San Jacinto College announces leadership changes
PASADENA, Texas — The San Jacinto College Board of Trustees has approved a leadership realignment to address recent retirement announcements within the College’s Strategic Leadership Team (SLT).
Deputy Chancellor and College President Dr. Laurel V. Williamson announced her retirement last month, effective in August 2026. Williamson began her career at San Jacinto College in 2007 before assuming the Deputy Chancellor position in February 2013. A native of McComb, Mississippi, Williamson has spent 45 years as an educator. Dr. Alexander Okwonna has been appointed as her successor. Okwonna is currently the Provost at the San Jacinto College North Campus and will continue to provide leadership to the North Campus until a replacement is selected. He has been with the College for 21 years holding various positions of increasing responsibilities.
Central Campus Provost Van Wigginton also announced his retirement, effective December 9, 2025. Wigginton began his career at San Jacinto College as a government professor in 1995. He was appointed Central Campus provost in 2014. Following an internal search process, Dr. Rhonda Bell has been appointed as the Central Campus Provost, effective December 1, 2025. Bell joins the Strategic Leadership Team from her role as Dean of Nursing and Imaging. Prior to this College-wide position, she served as Dean of Health and Natural Sciences at the Central Campus where she guided the launch of the College’s Registered Nurse-to-Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-to-BSN) program and strengthened allied health pathways. Bell has worked at San Jac for nearly 20 years and previously served as a faculty member and program director. She brings deep experience in workforce‐driven programming with a focus on student success to her new position.
At the Generation Park Campus, Dr. Christopher Wild has been named Provost, replacing Dr. Destry Dokes. Wild will assume this role as of January 1, 2026. He has spent more than 15 years at San Jacinto College, beginning as a chemistry faculty member and most recently Assistant Vice Chancellor/Vice President of Biotechnology. He has led the College’s biomanufacturing and biotechnology training initiatives, including the development of the Center for Biotechnology at the Generation Park Campus.
The San Jacinto College Strategic Leadership Team is committed to student success and advancing social and economic mobility for the region. The team advises San Jacinto College Chancellor Dr. Brenda Hellyer on College-wide strategic direction; makes recommendations to the Board of Trustees; and advances the College’s BOLD 2030 strategic plan.
About San Jacinto College
Surrounded by monuments of history, evolving industries, maritime enterprises of today,
and the space age of tomorrow, San Jacinto College has served the people of East Harris
County, Texas, since 1961. The College is ranked second in the nation among more than
1,100 community colleges, as designated by the Aspen Institute and was named an Achieving
the Dream Leader College of Distinction in 2020. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution
that spans five campuses, plus an online college, San Jacinto College serves approximately
45,000 credit and non-credit students annually. It offers more than 200 degrees and
certificates across eight major areas of study that put students on a path to transfer
to four-year institutions or enter the workforce. The College is fiscally sound, holding
bond ratings of AA+ by Standard & Poor’s and Aa2 by Moody’s. San Jacinto College is
accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
