College of the Redwoods names three finalists for president search
College of the Redwoods has narrowed its presidential search to three finalists, with public forums set for Sept. 8-11 before the board chooses its next leader.
College of the Redwoods has named three finalists in its search for the next president and superintendent: Dr. Mark C. Fields, Dr. Thad Russell and Dr. David Williams. The finalists are scheduled to visit campus Sept. 8-11, 2026, for public candidate forums, meetings with constituent groups and interviews with the Board of Trustees.
Current president Keith Flamer will step down at the end of 2026 after announcing in December that this would be his final year leading the college.
The search process drew input from students, faculty, staff, administrators and community partners. A February board timeline set an online survey from Feb. 12-20, town halls and open forums on Feb. 17-18, an early-alert announcement on Feb. 17, a board workshop and an April 17 application deadline. The next leader should emphasize student success, equity, access, shared governance, teamwork, innovation and responsible resource management.
College of the Redwoods serves Humboldt, Del Norte and the western edge of Trinity County, with programs at the Del Norte Education Center in Crescent City, the Klamath-Trinity Instructional Site on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation, downtown Eureka and Pelican Bay State Prison. The next president will work in a region built on partnerships with K-12 schools, tribal governments, local agencies, universities and employers.
CR launched the Keith Flamer Legacy Campaign on April 28 to support healthcare education, athletics and the Redwoods Room and Board Scholarship Program. Healthcare education has expanded into five new pathways: Healthcare Navigator, Psychiatric Technician, Surgical Technician, Radiologic Technician and Respiratory Technician. Scaling those programs will require more than $750,000 over three years. CR’s athletics program now includes 16 teams and more than 315 student-athletes, about half from Humboldt, Del Norte and Trinity counties.
The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges reaffirmed CR’s accreditation on Jan. 21, 2025, placing the district under a fresh seven-year cycle. The next president will inherit a locally elected seven-member Board of Trustees.
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