu has the skills, passion and drive to help lead Gaynor forward with our strategic DEI goals. Her extensive experience in New York City independent schools and her drive to build a safe and supportive environment will complement our school’s mission. Our community has worked openly and diligently to build a solid foundation for the successful addition of a Director of DEI. I am excited to have Ms. Mulatu joining our team to support our efforts in fostering students who are future global citizens.”