Finalists selected for next president of Cleveland State Community College. Public interviews set for April 17-21.

A Tennessee Board of Regents search advisory committee has selected three finalists for the next president of Cleveland State Community College. They will participate in public interviews with the campus community April 17, 20, and 21, the next step in the selection process.

The finalists are:

• Dr. John M. Davis, vice president of administrative services at Germanna Community College in Virginia since 2017 and an administrator there since 2008. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership from College of William and Mary, a Master of Science in Higher Education and a Bachelor of Science in Criminology, both from Florida State University, and an Associate of Arts from Gulf Coast Community College. Before joining Germanna, he was director of institutional research and strategic planning at Thomas Nelson Community College and has previous administrative experience at Regent University and the University of Michigan and teaching experience at Regent.

• Dr. James W. Ross, president of Pamlico Community College in North Carolina from 2016 to 2024 and formerly vice president for institutional advancement and development and executive director of the foundation at Piedmont Virginia Community College in Virginia. He holds a Doctor of Education degree with a major in organizational leadership from Nova Southeastern University, and Master of Education and Bachelor of Arts degrees, both from Slippery Rock University. Before his service at Pamlico and Piedmont Virginia, he was vice president for advancement and public affairs at Eastern Florida State College and vice president for development at Crosswinds Youth Services in Florida, owner of a publishing business, and a staff area representative for a congressional district office in Pennsylvania.

• Dr. Patricia P. Weaver, vice president of external affairs at Pellissippi State Community College in Knoxville since 2022 and previously vice president for workforce and economic development at Cleveland State. She holds a Doctor of Education degree in Higher Education Leadership and Policy Analysis from East Tennessee State University, a Master of Arts in Education (K-12) from Tusculum College and a Bachelor of Science in Education (Marketing Education) from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Before moving to Pellissippi, she was an administrator at Cleveland State from 2006 to 2022 and an adjunct instructor there from 1996 to 2022. She previously served as an educator in Monroe County Schools and had managerial experience in the financial services industry and an electric power cooperative.

The finalists will participate in public interviews April 17 (Dr. Weaver), April 20 (Dr. Davis), and April 21 (Dr. Ross), each day at 10 a.m. ET in the theater of the George R. Johnson Cultural Heritage Center on Cleveland State’s main campus. The schedule and livestream links will be posted on the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) Cleveland State presidential search webpage (https://www.tbr.edu/hr/executivesearches/president-cleveland-state-community-college) when details are finalized. More information about the search process is also available there.

After the campus interviews, TBR Chancellor Flora W. Tydings will gather input and feedback from the public and campus community, and conduct final interviews to select one candidate for nomination to the Board of Regents. Input and feedback on the candidates may be submitted through an online survey that will be added to the search webpage closer to the interviews. The board is expected to consider appointment of the next president during a special called meeting April 30 at 10 a.m. ET, 9 a.m. CT, which will be livestreamed here (https://www.tbr.edu/board/april-30-2026-%E2%80%93-special-called-board-meeting).

The next president will succeed former President Andy White and interim President Ray Brooks. The Board of Regents approved criteria for the next president during its quarterly meeting in December. The position was posted, and a search advisory committee was appointed in January. Chaired by Regent Emily J. Reynolds, the committee also included Regents Matt Herriman and Thomas A.H. White, and representatives of the college’s students, faculty, staff and alumni, and civic and business leaders from the community.

The president is the chief executive officer of the college, which opened in 1967 as one of the original three Tennessee public community colleges. Cleveland State Community College primarily serves Bradley, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe and Polk counties in southeast Tennessee. In addition to its main campus in Cleveland, it offers classes at its Monroe County Center in Vonore and the McMinn Higher Education Center in Athens.