Bishop Montgomery is proud to announce the appointment of Noelle Quinn ’03 as the school’s Coordinator of Diversity, Equity and Justice. Quinn will be assisted in her role by BMHS faculty member, English teacher, and football coach Eric Sheckler.
With a unique familiarity of Bishop Montgomery’s community and culture, Quinn admits that her “love for BMHS runs deep.” Four years as an outstanding Bishop student-athlete, combined with myriad experiences in her work and travels in the U.S. and abroad, she is well-prepared to take the helm of the school’s new Office of Diversity, Equity and Justice. “I have a unique perspective and understanding of who we are and what we strive for at BMHS,” she explains. “This perspective will be the driving force to making sure that we continue to build a culture of inclusion and belonging.”
Under the general direction of Principal Jim Garza, Quinn, with Sheckler’s assistance, will oversee school-wide equity initiatives relating to curriculum, programming and the review of policies that affect Bishop Montgomery's ability to serve all of its students and families. The duo will work together to increase Bishop’s diversity, support students of color, expand the community’s cultural competency, promote academic excellence and prepare students to engage equitably in an increasingly complex and global community while maintaining Catholic integrity. “Leading and loving as Christ did, the goal,” says Quinn, “is to plant seeds of knowledge, water them daily with our actions, and cultivate an environment dedicated to making sure that everyone is seen and heard.”
Quinn, no stranger to Bishop Montgomery, excelled as a student and was also a member of four basketball state championship and one volleyball state championship Knights teams. After her 2003 graduation, she attended UCLA where she earned a B.A. in Sociology. Quinn also played basketball for the Bruins and is still regarded one of the best “all-around” players in UCLA women’s basketball history. Following her collegiate career, she was selected 4th overall in the 2007 WNBA Draft by the Minnesota Lynx and spent 12 years playing professional ball, most recently for Seattle where she helped the Storm clinch their third WNBA championship in 2018. In February 2019, Quinn was named an assistant coach for the Seattle Storm, and on October 6 of this year, saw the team capture their fourth WNBA championship. For the last four years, during her off-season, Quinn has returned to Bishop Montgomery to serve as the Girls’ Varsity Head Basketball Coach and an assistant in the school’s Athletic Office.
Sheckler has served in multiple roles, both in the classroom and on the field, during his tenure at Bishop Montgomery. Well-liked and respected by his colleagues, students, and athletes, he brings a genuine interest and commitment to student success and will be an excellent partner and faculty liaison for Quinn. Quinn looks forward to their collaboration. “I am excited to have Eric working with me... From his charismatic personality to his dedication to the students, it is clear that he is extremely passionate about our BMHS family. We will work hard together to assess the needs of our campus and come up with strategies that best serve our entire community.”