Jack E. Daniels, III, Ph.D.
Consultant

Dr. Jack E. DanielsIII, has more than 40 years of higher education experience, spanning community and technical colleges to graduate institutions. Over his career, he has held various roles, including professor, dean, and college president. Most recently, he served as President/CEO of Madison Area Technical College, commonly known as Madison College. The college serves 32,000 students across a 12-county district, employs 2,200 individuals, and operates with an annual budget of $170 million and a capital budget of $200 million across its seven campuses and sites.

During his presidency at Madison College, Dr. Daniels established a shared governance environment emphasizing respect and valuing the contributions of faculty, staff, and students. He reshaped the college’s engagement with its diverse communities and guided its transformation into a culture that prioritizes equity and inclusion. Prior to his tenure at Madison College, Dr. Daniels served as President of Houston Community College – Central Campus, Lincoln Land Community College, and Los Angeles Southwest College, marking over 25 years as a college president. Upon his retirement from Madison College in 2025, he was named President Emeritus.

Dr. Daniels spearheaded the campaign to construct the Goodman South Campus on Madison’s South Side in 2019. This campus provides access to educational and community resources for the city’s most underserved populations. Under his leadership, Madison College developed numerous initiatives, including:

  • High school academies and workforce training programs
  • Transfer agreements with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
  • Guaranteed transfer programs with public and private colleges and universities
  • The Promise Program, supporting tuition-free education for eligible students
  • Infrastructure projects to improve learning spaces and enhance student success
  • Evaluate and implement strategies to minimize barriers for student-parents
  • A child development center at the Goodman South Campus
  • The Institute for Equity and Transformational Change, focusing on curriculum reform, professional development for equity-centered learning opportunities, and action research projects.

Dr. Daniels has held numerous leadership roles, including Chair of the President’s Association of the Wisconsin Technical College System and member of the American Association of Community Colleges Board of Directors. He also served as Convener of the President’s Roundtable and has participated in many national, state, and local councils and boards in leadership capacities. Throughout his career, he has received commendations from colleges, community organizations, and legislative bodies.

Among his many accolades, Dr. Daniels was named one of the most influential African Americans in Wisconsin by Madison365. He has also received the Phi Theta Kappa Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction and Campus Compact’s Eduardo J. Padrón Award for Institutional Transformation. Dr. Daniels earned his Ph.D. from the Wright Institute Graduate School of Psychology in Berkeley, California.

Dr. Daniels is married to Kimila Daniels, a former Chief Administrative Officer for a leading health insurance company in Madison, Wisconsin. Kimila is now the sole proprietor of her business, Infinite Ubora, which focuses on organizational and change management as well as human resources consultation. She is also a certified coach. Together, they have a blended family of four children and five grandchildren.