Leadership

Shawn L. Jackson, Ph.D.
President

Dr. Shawn Jackson Dr. Shawn L. Jackson is President of Harry S Truman College. He is a longtime educator, who has served as a teacher, Assistant Principal/Principal, and a Chicago Public Schools District Office Administrator over a 15-year span in primary and secondary education. Most recently, Dr. Jackson served as the Chief of Leadership and Learning. While in this role, he worked to scale essential district-wide efforts such as Chicago Public School’s Parent University, P.L.A.Y. (Personalized Learning Advancing Youth), and CPS Connects. These efforts helped to support the growth of educators in and out of classrooms across the City.

Dr. Jackson holds a Ph.D. in Administration and Supervision from Loyola University, an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from St. Xavier University, and a B.A. in Education from Northeastern Illinois University and was in the inaugural class of principals eligible for the National Board Certification for Educational Leaders. His research on Chicago Public Schools Desegregation Consent Decree earned a Dissertation with Distinction Award in 2010. Dr. Jackson continues to support new leaders and researchers in the field of education by serving on dissertation committees, mentoring doctoral students, and serving as part-time faculty at Loyola University’s School of Education. Dr. Jackson has also been a guest lecturer at several of Chicago’s universities and served on panels across the Country including the Superintendent’s Hot Seat, Learn Launch Conference at the Harvard Business School.

Dr. Jackson is known for his innovation in education, utilizing technology as a means to stretch learning beyond the classroom, and expanding opportunities for students across Chicago. While principal at Spencer Technology Academy, he spearheaded the writing of a multimillion-dollar technology grant, awarded to only five of Chicago’s 600 public schools. Three years later, Spencer had proven to be a pioneer in technology integration across all curriculum. Dr. Jackson also is credited with the creation of Spencer’s Parent University and The Cornerstone: Community Technology Center. These entities were designed to engage parents and community in the process of learning and to provide them extended opportunities to experience the benefits of technology. Dr. Jackson’s work with families and communities has been documented throughout various media outlets and serves as a model for parent engagement practices. 

Dr. Jackson’s reputation as being a compassionate and thoughtful leader and his innovative work in education have earned him various awards over the last decade. He was a nominee for the EdSurge Administrator Trailblazer Digital Innovation Learning Award in 2015 and was awarded the Chicago Urban League Innovator Award in 2015, the CPS’s Spotlight on Technology Award in 2013, the Illinois 7th Congressional District Outstanding Administrator Award in 2012, and the Comcast Outstanding Achievement in Education from Comcast in 2011. He is also featured in the documentary, College Week.

President’s Executive Leadership Team 

Gail Gordon-Allen
Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs
ggordon-allen@ccc.edu 

Hollie Ware-Jaye
Dean of Education and Teacher Programs & Senior Advisor to Provost
hwarejaye@ccc.edu

Lee Jackson, Ed.D.
Senior Dean of Adult Education
ljackson410@ccc.edu 

Mary Ann Soley
Dean of Student Services
msoley@ccc.edu

Vacant
Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives

Adam Henkels
Director of Safety & Security
ahenkels@ccc.edu 

Richard Hayes
Vice President of Finance & Operations
rhayes13@ccc.edu 

Autym Henderson, Ed.D
Dean of Instruction
ahenderson86@ccc.edu

Allison Zures, Ph.D.
Dean of Career & Continuing Education Programs
azures@ccc.edu 

Anan Alkarmi, Ph.D.
Dean of Scientific Technology and Innovation
aalkarmi@ccc.edu 

Michael Roberts
Director-Human Resources
mroberts39@ccc.edu

Sean Heraty
Dean of Enrollment Management
sheraty@ccc.edu 

Alaje Thomas
Director of Information Technology
fthomas44@ccc.edu