College of Alameda President Search

Dear College of Alameda Community,

I am pleased to share that we have officially launched the search for the College of Alameda's next president. Selecting a college president is one of our most important decisions, and I want to ensure our community has opportunities to participate in the process.

We are conducting a national search to attract a strong, diverse pool of candidates with the experience, vision, and leadership needed to guide College of Alameda into its next chapter. We have engaged HSV Consulting, Inc., with Dr. Helen Benjamin and Dr. Cindy Miles serving as our search consultants in partnership with the District’s Human Resources Department.

Earlier this month, we held a campus listening session to hear directly from faculty, classified professionals, administrators, and students about what matters most to them in their next president. Thank you to everyone who participated and shared their perspectives. Your feedback helped shape the presidential profile and the qualities we will be looking for in our next leader.

Representatives to the Search Committee were selected by their respective constituency groups in accordance with Administrative Procedure 7122. The committee held its first meeting on October 14, which included Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) training and an overview of the search process. Committee members will review applications, interview semifinalists, and recommend finalists for further consideration.

We expect to invite finalists to campus in early December for open forums and other activities. I encourage students, faculty, classified professionals, and administrators to attend, meet the candidates, and learn more about their experiences, leadership approaches, and vision for College of Alameda. These forums are an important opportunity for our community to get to know the finalists and for the candidates to learn more about our College. We hope to complete the selection process by mid-December, with our new president beginning January 1, 2027.

Throughout the search, we will share updates, key dates, and opportunities for participation on this webpage. You can also find information about the Search Committee, the search timeline, and other materials related to the process.

If you have questions or would like to recommend someone we should contact, please reach out to our search consultants, Dr. Helen Benjamin at 510-701-1553 or Dr. Cindy Miles at 619-322-8824.

College of Alameda has much to be proud of, especially its strong sense of community and commitment to students. As we search for the College’s next president, we want someone who values those strengths and is ready to work with our faculty, classified professionals, administrators, and students to make the College even stronger.

Thank you for your continued commitment to College of Alameda and for being part of this important process.

Warmly,

Tammeil

Dr. Tammeil Gilkerson

Chancellor, Peralta Community College District

Acting President, College of Alameda

A Listening Session was conducted at College of Alameda on October 5, 2026, to gather input from faculty, staff, administrators, and students to inform the College’s search for its next president. Participants were invited to share their perspectives on the key issues and opportunities facing the College, leadership qualities and characteristics needed in the next president, and distinctive strengths of the College that should be considered in recruiting and selecting its next leader.

Read about the presentation here

College of Alameda Leadership Transition and Presidential Search

Dear College of Alameda Community,

Thank you to everyone who joined me today. For those who couldn't be there, I wanted to share a brief update on the leadership transition and, most importantly, what comes next.

We are moving forward immediately with the search for the next President of College of Alameda. We are moving quickly, with a clear timeline to bring a candidate to the Board in December and have our new president begin in January, or as soon as possible thereafter.

Given that short timeframe, rather than bringing in an interim president for just a few months, I will provide direct leadership and support to the College of Alameda during the transition, working closely with the College leadership team. I will make sure the College has the support it needs and that we keep the important work underway moving forward.

I am also grateful that Dr. Helen Benjamin has agreed to lead the search. Dr. Benjamin led our previous COA presidential search and knows the College and our District well.

The first important opportunity for the College community to be involved is our Campus Listening Session on Monday, October 5 from 12:15 pm-1:30 pm in H-153. Dr. Benjamin wants to hear directly from you about COA's strengths, the opportunities for the College, and the characteristics you believe are important in your next president. Your input will help shape the presidential profile and the search. I hope you will participate and encourage your colleagues and students to do the same.

Before we turn fully toward what comes next, I also want us to have an opportunity to thank President Dixon for her service to College of Alameda. We will host a small, informal reception Wednesday, October 7 from 2:30–3:30 p.m., with light refreshments. There is no formal program—just some time for us to be together as a community, connect, and wish President Dixon well. Location details will come soon. I hope you will stop by if you can.

Thank you for all that you continue to do for COA and our students. I look forward to working alongside you during this transition and to the conversation next week.

In community,

Tammeil
Tammeil Y. Gilkerson, Ed.D.
Chancellor
Peralta Community College District
333 East 8^th Street Oakland CA 94606
tgilkerson@peralta.edu | 510.466.7322