On February 18, Chancellor Dr. Tammeil Gilkerson attended the 50th Annual Association of California Community College Administrators (ACCCA) Conference, which was held in Long Beach. She currently serves on the ACCCA Board as the Immediate Past President, alongside Dr. Ajani Byrd, who is currently serving as the Acting VP of Student Services at Berkeley City College. The conference itself was both celebratory and grounding, marking fifty years of leadership and service across the California community college system.

Chancellor Gilkerson also facilitated a plenary panel on the Future of Education with an exceptional group of national and state leaders:

• Dr. DeRionne Pollard, President and CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges
• Dr. Willy Duncan, Superintendent/President of Sierra College
• Michelle Fischthal, Vice Chancellor for Institutional Innovation and Effectiveness at the San Diego Community College District
• Wendy Stewart, Associate Vice President and Chief Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility Officer at MiraCosta College

The conversation focused on the moment of transformation facing higher education: new student realities, evolving workforce demands, and changing expectations for colleges.

There was a particularly meaningful moment during the conference when the community honored the current Executive Director Susan Bray, who will be retiring after 39 years of service. Bringing former and current leaders together underscored something important: institutions endure because people commit themselves to the work year after year, building something that extends far beyond any one individual.

"I left the conference feeling grateful to be part of that broader community of leadership, and grateful for the role ACCCA continues to play in supporting administrators across our system," remarked the Chancellor. "What stood out most to me, though, was a deeper reminder that leadership in community colleges is really stewardship over time, preparing our institutions for the leaders and students who will come after us."