Michael Pimental joins the president’s team as chief of staff
Michael Pimental, a longtime leader in planning, strategy and human resources in higher education, has joined Salve Regina’s team this week as chief of staff to Dr. Kelli J. Armstrong, president of the University.
In his role as chief of staff, Pimental will collaborate across the campus community to ensure the successful implementation of multiple initiatives, including the University’s Strategic Compass. He will provide strategic and operational level support for the president and help shepherd plans from start to completion.
Pimental joins the team as Janice Violante, senior administrative assistant in the president’s office, enters retirement. Violante served under three presidents during her 15-year tenure at Salve Regina, which began in 2007 — including Dr. M. Therese Antone, RSM (1994-2009), Dr. Jane Gerety, RSM (2009-2019) and Dr. Armstrong (2019-present).
“Mike’s arrival to Salve is well-timed for our future vision as a University,” Dr. Armstrong said. “As we begin the implementation of our strategic work and plan for our 75th anniversary, Mike’s unique background and skill set will help to support our efforts to advance Salve as an institution. Most importantly, he is deeply committed to our mercy mission and our goals of social justice and service.”
In addition to managing the president’s administrative support team, Pimental will serve as a member of the president’s cabinet and work closely with the vice presidents to help them advance their priorities. He will be the primary liaison to the University’s trustees and will work closely with the chief advancement officer to support the University’s fundraising initiatives.
“I feel honored to become a member of the Salve community with its strong sense of mission, and I am eager to join a team that’s dedicated to putting great ideas into action and advancing the Strategic Compass,” said Pimental when asked about the new role.
The son of Portuguese immigrants from the Azores, Pimental grew up in New Bedford, Massachusetts, with a family upbringing and cultural philosophy that education and a strong work ethic are the keys to ongoing growth and success. These are the values that helped him succeed as a first-generation college student at Boston College, and they are values that he hopes to bring to the table as he begins his work at Salve Regina.
“I was very fortunate that my parents saw the value of education and did whatever they could to help me earn the scholarships and grants that made college possible,” he said. “Looking back on those days, I can see how access to higher education can open many doors for students and create opportunities that last a lifetime.”
Pimental comes to Salve Regina with extensive academic and corporate experience in strategic planning, organizational development, project management, change management, training, human resources and employee relations.
Since 2006, he served as executive director of planning and strategic services at Boston College (BC). A senior member of the leadership team for BC’s institutional research and planning division, Pimental supervised a broad range of activities and initiatives that promoted the use of information and planning in strategic decision making. Among his many duties, he oversaw planning, program review, internal consulting and strategic services efforts to examine and advance BC’s effectiveness in fulfilling its mission and strategic priorities.
Prior to that, he served as the director of organizational development and employee relations at Brooks Automation in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, and he was the director of employment and employee relations for MultiPlan, formerly Private Healthcare Systems, Inc. in Waltham, Massachusetts.
Pimental has his bachelor’s degree in general management and his MBA with an organizational studies concentration from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College. He holds an executive certificate in management and leadership from Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management.
Today, Pimental lives in Cumberland with his wife and twin daughters. An avid runner, he looks forward to early morning jogs along the Cliff Walk and beaches of Newport.
