Avis Proctor

Dr. Avis Proctor became the sixth president of William Rainey Harper College in July 2019. Dr. Proctor has more than 25 years of experience working in multicultural environments as an innovative mathematics educator and academic administrator with a focus on teaching, service, and research. As a higher education scholar and an Aspen Presidential Fellow, she contributes to the professional discourse from local to global levels on progressive leadership in higher education, research-based instructional strategies, strategic community engagement, economic development, and the STEM pipeline for underrepresented groups.

Dr. Proctor believes in working closely with local school districts, the business community, and higher education institutions. Her work at previous institutions has included expanding articulation, internship, and employment opportunities to enhance student-employer connections for current students as well as alumni. She has also provided collaborative leadership for early childhood education, dual enrollment, and college readiness/completion initiatives which have gained national attention.

Dr. Proctor earned her bachelor’s degree in Mathematics Education at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, a Master of Science in Teaching Mathematics at Florida Atlantic University, and her Doctorate in Higher Education at Florida International University. Dr. Proctor and her husband are the proud parents of one son.