A Letter from Cristina Seda-Hoelle ‘92
Chair, MND Board of Trustees

Dear Friend of Mount Notre Dame,

As previously communicated, Judy Back Gerwe ’78 is retiring from MND after nine years of dedicated and distinguished service. After a multi-month search process, the MND Search committee, assisted by Shana Rossi our Partners in Mission consultant, is pleased to announce the appointment of Michelle L. Robinson as the next President of Mount Notre Dame High School. Michelle officially assumes the position on July 1, 2024 and in the interim will work with Judy on a smooth transition.

In October and November 2023, more than 130 friends of MND met with Shana Rossi or completed an online survey providing key considerations of our next president. The Search committee thanks those who took the time to do this as our efforts were guided by your input.

We were overwhelmed with the local and national interest in this position and the considerable pool of qualified candidates who expressed interest. After conducting our due diligence and with experienced guidance from Shana Rossi, the field was narrowed to four individuals and then to two finalists.  The two finalists came onsite and met with a number of constituents including the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur Leadership Team, MND staff/faculty/students, the Search committee, and members of the Board of Trustees. Feedback from these constituents was collected and used by the Search committee in making its final decision. The Search committee enthusiastically submitted its recommendation to the Board and the Sisters of Notre Dame Leadership Team to hire Michelle Robinson and the recommendation has been accepted.

Michelle has twenty years of experience in the private school sector with over fifteen years spent in senior administration leadership roles. She comes to MND from Carrollwood Day School in Tampa, FL which is an International Baccalaureate World School with a focus on cross-cultural competency as evident by its nearly 50% diverse student body. She has served as the Director of Advancement working closely with the Head of School and Board of Trustees and has been involved in key aspects of the school including the strategic planning committee, the master planning committee, the capital campaign cabinet, and the accreditation committee.

To prepare herself for a president role, Michelle has spent the past four years participating in the Florida Council of Independent Schools Prospective Head of School Institute. The program explored and delved into the complexities inherent in a president position and was facilitated by multiple Heads of School who shared their first-hand experiences. In January 2024, she delivered a presentation at the CASE-National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Conference on ‘Meaningful Board Engagement’ which is slated for publication in this summer’s edition of the NAIS Independent School magazine.

Michelle holds a Master of Education from Xavier University and a Bachelor of Science from Ashland University. She remains active in the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Council for Advancement and Support Education, the National Association of Independent Schools, and Florida Council of Independent Schools. She also volunteers as a community member on the leadership team for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Students of the Year and was past chair in 2022.

Michelle and her husband Michael have a son, Tyler, and a spunky Boston Terrier, Sadie. They look forward to returning to Cincinnati where Michelle began her career after graduating from Xavier. Michelle states, “I am truly honored to assume the role of President at Mount Notre Dame, Cincinnati’s prestigious and longest-standing all-female Catholic high school. It fills me with excitement to contribute to the continuation of the esteemed 164-year tradition of academic excellence and enduring hallmarks established by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. I look forward to collaborating with the entire MND community to continue our legacy of empowering young women to recognize and develop their unique capabilities to learn, live, lead and serve.”

Please join me in welcoming Michelle Robinson to the MND family.

Sincerely,

Cristina Seda-Hoelle ‘92

Chair, MND Board of Trustees