Ashleigh Hala
Ashleigh Hala, MSW, LICSW is the Associate Dean and Chief Wellness Officer at MCLA. Within that capacity, Hala has oversight for counseling, health services, health promotion, prevention, peer education, and the care team. Previously, Hala was the Director for the Office of Wellbeing at Wake Forest University and the founding director for Wellness & Prevention Services at Babson College, leading Babson’s community health, health promotion, and prevention efforts. Hala previously served as the founding Director of Sexual Assault Prevention & Response Services at Babson College and as the Title IX Coordinator/Associate Director of Residence Life at Wheelock College.
Hala holds both Master of Social Work (Boston University) and Bachelor of Social Work (Wheelock College) degrees and is a licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW). Currently, Hala is pursuing an EdD in Higher Education Leadership at Boston University, with research focused on student persistence and enrollment infrastructure. She is also trained and certified in rape crisis counseling, motivational interviewing, prevention leadership, Title IX investigation, and basic restorative practices. Hala is a frequently solicited presenter for professional development opportunities through associations such as NASPA (National Association of Student Personnel Administrators), ACHA (American College Health Association), and NASW (National Association of Social Workers). Additionally, Hala has served in many volunteer leadership positions in the previously mentioned associations, including chairing the NASPA Wellness & Health Promotion Knowledge Community, Chair of the Wellness & Health Promotion Leadership conference as a part of NASPA Strategies, and a co-author of guiding documents related to health promotion standards published by ACHA. Hala also has robust research experience, such as her contributions to the International Institute for Restorative Practices Higher Education Learning Collaborative.
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Education
Masters, Social Work, Boston University
Bachelors, Social Work, Wheelock College
Selected Publications
American College Health Association. (2025). Organizational structures for health promotion in higher education. American College Health Association.
Berkenwald, L., Hala, A. (2016, February). Project TEAM [Team Engagement for Alcohol Management]. NCAA CHOICES Grantees, http://www.ncaa.org/sport-science-institute/ncaa-choices-alcohol-education-grant-program
Selected Presentations
Hala, A.,Tacto, O., Davidson, E., Edwards, J., (2025, May). Strategic Leadership in College Wellbeing: Elevating Health Promotion Professionals to Executive Roles. Presented at the ACHA Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA.
Hala, A. (2024, November). Are We Getting Anywhere? A Multidisciplinary Discussion About the Current State of Prevention. Presented at the National Discussion on Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment at America’s Colleges, Universities, and Service Academies, West Point, NY.
Hala, A., Ahmed, N., Coleman, R. (2022, May). Dismantling the inherent privilege of self-care. Presented at the American College Health Association Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA.
Abrams, G. B., Smull, E., Hala, A., Stone, J., & Willson, S. (2019, May). Building health campuses by increasing social connectedness and sense of community. Pre-conference workshop presented at the American College Health Association Annual Meeting, Denver, CO.
Hala, A. (2018, November). Innovators & award winners: Project TEAM. Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery Webinar Series.
Hala, A. (2017, March). Stop it: Ending domestic violence in our communities. Presented as a Keynote Speech for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), Boston, MA.
Hala, A. (2016, October). A month of awareness: The impact of domestic violence on us and across communities as a whole. Presented as a Keynote Panelist for the Office of the Attorney General (Massachusetts), Boston, MA.
Hala, A. (2016, June). Supporting young people in our lives: Addressing relationship violence on college campuses. Presented as a Keynote Panelist for the REACH Beyond Domestic Violence Annual Meeting, Waltham, MA.