“Dr. Dettmar has been a leader in our commitment to academic excellence and is a role model for lifelong learning,” shared Head of School Jenny Rao. “I am thrilled to see Esther become Emma Willard's next dean of academics and foresee our program will continue to soar under her leadership and in partnership with our extraordinary faculty.”

Dr. Dettmar distinguished herself throughout the search process with her enthusiastic outlook on the future of Emma’s academic program and her vision for supporting our talented faculty. Over the last two and a half years, she has led the English Department as chair and managed the many functions of leadership in that area, including developing curriculum, hiring new faculty, and managing academic policies. 

As Dr. Dettmar steps into the role of dean of academics in July 2025, she will join the senior Administrative Team, under the leadership of Head of School Elect Dr. Karen C. Lassey, in working to ensure the mission of the school is carried out in all teaching and learning endeavors. The dean helps establish the strategic priorities for the school and reports regularly on curricular innovation, faculty recruitment, retention and development, and student learning and achievement. Dr. Dettmar will also work closely with parents in support of their Emma student and as an active partner with all members of the community, helping to ensure decisions are student-centered.

“I am honored to be the next dean of academics at this exciting time of transition for Emma,” said Dr. Dettmar. “I look forward to working with Dr. Lassey when she joins our community and to collaborating with faculty to imagine what comes next for our academic program.”

Always eager to be involved in the inner workings of the school, Dr. Dettmar has served as the faculty representative on the Board of Trustees Facilities Committee and as a member of the Educational Technology Team, Conduct Review Committee, Head’s Council, and the Resilience & Wellbeing Technology Task Force. She co-led the recent five-year NYSAIS accreditation and led work on the school’s grading policy. Dr. Dettmar also serves as the Revels costumer, a role that is at the heart of this treasured Emma Willard tradition.

Dr. Dettmar received her BA, MA, and PhD in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she taught classes in rhetoric, business & technical writing, film, and literature, co-wrote a guide to conferencing with student writers, and mentored new graduate-student instructors. Her dissertation, which has inspired a senior elective here at Emma, explored the role of (dis)identification in queer and feminist revisions of classical fairy tales. Dr. Dettmar lives just down the road from campus with her cat, Snow White.