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About Sharon Blackman
Dr. Sharon L. Blackman currently serves as the Strategic Learning Consultant for the Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD) working with district faculty and staff in the area of talent development. She previously Provost of the Educational Affairs Division for the district, where she supervised the operations of Financial Aid and Scholarships, Curriculum Management, Academic Records/Degree Audit, Student Programs, Workforce Development and Continuing Education departments for the district office. She has more than 40years of experience in higher education administration, program development, counseling and teaching.
In September, 2008 upon an invitation from the chancellor, she took on the role of the District-Wide Chief Retention Officer and established the DCCCD district-wide Office of Student Retention where she designed and implemented the Retention Initiative Program and annual summits- Student Success Summer Institute and Developmental Education (2008-2011). These summits provided an opportunity for faculty and staff throughout the district to come together and collaborate on retention efforts, immerging programs and best practices.
She has served as the president of Brookhaven College (part of the DCCCD) and as president of Oakland Community College’s Auburn Hills campus, where she also has served as that institution’s dean of technology and workforce development services. Prior to accepting the position at OCC, Blackman filled a number of administrative positions at Richland College. She also has held several positions at Youngstown State University, Earlham College (Ind.) and Tennessee State University.
Blackman, who has taught at Richland College and Earlham College, earned both her bachelor’s degree in health and physical education and her master’s degree in education/ guidance and counseling from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; she also holds a doctorate in educational administration from Baylor University. She is a certified specialist in developmental education and has participated in the Kellogg Institute for Developmental Educators.
She is the recipient of the 2011 Learning Technology Innovations of the year award for the DCCCD District Office, 2010 Innovator of the Year Award for the DCCCD District Office; 2005 International Exemplary Leadership Award, sponsored by The Chair Academy; the 2004 Woman of Distinction Award from the Pontiac Club of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs Inc.; and several other honors.
Blackman is a presenter at state and national conferences, and she has been involved in a number of professional and community organizations, including the American Council on Education Life Long Learning Commission Member; National Institute of Leadership Development Board; National Commission on Community Colleges College Board; American Association of Community Colleges, President’s Roundtable; The Chair Academy Board; Framer Branch Chamber of Commerce Board Member; The Rotary Club of Carrollton-Farmers Branch, TX; the National Council on Black American Affairs; the American Association of Women in Community Colleges; Leadership Oakland board of directors; the Automotive Society of Body Engineers Foundation board (vice president); Arthritis Foundation Board, Texas Chapter; the Dodd Education and Support Foundation Board; the Delta Fortitude Foundation (treasurer); the Design and Manufacturing Alliance steering committee; the Oakland Schools for Career-Focused Education task force and many others.
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About Tom Thompson
Now in his 15th year as President at Olds College, Dr. Thompson has taken a leading role in post-secondary education for over thirty years. Dr. Thompson is recognized for serving on numerous initiatives to enhance education, leadership, governance, entrepreneurship, and community service. His list of accomplishments includes: Chair of the Canada/USA Alliance of Rural Colleges, President of the ’95 Canada Games Host Organizing Committee, Chair of the Alberta Association of Colleges and Technical Institutes, Chair Campus Alberta Central, Chair of the Community Learning Campus, Chair of the UDigit Systems Board of Directors, and President of Post-Secondary International Network. Most recently, Dr. Thompson and Olds College were honoured with the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics Gold Award of Excellence in Governance.
Public speaking engagements have extended Dr. Thompson’s influence and brought recognition to Olds College and Alberta’s post-secondary system. For example, he represented Canada at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Conference on Re-engineering Technical Vocational Education in China and has contributed to exchanges of education and governance “best practices” in Africa, Russia, New Zealand, the Middle East, USA, Japan, China, Vietnam, France, Spain, Croatia and England.
Dr. Thompson obtained his Doctorate in Higher Education Administration, with a policy governance research focus. His professional development continues with completed educational and leadership programs at Harvard, Oxford, and the WestPoint Academy. |
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