Dr. Joyce Ester
President, Governors State University
Dr. Joyce Ester is a highly accomplished leader in higher education, bringing more than 30 years of experience in academic and administrative roles spanning student affairs, faculty and staff governance, and financial management.
Before her appointment as President of Governors State University, Dr. Ester served as President of Normandale Community College in Minnesota—the state’s largest community college. During her tenure, she successfully raised millions of dollars to support the launch of a new Interdisciplinary Professional Education (IPE) program and the expansion of healthcare facilities. Under her leadership, the college saw an 18% increase in enrollment among students of color from 2015 to 2020. Normandale serves more than 14,000 credit and 2,000 non-credit students annually.
Prior to Normandale, Dr. Ester served as President of Kennedy-King College, one of the seven City Colleges of Chicago, where she led initiatives focused on student success, workforce development, and community engagement.
A native of Phoenix, Illinois, Dr. Ester holds a bachelor's degree in Sociology from Northern Illinois University and both a master’s and a doctorate in Education from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Her early career included 16 years on the West Coast, where she held a variety of leadership roles at three California institutions. She served as Associate Vice President for Student Services at Bakersfield College, Assistant Vice President for Judicial Affairs and Division Planning at California State University, Fresno, and Assistant Dean of Students for Judicial Affairs at the University of California, Santa Barbara.