Haverhill’s Francellis Quiñones has been selected as the first chief officer of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for Northern Essex Community College.
According to the college, Quiñones has been dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion work in the Merrimack Valley for nearly 20 years. She comes to Northern Essex from Lowell-based UTEC where she was organizing program manager. She is also the co-founder and president of Quiñones Culture Consultants. Previously, she worked as an educator in Boston Public Schools, Weston Public Schools and Greater Lawrence Technical School.
“I was drawn to this work because I’m passionate about helping create experiences that help people shift the culture of their spaces,” said Quiñones. “I can utilize my experience as a history teacher, organizer and culture consultant to pull together all the amazing work NECC is already doing to help students achieve in more ways than had previously.”
Quiñones will oversee the two-year-old Center for Equity and Social Justice. The center is designed to identify opportunities to develop or contribute to new services and partnerships or enhance existing ones for the benefit of students by strengthening their communities, ensuring equity and addressing social justice needs.
“The need for equity and social justice in the world around us compels our vision for a better future and urges us forward in this vital work,” said Northern Essex Community College President Lane A. Glenn.
Northern Essex Vice President of Lawrence Campus and Community Relations Dr. Noemi Custodia-Lora said hiring Quiñones is a crucial part of building on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at the college.
Quiñones earned her bachelor’s from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in Political Science with a certificate in International Relations, and master’s in International Relations from the University of Essex in Colchester, England.
Northern Essex Community College has campuses in both Haverhill and Lawrence.