LEXINGTON, Va., July 1, 2021—Ms. Susan LeMert has been named inspector general and Title IX coordinator at Virginia Military Institute. LeMert, who had served as interim inspector general and Title IX coordinator since February 2021, replaces Col. Jeffrey Boobar ’86, now the Institute’s interim chief of staff.

A Lexington native, LeMert moved back to Rockbridge County and began working at VMI in March 2011 in the registrar’s office. Later that year, she accepted a position at Preston Library. In 2014, she became a member of the Violence Prevention Committee and the Title IX Appeals Committee. In May of 2015, in addition to her responsibilities at the library, she became an assistant inspector general/ Title IX investigator in the VMI Inspector General/Title IX Office performing investigations, facilitating Bystander Invention Training, and conducting focus groups and listening sessions with cadets and employees.

After graduating from Lexington High School, LeMert earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Old Dominion University and went on to work in corporate human resources in the Tidewater area and later in Richmond.  Throughout her adult life, LeMert has been an active volunteer in her community, most recently at The Community Table, the RARA Food Pantry, and in various activities through her church.

“A key mission of Title IX at VMI and all colleges is to develop programs, policies, and procedures that affirm the dignity and worth of all people, and equally as important, to ensure the psychological and physical safety of all,” said LeMert. 

Training is a primary goal of the inspector general’s office, she explained, and with that goal in mind, she plans to continue the outreach efforts she began as assistant inspector general. She’s also seeking to make it known that the inspector general’s office can connect members of the VMI community with resources they might need to overcome challenges in their study or work lives.

“The goal is to empower individuals to exercise the right decision for themselves and to ensure cadets and employees can enjoy the full benefits of their educational and employment opportunities, respectively,” she said.

Supporting LeMert’s work as assistants in investigations and training are Col. Sam Allen, Lt. Col. Alyssa Astphan, Lt. Col. Abbey Carrico, Sgt. 1st Class Chris Bean and most recently, Ms. Haley Shotwell.