Loyola High School Detroit has named Denise Bertin-Epp the eighth president of the Jesuit Catholic school, effective May 1.
Bertin-Epp will succeed interim Loyola president Fr. Thomas McClain, who has served in the post since July 2025. He will remain connected to Loyola, serving as a part time Jesuit advisor for special projects to the president.
“It is with great joy and gratitude that I celebrate missioning Denise Bertin-Epp as the next president of Detroit’s Loyola High School, a vital educational ministry in the Midwest Province,” says the Very Rev. Karl J. Kiser, provincial of the Midwest Jesuits.
“Ms. Bertin-Epp comes with a remarkable reputation as a distinguished leader, renowned for visionary guidance, unwavering commitment to excellence, and deep faith in others that inspires all who work with her. I am certain that she will be the leader to ensure a transformative Catholic education rooted in hope, dignity, and the promise of the Gospel as expressed in our Jesuit tradition.”
Bertin-Epp brings to Loyola major fundraising success, a record of institutional transformation and a deep commitment to urban youth. Bertin-Epp formerly served as a member of the Catholic School Council (CSC) and was the advancement committee chair for the Archdiocese of Detroit Catholic School Council.
Bertin-Epp has other strong, local ties to the Jesuit/Catholic mission as well, serving as a board member at the Sacred Heart Major Seminary.
“I am deeply humbled and grateful for the opportunity to lead this community, where cura personalis – care for the whole person – is at the heart of everything we aim to do,” Bertin-Epp says. “My aspiration is to support our community, faculty and staff in helping every student reach their full potential, recognizing that each one is a unique gift from God made to live fully, authentically and with a higher purpose.”
Bertin-Epp has spent the last 3½ years as the president and CEO of the National Association for Children of Addiction (NACoA) in Bel Air, Md., where she assisted the association’s board of directors to rebrand and create a sustainable future for the organization.
Loyola High School was established in 1993 as a co-sponsored institution supported by the Archdiocese of Detroit and the Jesuits of the USA Midwest Province. Drawing from more than 450 years of Jesuit educational tradition, Loyola offers a rich foundation of values, leadership and academic excellence.
