The Wisconsin Technical College System has found its next president to oversee the System Office and act as the head of the oversight body for the 16 technical colleges throughout Wisconsin. WTCS is the largest higher education system in the state, serving more than 284,000 students each year. The next exceptional leader will help us meet our vision to empower technical colleges to recognize and meet the unique needs of individuals and employers in driving economic prosperity for all and promoting lifelong learning as a model for the advancement of diverse communities throughout Wisconsin.
The next leader been announced!
President Appointed
Layla Merrifield has been the executive director of the Wisconsin Technical College District Boards Association, an organization representing the trustees of the 16 Wisconsin technical colleges’ district boards, since 2015. Prior to that she served as a fiscal analyst for the Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau then a Wisconsin Technical College System policy advisor. Ms. Merrifield has an extensive background in System-wide leadership and advocacy, and intimate knowledge of local colleges’ operations, student success goals and challenges. Having served in a System-wide leadership role for the past nine years, she is well-practiced in maintaining consistent communication between and among various stakeholder groups. Ms. Merrifield has a bachelor’s degree in politics from Hendrix College and is pursuing a Master of Education degree, an articulated pathway to Doctor of Education. She is currently the chair of the Community College Association Executives.