Executive Cabinet

Executive Vice President Dr. Tera Simmons

Dr. Tera Simmons
Executive Vice President

Dr. Tera Simmons

The executive vice president assists the president with the overall leadership and development of the College as well as assists instructional deans in developing and meeting division, departmental and programmatic goals. The following departments report to Dr. Tera Simmons: Facilities and Maintenance, Foundation and Alumni Relations, Police Department,  ADA, Human Resources and Public Relations and Marketing.

Simmons has worked at Gadsden State since July 2021. She has worked in public education since 1998, most recently as the assistant superintendent of Hoover City Schools. Prior to her service at HCS, she served in a number of capacities in the Butler County School System, including the director of student learning, curriculum director, a principal, assistant principal and special education teacher. 

Simmons obtained her Doctorate of Education in K-12 School Leadership and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in K-12 School Leadership from Regent University. She also earned a Master of Education in Collaborative Education 6-12 and a Bachelor of Education in Mild Learning and Behavioral Disabilities from Auburn University at Montgomery.

Simmons serves on the East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission. 

Dean of Workforce Development Alan Smith

Mr. Alan Smith
Vice President of Capital Projects, Community Relations and Workforce Development

Alan Smith

Alan Smith is responsible for assisting in the development of goals and strategies for capital improvements, enhancing community and public relations, promoting workforce development efforts and other administrative duties. He oversees Engineering Technologies, Applied Technologies, Adult Education Services, Continuing Education and the Skills Training Division. He ensures the availability of appropriate workforce training opportunities to meet regional needs and further Gadsden State’s mission to support local economic growth.

Smith earned his Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business and Economics in 1992 from Auburn University. In 1994, he was awarded a Master of Science in Education from Auburn followed by a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Alabama.

Smith started his career as an agriscience teacher at Hokes Bluff High School, where he worked for 11 years before opening his own construction and cabinet making company. In 2012, he returned to education as the building construction teacher at the Marshall County Technical School. In 2016, he was hired as the building construction instructor and coordinator of Alabama Simulated Workplace at the Etowah County Career Technical Center.

Smith began his career at Gadsden State in December 2019 as the dean of Workforce Development. Under his leadership, over $36 million was invested in career technical education, including the construction of the Advanced Manufacturing and Workplace Skills Training Center on the East Broad Campus.

Smith has been honored several times as Teacher of the Year at the Etowah County School System, Hokes Bluff High School, Marshall County Technical School and Etowah County Career Technical Center. He was also named Alabama’s Most Outstanding Agriscience Technology Teacher.

In 2023, Smith was awarded the Chancellor’s Award for Administrators from the Alabama Community College System. He was also appointed by Gov. Kay Ivey to serve on the Region 2 Workforce Development Committee and to serve as subject matter expert of the Architecture and Construction Committee for the Alabama Committee on Credentialing and Career Pathways. 

In 2024, he received the Excellence in Post-Secondary Administration Award at the Etowah Chamber’s Excellence in Education Awards Ceremony and was appointed chair of the Workforce Commission for the ACCS.

Dr. Chanel L. Fort

Dr. Chanel L. Fort
Dean of Academic Programs and Services

Dr. Chanel L. Fort

As the dean of Academic Programs and Services, Dr. Chanel Fort oversees all academic instructional programs and services, including program development and revision, library sciences, online instruction and international programs. She also manages the Alabama Language Institute and leads the development and implementation of strategic planning for academic programs.

Fort holds a bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences and Health Services Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham; a master’s degree in Human Services and Healthcare Administration from Capella University; and a doctoral degree in Education, Global Leadership and Change from Pepperdine University, which she completed in July.

Prior to joining Gadsden State, Fort served as the director of outcomes assessment at Jefferson State Community College, where she led the college-wide assessment and accreditation process for all four of its campuses. From 2016 to 2021, she was the CEO and learning strategist at Fortified Learning Solutions, an organization she founded.

Other roles Fort has held include adjunct instructor at Jefferson State, corporate dean of health sciences for Education Corporation of America and program director of Pharmacy and Office Administration Programs at Virginia College. She has also worked as a grants officer for the Alabama Department of Public Health and as a district pharmacy training coordinator and pharmacy profit-and-loss analyst for Walgreens.

In recognition of her contributions to education and her community, Fort was named to Birmingham Business Journal’s “People on the Move” list in 2021 and was honored as an Education Design Lab designer in residence in 2022. As EDL designer, she was recognized as one of 12 leaders “reimagining the role of higher education in addressing racial and economic opportunity gaps.” In her role as a United Negro College Fund Institutional Change Agent for a local HBCU, she received $1.1 million in funding for institutional transformation and innovation and was honored as a recipient of the UNCF Change Agent Award for Academic Improvement and Transformation.

Dean of Financial and Administrative Services Jessica Slaten

Jessica Slaten
Dean of Financial and Administrative Services

Jessica Slaten

Jessica Slaten directs and coordinates all financial functions, establishes and maintains a system of internal accounting and administrative controls, manages investments, auxiliary services and business services and interprets and implements policies and procedures.

Slaten earned a Bachelor of Science in 1996 and Master of Business of Administration in 2000, both from Jacksonville State University. In 2008, she graduated from the University of Kentucky’s College Business Management Institute.

She started her career in 1998 as an accountant at Gadsden State’s Ayers Campus. In 2003, she worked as the restricted funds accountant before progressing through the ranks as financial manager and director of Financial Services, a position she has held since 2022.

Slaten has served Gadsden State in multiple capacities, including the Administrative Computer System Implementation Team and the OneACCS Administrative Computer System Implementation Accounts Receivable Team. She is a graduate of the 2020 Class of Leadership Etowah through the Etowah County Chamber of Commerce. In 2022, Slaten won the Chancellor’s Award for Administrators from the Alabama Community College System.

Dr. Joey Battles

Dr. Joey Battles
Dean of Health Sciences

Dr. Joey Battles

Dr. Joey Battles is the chief academic officer for all of the Health Science programs. He develops and administers the programs instructional budget, provides innovative and strategic visionary leadership and supervises program directors. Departments reporting to him include Medical Laboratory Technology, Emergency Medical Services, Nursing Education (RN and LPN), Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Radiography, Surgical Operating Room Technology, Dental Assisting and Medical Assistant Technology.

Battles earned an associate degree in Radiography from Gadsden State Community College in 1991. He continued his education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and earned a bachelor’s degree in Medical Imaging in 1993. In 1995, Battles received a master’s degree in Allied Health Education from UAB. His doctoral degree in Educational Leadership was earned at Clarkson College in Omaha, Neb.

Battles has served in several health education roles throughout his career. Most recently, he was the director of the Radiography Program at Gadsden State since August 2021. He has also worked as the program director of the Medical Imaging Program at Clarkson College; the associate director of the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology; and the director of educational eligibility requirements at the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists.

Pam Hayes Johnson

Pam Hayes Johnson
Dean of Institutional Effectiveness, Grants and Special Projects

Pam Hayes Johnson

Pam Hayes Johnson is responsible for administering and supervising the comprehensive institutional effectiveness program, which includes planning, assessment, evaluation and continuous improvement as well as institutional research. As the dean, Johnson serves as the SACSCOC liaison, leads the reaffirmation process, is responsible for day-to-day oversight of the College’s adherence to the SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation: provides executive oversight for grant writing, grant management and grant administration of the College: and provides executive oversight for the program review process, new program development and special projects. The Division of Institutional Effectiveness Grants and Special Projects also includes the following areas and grant programs: Institutional Effectiveness, Institutional Research, Student Support Services, Talent Search, Title III-Part B, Upward Bound and Veterans Upward Bound.

Johnson is a long-time Gadsden State employee having served previously as associate dean of Institutional Advancement, assistant dean of Institutional Research and Computer Services and chairperson of the Computer Science and Engineering Division.

Johnson earned her Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Alabama. She received a Master of Business Administration from Jacksonville State University.

Johnson has been recognized twice as Gadsden State’s Chancellor’s Award winner for Administrator of the Year in 2002 and 2016.

Dean of Student Services Andy Green

Mr. Andy Green 
Dean of Student Services

Andy Green

Andy Green serves as the dean of Student Services. He provides leadership, strategic planning and executive oversight of student enrollment, retention and success for credit and non-credit programs.

Green came to Gadsden State in November 2023 from Jacksonville State University, where he worked for 18 years. He served in several positions at the university, including director of academic advising, director of enrollment management, director of community engagement and assistant dean of honors and special programs.

Green has a bachelor’s degree in geography and a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in spatial analysis management from JSU.

Green represents Place 1 on the Jacksonville City Council and has been appointed to the Civil Service Board and the Commercial Development Authority. He has served in many leadership roles in the Alabama Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, the Southern Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, the Alabama Banner Users Group and the Alabama ACT Council.

Green served as co-chair of the Calhoun County Complete Count Census Committee, was named Ambassador of the Year and is a graduate of Leadership Calhoun County through the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce. He was in the inaugural cohort of the Professional Leadership Academy and is a graduate of Leadership Etowah through The Chamber of Gadsden and Etowah.