Presidential search

Dr. Jermaine Ford, Ed.D., is a nationally recognized community college leader with a proven record of transforming colleges, driving strategic enrollment growth, improving student success outcomes, expanding workforce development, securing philanthropic investments, and building high-performing organizations. As a first-generation community college graduate, he has devoted his career to expanding access to higher education, advancing student success, and creating pathways to economic mobility through education and workforce development.

Throughout his career, he has been a steadfast advocate for expanding opportunities for underserved populations, ensuring that students and community members have access to pathways that lead to meaningful careers, post-graduate success, family-sustaining wages, and minimal student debt. His unwavering commitment to transforming lives through education reflects his deep conviction that community colleges are powerful engines of workforce development, economic mobility, and long-term regional prosperity.

Dr. Ford began his higher education career at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. Following a successful period in the private sector, he returned to higher education and held leadership positions at Moraine Valley Community College, South Louisiana Community College, and Florence-Darlington Technical College. This cross-sector experience has shaped a distinctive leadership perspective and a proven ability to build transformative partnerships across education, industry, and government that strengthen talent pipelines, meet workforce demands, and advance regional economic development.

Complementing his higher education experience, Dr. Ford has provided strategic leadership across distinguished service spanning boards at the local, regional, and national levels. His board service has included the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the Higher Education Research and Development Institute (HERDI), the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE), the Ferris State University Doctorate in Community College Leadership Advisory Council, the Thomas Lakin Institute Presidents’ Round Table, the McLeod Health Board, economic development and chamber boards, and the South Carolina Regional Workforce Development Board.

Dr. Ford and his wife of 27 years, Dr. Khalilah Ford (a professor), are the proud parents of two daughters: Kailynn Ford (an author and elementary school teacher), and Kaci Ford (a college sophomore). Dr. Ford is also preparing to publish his first book and enjoys writing, playing golf, exercising, attending church, traveling, and spending time with family. Dr. Ford earned an Associate of Arts degree from Moraine Valley Community College, a Bachelor of Arts degree from DePaul University, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix, and a Doctor of Education degree from Grand Canyon University

Tyjaun A. Lee, Ph.D., is a transformational higher education leader with more than 25 years of progressive experience advancing student success, institutional excellence, workforce development, and community engagement. She serves as Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services at Metropolitan Community College (MCC) in Kansas City, Missouri, where she provides executive leadership for key administrative functions, including facilities, finance, workforce and economic development, and operational strategy. In this role, she helps position the institution to respond effectively to the evolving needs of students, employees, industry partners, and the broader Kansas City community.

Prior to becoming Vice Chancellor, Dr. Lee served as president of MCC-Penn Valley from 2017 through 2023. As campus president, she led all campus operations, academic and student services, and strategic initiatives, including oversight of the Health Science Institute and Advanced Technical Skills Institute. Her leadership emphasized access, equity, completion, and career-connected learning, while strengthening partnerships that support students in attaining meaningful credentials and employment opportunities. From 2018 to 2020, she also simultaneously served as president of MCC-Maple Woods, providing leadership across two campuses during a period of institutional transition.

Before joining MCC, Dr. Lee served as Vice President for Student Services at Prince George’s Community College in Maryland. There, she led a broad portfolio encompassing recruitment, enrollment, retention, student development, marketing, athletics, and auxiliary services. She previously served as Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Services at Tidewater Community College in Norfolk, Virginia, where she provided collegewide strategic direction for enrollment and student-support operations. These roles reflect her sustained commitment to building student centered systems that improve access, persistence, and achievement.

Dr. Lee’s earlier career includes service as director of counseling at Cuyahoga Community College’s Metropolitan Campus in Cleveland, where she designed support programs for students facing academic challenges. She also served as national director for the Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Aerospace Academy (SEMAA), managing a performance-based NASA contract, helping establish 15 sites across the country, and leading workshops for students through NASA Glenn Research Center. Her professional background also includes directing the Student Support Services Program at David N. Myers University.

A Cleveland native and first-generation college student, Dr. Lee earned her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from Ohio University. Her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership emphasizes higher education administration. Her doctoral research examined the experiences of African American women deans serving on predominantly White college campuses, reflecting her longstanding interest in leadership, equity, and the advancement of historically underrepresented populations in higher education.

Throughout her career, Dr. Lee has been recognized as a passionate, student-centered leader and a champion for inclusive institutional transformation. Her work is grounded in the belief that community colleges are essential engines of social mobility, workforce advancement, and regional economic vitality. She is the proud dog mom of Mr. Romeo and Miss. Jewels.

Dr. Jarrod Tudor currently serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer at Hocking College. His administrative portfolio includes academic affairs, governmental relations, athletics, grants administration, campus security, institutional research, community relations, workforce development, and economic development.

Dr. Tudor holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Kent State University, a J.D. and an M.A. in Political Science from the University of Toledo, an M.B.A. and an M.P.A. also from Kent State University, and Master of Laws degrees from both the University of Akron and Cleveland State University. He also graduated from The Ohio State University with a B.A. in political science. Dr. Tudor’s career includes 20 years working in the Kent State University regional campus system. While at Kent State, he served as Dean and Chief Administrative Officer at the Geauga and Twinsburg Campuses and Director of Paralegal Studies. After service at Kent State, Dr. Tudor spent four years at the University of Akron holding the positions of Dean of Wayne College and Interim Dean of the LeBron James Family Foundation College of Education. Immediately before coming to Hocking College, he served as the Dean of Campus and Community Relations at Ohio University – Lancaster. Dr. Tudor has taught classes in the fields of political science, finance, economics, criminal justice, communications, history, and higher education administration and was a full professor with tenure at the University of Akron and Ohio University. Dr. Tudor’s areas of research include European Union Law and Intellectual Property Law, where he has published several articles.

Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Dr. Tudor currently lives in Nelsonville, Ohio.