College of the Redwoods Announces Three Finalists in Search for Next President/Superintendent

Press release from the College of the Redwoods Board of Trustees:

The College of the Redwoods Board of Trustees has invited three finalists to advance in the search for the College’s next President/Superintendent: Dr. Mark C. Fields, Dr. Thad Russell, and Dr. David Williams.

The finalists will visit College of the Redwoods September 8–11, 2026. Campus visits will include public candidate forums, meetings with constituent groups, and interviews with the CR Board of Trustees. Additional details, including the schedule of candidate forums and opportunities for the campus and community to participate, will be released in the coming weeks.

The nationwide search was conducted in accordance with the College’s President/Superintendent selection process. Community feedback gathered through town halls and an online survey helped inform the position profile used in recruitment.

“We sincerely thank the staff, students, faculty, and community representative who have worked tirelessly as committee participants and administrative support for this pivotal search which has resulted in an excellent slate of finalists.” said search co-chairs Board Vice President Richard Dorn and Trustee Dr. Colleen Mullery. “We look forward to welcoming the finalists to our campuses and giving our College and broader community an opportunity to learn more about each candidate.”

Dr. Mark C. Fields

Dr. Mark C. Fields is a seasoned, student-centered leader who currently serves as the Vice President of Academic Affairs at College of the Siskiyous located in rural Northern California. His career in higher education includes adjunct and full-time tenured faculty, associate dean, dean of academic affairs, and acting vice president of instruction, all within the California Community College System.

Fields is a graduate of the University of California Davis’ Wheelhouse Aspiring Leaders Institute, and the Community College League of California’s Aspiring CEO Program. He serves on the Membership Engagement Committee and has participated in legislative advocacy for the California Community College Association for Occupational Education. He regularly presents at professional development sessions and at conferences including the Association of California Community College Administrators.

A proud community college graduate, Fields earned an associate degree in Administration of Justice from Merritt College in Oakland. He earned his Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Cal-State Long Beach where his research focused on distance education, a master’s degree in public administration from Cal-State Northridge, a B.A. in Business Administration from Woodbury University. Like many of our students, Fields completed all of his education while working full-time and raising a family. Five generations of the Fields family have attended a California Community College.

Prior to higher education, Fields started his career in public service with the California Highway Patrol, honorably retiring at the rank of lieutenant.

A life-long California resident, he was born and raised in Oakland, CA, and has lived and worked in urban and rural communities literally from border to border. These experiences provide him with a unique perspective on the needs of our students and campus community.

Dr. Thad Russell

Dr. Thad Russell has devoted more than three decades to helping community colleges create opportunities for students, strengthen communities, and prepare the workforce of tomorrow. As Vice President of Instruction at Porterville College, Russell provides leadership for instructional programs, accreditation, enrollment strategy, workforce development, and institutional planning. He believes community colleges are strongest when people work together around a shared purpose and remain connected to the communities they serve.

Russell’s path to higher education leadership began with firsthand experience of the opportunities community colleges create. As a first-generation college graduate who worked full time while raising a young family, he understands both the barriers many students face, and the life-changing impact education can have. Those experiences continue to shape his leadership and reinforce his belief that every student deserves the opportunity to succeed.

Over the course of his career, Russell has served as a faculty member, academic administrator, Dean of Career Technical Education and Workforce Development at College of the Sequoias, and Vice President of Instruction at Porterville College. Before entering higher education, he spent twelve years in private-sector management.

Russell earned a Bachelor of Science in Technical Education from Pittsburg State University, a Master of Science in Education from Kansas State University, and a Doctor of Education in Community College Leadership from the Roueche Graduate Center at National American University.

Russell and his wife, Kelly, have both dedicated their careers to higher education. Together they enjoy traveling, experiencing new cultures, and spending time with their family. They are proud parents of two sons, Derrik and Ian.

Dr. David Williams

Dr. Williams has served as the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Solano Community College since 2017. He is most proud of his work bringing education to justice-impacted students (Rising Scholars), promoting equitable teaching practices, diversifying hiring at the college, and removing systemic barriers to student success. He serves as the college’s Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) and was the first DEIA Advocate for the California Community Colleges Chief Instructional Officers (CCCCIO) Association. As part of the CCCCIO, he has also mentored deans of color throughout the state, helping them navigate their leadership roles and preparing them to advance in their careers.

He is a frequent conference presenter and has served on various statewide committees, including the Rising Scholars Advisory Committee, the Curriculum Committee (5C), and the Success Metrics Advisory Committee. As a member of the DEIA Implementation Workgroup, he helped draft the regulatory language that added evaluation of DEIA efforts to community college employee performance reviews, and as a member of the Working Learner Taskforce, he helped craft new streamlined rules for attendance accounting.

Prior to his administrative career, Dr. Williams was a full-time Professor of Theatre History and Film at Texas Tech University; he also taught at American River College, Cosumnes River College, and UC Berkeley. He has been an adjunct and full-time faculty member as well as a classified professional and classified manager at various institutions. He holds a Ph.D. in Theatre History from UC Davis.

College of the Redwoods will release additional information about the finalists’ campus visits and candidate forums in the coming weeks. Information about the search and the finalists can be found at https://www.redwoods.edu/about/hr/president.php

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