Dr. Daria J. Willis serves as the 17th president of Everett Community College, an institution with over 19,000 credit and non-credit students in the Seattle Metropolitan area. She is the school’s first African American president and fourth woman in this role in its 78-year history. Everett Community College is one of eleven community colleges nationwide that earned recognition from Achieving the Dream as a “Leader College of Distinction.” EvCC was recognized for increases in the number of students completing math and English requirements during their first year, year-to-year retention and degree completion. 

Drawing from her experience as a first-generation college student and a student parent, Dr. Willis has partnered actively with public school districts, four-year universities, local businesses, and not-for-profit organizations to offer services and support to students from all backgrounds. She is a member of the American Association of Community College’s Commission on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Aspen Ascent President Advisory Group, and the Presidential Advisory Board for the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Her community service activities include the United Way of Snohomish County, the Economic Alliance of Snohomish County, and the Girl Scouts of Western Washington. 

Dr. Willis was named a 2018 recipient of the American Association for Women in Community Colleges’ “40 Under 40” Award. She is a graduate of Florida A&M University and Florida State University, earning her BA, MA, and PhD in African American History.