KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Dr. Annesa Payne Cheek became the 11th president of Frederick Community College (FCC) on July 1, 2022. She brings extensive leadership experience, a passion for education and equity, and a teamwork approach to the efforts of creating the right conditions for employee and student success alike. Prior to FCC, Dr. Cheek served four years as president of St. Cloud Technical & Community College in Minnesota, and over 12 years in various leadership positions at Sinclair Community College in Ohio. Evident is her laser focus on enhancing student outcomes through commitment to institutional transformations that optimize the student experience, and relationships that foster transparent and strategic dialogue. With a bachelor’s degree from Tennessee State University, an MBA from the University of Dayton, and a doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Cheek was chosen by the Aspen Institute for its inaugural Presidential Fellowship and is a member of the Alliance for Innovation and Transformation – a pacesetter for community college CEOs. The experience of the community’s resounding hospitality is reflected in her frequent remark and t-shirt donning the phrase, “#everydayifindanewreasontofallinlovewithfrederick.”