OCCC President Dr. Mautra Staley Jones Elected to Higher Learning Commission Board of Trustees

OCCC President Dr. Mautra Staley Jones joins the Higher Learning Commission Board of Trustees for a four-year term advancing national accreditation.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, UNITED STATES, September 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) President Dr. Mautra Staley Jones has been appointed to the Board of Trustees for the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), one of the nation’s leading institutional accreditors of colleges and universities.

HLC member institutions elected Dr. Jones to a four-year term in April, and she will officially begin Sept. 1. She is one of three newly elected trustees joining the 19-member governing board that leads the HLC’s work in serving institutions, establishing accreditation policy, and taking actions related to institutional accreditation status.

“The HLC’s mission is to advance the common good through equitable, transformative, and trusted accreditation. I am proud to represent OCCC and the great state of Oklahoma for this prestigious role,” Dr. Jones said. “I am honored to contribute to this important work and collaborate with higher education leaders from across the nation.”

A member of the 2026 Class of the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame, Dr. Jones brings extensive national leadership experience in higher education and student success initiatives. She currently serves on the HLC Credential Lab Leadership Advisory Board, the National Science Foundation (NSF) Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering, and the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Presidents Advisory Committee. She also serves as a presidential mentor for the Rutgers University Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) Aspiring Leaders Program.

“We look forward to welcoming our newest trustees to the board and would like to thank our departing trustees for all of their time, dedication and commitment,” said HLC President, Dr. Barbara Gellman-Danley.

Under Dr. Jones’ leadership, OCCC continues to expand workforce partnerships, strengthen academic innovation, and increase opportunities for students throughout Oklahoma and beyond. OCCC's internationally acclaimed academic programs have been recognized and featured in Newsweek, Forbes Advisor, MovieMaker Magazine, and MSN.



In 2025, Dr. Jones was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, the state's highest honor. She has also been inducted into the Oklahoma Hispanic Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma African American Educators Hall of Fame.

Dr. Jones has been recognized by Forbes, featured in Fortune Magazine, and honored as a Most Influential Oklahoman, Woman of the Year, and Oklahoma's Most Admired CEO for Public Companies by The Journal Record. She also serves on a multitude of boards including BancFirst and BancFirst Corporation.



Dr. Jones is an alumna of the University of Oklahoma, where she earned her B.A. in Journalism from the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communications and was named a 2023 Distinguished Alumna. She holds an M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix at San Diego and an Ed.D. from Vanderbilt University’s prestigious Peabody College of Education and Human Development.

“We look forward to welcoming our newest trustees to the board and would like to thank our departing trustees for all of their time, dedication and commitment,” said HLC President, Dr. Barbara Gellman-Danley.

Under Dr. Jones’ leadership, OCCC continues to expand workforce partnerships, strengthen academic innovation, and increase opportunities for students throughout Oklahoma and beyond. OCCC's internationally acclaimed academic programs have been recognized and featured in Newsweek, Forbes Advisor, MovieMaker Magazine, and MSN.


In 2025, Dr. Jones was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, the state's highest honor. She has also been inducted into the Oklahoma Hispanic Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma African American Educators Hall of Fame.

Dr. Jones has been recognized by Forbes, featured in Fortune Magazine, and honored as a Most Influential Oklahoman, Woman of the Year, and Oklahoma's Most Admired CEO for Public Companies by The Journal Record. She also serves on a multitude of boards including BancFirst and BancFirst Corporation.



Dr. Jones is an alumna of the University of Oklahoma, where she earned her B.A. in Journalism from the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communications and was named a 2023 Distinguished Alumna. She holds an M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix at San Diego and an Ed.D. from Vanderbilt University’s prestigious Peabody College of Education and Human Development.

About Oklahoma City Community College

Since its inception in 1972, Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) has been a global leader in education, dedicated to empowering learners and strengthening communities. Serving more than 23,000 students, we are committed to producing leaders. “Student Success, Community Enrichment” is our mission, and we offer 87 degree and certificate programs plus more than 80 micro-credentials that provide a foundation for further education or immediate career readiness. We remain dedicated to providing accessible, affordable, high-quality education that equips students to achieve personal and professional goals. OCCC is more than an institution; we are a community catalyst, fostering growth and success in our city, our workforce, and the lives of our students. Discover your potential at OCCC, where your future is our purpose. Visit us at occc.edu.

Jennifer Sharpe
Director of Communications
+1 914-325-9316
email us here
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube