New Assistant Vice President Appointed At Mercer Co. Community College

WEST WINDSOR, NJ - Gonzalo Perez was recently appointed as the new Assistant Vice President (AVP) of Academic Affairs, Workforce Education and Innovation at Mercer County Community College.

Perez will oversee Mercer County Community College’s James Kerney Campus (JKC) located in Trenton.

Perez replaces the former Dean, Tonia Perry-Conley and will retain the majority of his current responsibilities as AVP of MercerOnline and the Division of Lifelong Learning.

“We are pleased to welcome Dr. Perez as AVP,” Deborah Preston, president of Mercer County Community College said in a statement. “His expertise and depth of experience in higher education and his demonstrated commitment and contributions to Mercer over the past several years have established him as a remarkable leader and invaluable member of our senior team,” the president said.

Perez has 17 years of higher education experience and a history of innovation, leadership, staff development, relationship building and operations planning. His work has focused on improving access to education and fostering success for a diverse student population.

“I am honored and excited about my expanded role at MCCC,” Perez said. “My past experience has put me on solid footing to face the new and interesting opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.” .

Perez joined MCCC in 2020. Before that he served as Associate Provost of Coconino Community College (CCC) in Flagstaff, Arizona where he helped develop innovative online programming.

While at CCC, he collaborated with Native American tribes on remote education initiatives and led the Southern Nevada/Northern Arizona Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) grant, increasing the number of underrepresented students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.

Originally from Guttenberg, NJ, Perez spent seven years in various leadership roles with Passaic County Community College.

Perez holds a Doctorate in Applied Computing from Pace University in New York City, and both a Master of Science in Management Information Systems and Bachelor of Science in Management Science from Kean University in Union.