Vice President of Institution Strategy and Chief of Staff Adriel Hilton has left the college less than a year after joining President and CEO Shantay Bolton’s administration.
The college declined to answer questions about the circumstances surrounding Hilton’s departure. Hilton was reached by phone on Monday, June 22, but ended the call before responding to questions from the Chronicle.
Hilton, who joined Columbia in July 2025 shortly after Bolton assumed her position, was a member of the president’s leadership team and frequently accompanied Bolton at meetings, public events and other appearances on behalf of the college.
Hilton was brought on to Bolton’s leadership team along with Emmanuel Lalande, senior vice president of enrollment strategy and student success, Jerry Tarrer, senior vice president and chief operating officer and Laurent Pernot, vice president of strategic partnerships and civic engagement.
Hilton replaced Pernot, who was chief of staff for eight years under former President and CEO Kwang-Wu Kim. Pernot was laid off in March 2026. Bolton made him vice president of strategic partnerships and civic engagement.
In a statement to the Chronicle, Senior Director of Campus Communications Jourdan Thompson said the institution continues to review administrative structures and streamline operations to support long-term financial sustainability efforts. The statement added that when positions become vacant or eliminated, the college evaluates how responsibilities will be covered, including redistributing duties, restructuring roles or filling positions.
Faculty Senate President David Gerding declined to comment on Hilton’s departure, saying he was not familiar with the situation.
“As I am not familiar with the circumstances, I am going to respectfully decline on commenting on their departure,” said Gerding, associate professor in the School of Design.
Hilton’s departure follows the exit of longtime executive assistant Yvonne Sode, who had worked at Columbia since 2000 under at least four administrations: Bolton, Jerry Tarrer, Kwang-Wu Kim and Warrick L. Carter.
Hilton previously led strategic student affairs and enrollment initiatives at Southern University at New Orleans. His position at Columbia was aimed at long-term planning and student success.
Their departure comes as Columbia continues to reorganize parts of its administrative structure. Earlier this month, the college announced a new academic leadership, condensing 10 school directors to five deans as part of a broader realignment effort.
Under the new structure, the schools of Theatre and Dance and Audio and Music will be grouped under one dean, and the schools of Fashion, Visual Arts and Design will be grouped under one dean. The schools of Film and Television, Communication and Culture and Business and Entrepreneurship will remain standalone units with a single dean each.
The new deans were announced to the college in June and they will begin their appointments on August 16.
Jimmy Noriega, previously the director of Columbia’s School of Theatre and Dance, will be the dean of the Schools of Audio and Music, Theatre and Dance. Jerry Brindisi, the previous interim director of the School of Business and Entrepreneurship will serve as dean for that school.
Ames Hawkins will be the dean of the School of Communication and Culture, where they previously served as interim director. Colbey Reid, previously the director of the School of Fashion, will be the dean of the Schools of Design, Fashion and Visual Arts. Wenhwa Ts’ao will be the dean of the School of Film and Television, where she previously served as co-director.
Copy edited by Antonio Chaves
Resumen en español
El vicepresidente de estrategia institucional y jefe de personal Adriel Hilton dejó su cargo en la universidad a menos de un año después de unirse a la administración de la presidenta y directora ejecutiva Shantay Bolton.
La universidad se negó a responder preguntas sobre los motivos de la salida de Hilton. El pasado lunes 22 de junio, Hilton fue contactado por teléfono, pero cortó la llamada antes de responder a las preguntas que tenía el Chronicle.
Hilton, quien se incorporó a la universidad en julio de 2025, poco después de que Bolton asumiera la presidencia y dirección ejecutiva, era miembro del equipo directivo de la presidenta y la acompañaba con frecuencia en reuniones, eventos públicos y otras apariciones en representación de la universidad.
Resumen por Guadalupe Loza-Sanchez
