Two New Trier High School administrators will be taking on new roles in the 2025-26 school year with the school hiring an education veteran to fill another position.
On Feb. 18th, the New Trier School board approved the promotions of Chimille Tillery to Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction and Dan Paustian to Associate Principal for the Northfield Campus. The board also approved the hiring of Nashwa Mekky as the new Chief Human Relations Officer.
“These three administrators are experts in their field and will help us further the goals of our strategic plan, New Trier 2030,” Assistant Superintendent Peter Tragos said in a statement. “The hiring committees were impressed with not only their expertise, but their collaborative and student-centered approach to their leadership. All three stood out in a very strong field of applicants, and I cannot wait to start our work together.”
Tillery will be moving into the position currently held by Tragos, who will take over as superintendent on July 1, upon the retirement of Paul Sally.
Since 2018, Tillery has been New Trier’s Director of Curriculum and Instruction where she supervises professional development, new teacher induction and subsequent mentorship, student teaching and testing. In addition, she is co-chairperson the Instructional Leadership Team and oversees curricular initiatives such as new course proposals and AP test auditing, among other responsibilities.
“A key priority in my new role is fostering strong, collaborative relationships with all stakeholders—students, parents, staff and the community. I see the biggest tasks ahead as ensuring that we continue to meet the diverse needs of our students while carrying out the district’s strategic plan,” Tillery wrote in an e-mail.
Before coming to New Trier, Tillery was a science teacher at schools in Chicago and Homewood-Flossmoor High School and later an assistant principal at Wilmette’s Highcrest Middle School.
Paustian is the school’s Assistant Principal for the 2027 Graduating Class Team ever since the formation of the Graduating Class Teams in 2023. His responsibilities include presiding over student services, the adviser program, attendance, discipline and restorative practices and is a resource for students, families and staff.
“To be successful in this pursuit is truly a group process, but an essential one, to honor the rich history of excellence at New Trier, while also navigating the landscape to meet the needs of current and future Trevians,” he wrote in an e-mail.
Before being named to this role, Paustian was the high school’s social work coordinator at the Northfield Campus.
Paustian will succeed Gail Gamrath, who is retiring on June 30 after 31 years at New Trier.
Finally, Mekky has been named the new Chief Human Relations Officer, taking on a role now known as director of human resources.
Mekky is currently the Chief People, Equity, Culture and Ethics Officer at the Illinois Math and Science Academy in Aurora. She worked previously in different educational roles starting in Arlington Heights and Chicago as an elementary school teacher, an associate principal at a Deerfield middle school and then principal of Howe Elementary School in Beach Park.
Mekky will succeed Renee Zoladz, who is retiring after working at New Trier since 2019.