Dr. Rick Woodfield serves as the chief academic officer for the Ohio Association of Community Colleges (OACC) providing consultation and voice for issues concerning academic and student affairs for grants and state agencies in support of Ohio’s 23 public two-year institutions. He is an Achieving the Dream leadership/workforce coach supporting ATD Network colleges in their transformative change process, including preparing students for 21st-century jobs.
Dr. Woodfield joined the staff at OACC in 2021 after retiring as provost from Zane State College. His academic experiences also include faculty, program director, dean, associate vice president, and vice president for academic affairs at James A. Rhodes State College for a total of 29 years of service in Ohio Community Colleges. His work in developing workforce solutions includes serving as a principal investigator on a U.S. Department of Labor grant focused on building collaboration within multiple institutions to meet the healthcare practitioner needs for 30 counties within Northwest Ohio. Additionally, he is a current member of the Peer Corp for the Higher Learning Commission.
Education
DM (Community College Policy and Administration) | University of Maryland University College
M.S. (Health Education); B.S. (Cardiorespiratory Sciences) | State University of New York at Stony Brook
A.A.S. (Medical Laboratory Science) | State University of New York at Alfred
Past Experience
Chief Academic Officer | Ohio Association of Community College
Provost and Chief Academic Officer | Zane State College
Vice President of Academic Affairs | Rhodes State College
Dean of Allied Health | Rhodes State College
Professor, Respiratory Therapy | Rhodes State College
How has education changed your life/your family?
I am a first-generation college-educated member of my family and the proud grandson of a Swedish immigrant. Going to college was something my family believed was important, and I understood graduation was a point of pride for my parents and grandparents for it fulfilled their dreams for us. Education gave me and my siblings better financial security and was the American Dream for multiple generations of those whose shoulders we stand on. Because of this, community college work is important to me and why I believe this opportunity needs to equitably expand to all American families.