Piedmont Community College (PCC) is pleased to announce the finalists in the search for its next president. Following a thorough national search and careful review by the PCC Board of Trustees, three candidates have been selected to move forward in the final stage of the selection process.
Each candidate brings a wealth of experience in higher education leadership and a commitment to student success, workforce development and community engagement. Finalists will visit PCC’s campuses in the coming weeks to meet with faculty, staff, students and community members.
The finalists are:
Dr. Lancelot Gooden
Dr. Lancelot Gooden serves as Provost of the Osceola and Poinciana Campuses at Valencia College, where he provides executive academic leadership for more than 16,000 students across two of the fastest-growing communities in Central Florida. With over 20 years of experience in education and workforce development, Dr. Gooden is a student-centered, equity-minded leader with a proven track record of innovation, cross-sector collaboration and institutional transformation.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Mathematics from Saint Augustine’s University, a master’s degree in Mathematics Education from Campbell University, and a doctorate in Adult and Community College Leadership from North Carolina State University.
Throughout his career, Dr. Gooden has championed access and opportunity for underserved and first-generation learners, with particular emphasis on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education, transfer student success, and workforce readiness. At Valencia, he co-leads strategic initiatives that strengthen college access and student persistence—especially for first-generation and adult learners— and leads efforts to strengthen regional economic mobility through partnerships with local government, industry and community-based organizations.
Prior to joining Valencia College, Dr. Gooden served as Dean of the Building, Engineering, and Skilled Trades Meta-Major at Durham Technical Community College, where he led instructional innovation and developed employer-aligned workforce pathways. He also served as Department Chair at Johnston Community College, providing strategic oversight of math, engineering, and general education programs while expanding STEM transfer pathways, dual enrollment, and early college access.
A passionate advocate for community engagement, Dr. Gooden serves on several educational, workforce and regional development boards. He is committed to ensuring accessible, high-quality educational experiences for all learners—particularly those from low-income and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. His leadership reflects a deep belief in the interconnectedness of education, workforce readiness, economic vitality and civic well-being.
A proud first-generation college graduate and immigrant from Jamaica, Dr. Gooden is the eighth of twelve siblings and the son of Clive Gooden and the late Candace Gooden. He and his wife Kutina are raising their two children, Matthaeus and Celine, in Central Florida. A former NCAA track and field athlete, he remains a devoted supporter of Jamaica’s youth and national soccer and track and field teams. Dr. Gooden’s campus visit is scheduled for June 18.
Dr. Kevin Lee
Dr. Kevin Lee is an accomplished leader in higher education with nearly 25 years of experience advancing student success, building relationships and workforce development in the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS). Since 2022, he has served as Vice President of Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer at Brunswick Community College (BCC). In this diverse capacity he provides institutional leadership for all curriculum program offerings, human resources, accreditation, institutional effectiveness, distance learning, Title IX, dual enrollment, and public safety. His leadership focuses on strategic planning, institutional innovation, local partnerships, shared governance, fostering student success and celebrating excellence.
Prior to his current role he served as the chair of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) & Trades programs, where he led technical trades and applied science programs for BCC from 2019-2022. In this role he cultivated partnerships with local industries and community organizations, creating innovative apprenticeship programs and strengthening regional economic development. Before joining BCC, he served as chair of Computer Technologies at Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC) from 2008-2019. From 2001-2008 he was an instructor with GTCC, teaching computer programming, database, and web development classes. He also served as an adjunct IT faculty member for GTCC prior to joining full-time.
Dr. Lee is celebrated for his innovative approaches to community college education and commitment to the success of every student. He has a proven history of enrollment growth while maintaining exceptional institutional performance measures along the way. As an experienced grant writer, he has a strong ability to find alternative channels for additional revenue streams as demonstrated by securing over $2.5 million in state, federal and private grants within the last three years. He believes in clear goals and then demonstrating a commitment to service and collaboration, helping with whatever is needed to ensure our students and employees attain these goals and then celebrating their success.
Dr. Lee is recognized as a completer of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Future Presidents Institute and a completer of the first Aspiring Presidents Institute cohort selected by the NC Community College Presidents Association. He is active in the local, state and national fabric of the community college system. He also serves on or chairs several local boards and councils, the NCCCS Curriculum Course Review Committee, the NCCCS Developmental Education Advisory Council, the AACC Commission on Student Success, and as an advisory board member within the Innovate division of the Higher Education Research and Development Institute (HERDI).
As a non-traditional, first-generation college graduate, and a proud product of the NC Community College System, Dr. Lee is committed to innovation, community impact, lifelong learning, and ensuring education remains a tool for empowering individuals with opportunities that would not exist otherwise, all while advancing local economic growth.
Dr. Lee holds Associate, Bachelor, and Master degrees in Information Technology and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. He is a native resident of North Carolina. He and his wife Jennifer have three sons, Jake, Jeremy, and Dylan. Kevin and Jennifer live near Holden Beach, NC and enjoy golf, fishing, food, and traveling. Dr. Lee’s campus visit is scheduled for June 23.
Dr. Alan Murdock
Dr. Alan Murdock, a first-generation college graduate, brings over 25 years of dedicated service to the North Carolina Community College System. His career began at Central Piedmont Community College, where he began his journey as a Customer Service Representative. Presently, he holds the position of Chief Economic Mobility and Workforce Outcomes Officer at Forsyth Technical Community College. In addition, Alan also enjoys his time spent in the classroom as adjunct faculty for BUS 110 and connecting directly with students. Forsyth Technical Community College serves over 10,000 students annually in Forsyth and Stokes counties.
In his current role, Dr. Murdock’s primary focus is optimizing students’ return on investment by aligning educational offerings with industry through Business and Industry Leadership (BILT) teams. He earned a BA from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, an MBA from Jones International University, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Western Carolina University.
Dr. Murdock aspires to become a community college president. In this role, he aims to utilize his extensive experience building robust partnerships across various industries, community partners, and local governments to enhance community vibrancy and foster economic development through nurturing ecosystems.
Outside of his professional pursuits, Dr. Murdock enjoys traveling with his family, trying new food, buying and selling sports cards, and caring for his rescue dog, Cooper, whose curiosity is boundless. Dr. Murdock’s campus visit is scheduled for June 24.
The president candidate forums where faculty, staff and community members will have opportunities to ask questions will be livestreamed on PCC’s YouTube channel at 1:30 p.m. on the date of each campus visit. For more information about PCC’s presidential search and to submit a question for the candidates, visit piedmontcc.edu/presidentialsearch.
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