Leadership

gregory A. Smith, chancellor

Relentless Optimism Drives Transformative Change At The San Diego Community College District 

Gregory Smith was a college student in Phoenix barely making ends meet, driving a car with no air conditioning, when he heard about a student career experience opportunity as a compliance officer with the U.S. Department of Labor. He jumped at the opportunity. 

That federal role became the foundation of a career devoted to protecting the rights of the most vulnerable. It also set him on a journey to becoming the San Diego Community College District’s seventh Chancellor in its 50-year history.

Faced with myriad seemingly overwhelming challenges when he officially started his new role in February 2024, Smith wasn’t one to worry, saying: “Relentless optimism is my superpower.”