June 5, 2023

Forsyth Tech has hired Tamara Williams as the new Chief Academic Officer (CAO). Williams, who currently serves as the Vice President of Workforce Solutions at Tidewater Community College in Norfolk, Virginia, is a visionary higher education leader skilled in advancing student success, collaborative partnerships and organizational change. 

The CAO is a pivotal role within academics, overseeing instruction and compliance with regulatory requirements. Additionally, they lead policy development in teaching, research and related student success areas.

“We are thrilled to welcome Tamara to Forsyth Tech to fill the important role of Chief Academic Officer,” said Dr. Janet Spriggs, President of Forsyth Tech. “Her vision of student success, grounded in equity, aligns perfectly with our mission of advancing student success and serving as a place of promise for everyone in our community. 

Prior to her time at Tidewater, Williams served as the Dean in Academic Affairs at Central Piedmont Community College, where she implemented new programs for certifications and middle college and increased enrollment. Williams has more than twenty years of higher education experience, the majority of it spent serving community colleges. 

“I look forward to providing energy and helping Forsyth Tech continue down their pathway of innovative, bold and courageous changes. We can take the demographics of this region to a new level of economic mobility for everyone in our community through education,” said Williams.   

She has been named one of the 100 Most Influential Women in Lake Norman, and is actively involved in her community, serving on the Hampton Roads Workforce Council Executive Steering Committee, the Hampton Roads Alliance Women in Offshore Wind, and lending her expertise to many other organizations. She holds a Master of Education and is currently earning her Doctorate of Education with a focus on Community College Leadership and a Leadership North Carolina alum. 

Williams will start August 1.