Jessica Howard is the president and CEO of Chemeketa Community College. She holds a Ph.D. from New York University and a master’s and two bachelor’s degrees from Rice University.

Prior to joining Chemeketa in 2019, Dr. Howard served as a campus president at Portland Community College Southeast Campus. Before coming to Oregon, Dr. Howard enjoyed a long tenure at San Antonio College in Texas. There she served as an assistant and associate professor, a faculty department chair, and the vice president for academic affairs. During her time in the VP role, and in order to emphasize the importance of student completion and community college credentials, Dr. Howard earned her associate of arts degree.

Dr. Howard is an Aspen Fellow and has held positions on multiple boards, including Campus Compact, the Oregon Workforce Investment Board, SEDCOR, Willamette Workforce Partnership, the Latino Network, and the American Association of Women in Community Colleges. She serves on the Student Success Commission of the American Association of Community Colleges and represents community colleges on the Oregon STEM Investment Council. Throughout her career and in a variety of contexts, Dr. Howard’s commitment to equitable student success, community- and future-focused workforce development, and innovative and collaborative solutions has shaped and driven her work.