Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has appointed Beverly Walker-Griffea as director of the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). The state department is dedicated to improving early learning, higher education, and educational resources across the state of Michigan.
Dr. Walker-Griffea hs been serving as the first woman and first African American president of Mott Community College in Flint, Michigan. On July 1, 2024, she will become the community college’s first ever President Emerita. She has served as president of the community college for the past decade, overseeing numerous improvements in the college’s resources, student support services, and academic programs during her tenure.
Prior to assuming the Mott Community College presidency in 2014, Dr. Walker-Griffea held academic and administrative leadership posts at numerous community colleges across the country. She previously served as senior vice president for student services at Montgomery College in Maryland, vice president of student affairs at Virginia Peninsula Community College, dean of student development at Houston Community College, and interim dean of health and environmental sciences at Spokane Community College in Washington.
“I am grateful and humbled that Governor Whitmer has placed her trust in me to lead MiLEAP,” said Dr. Walker-Griffea. “This is an exciting opportunity for me to use my education and experiences to improve Michigan’s workforce talent outcomes. I look forward to creating more pathways that prepare Michiganders with post secondary credentials that lead to family-sustaining jobs.”
Dr. Walker-Griffea is a graduate of Oklahoma State University, where she majored in radio, television, and film: news and public affairs. She holds a master’s degree in guidance and counseling from Virginia State University and a Ph.D. in child development from Texas Woman’s University.
