Mark James

A board member of the Missouri Association of Community Colleges,Mark James is the chancellor of Metropolitan Community College (MCC). James is responsible for fulfilling the College’s mission of preparing students, serving communities and creating opportunities Chancellor Mark James oversees all college operations across the five-campus system.

Under Chancellor Mark James’ leadership, MCC became more visible in the Kansas City area as he envisioned and championed a branding campaign. In addition to implementing a One MCC rallying cry for the college, Mark James created a Public Information Office consisting of television and print media veterans to share student and employee success stories with the public, and agreed to a co-branding partnership with the Kansas City Royals baseball team. His aggressive branding techniques helped Metropolitan Community College land visits from President Obama and Second Lady of the United States Dr. Jill Biden, while the school's innovative technical education program was the subject of a visit from former U.S. secretary of labor Tom Perez.

While leading MCC, The College was twice named a Bellwether Award finalist for its work with the Missouri Innovation Campus.

Prior to joining MCC, Mr. James was a public servant who served four years as the governor-appointed director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety and 20 years with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). After earning a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and administration, he began his career as a state trooper for Missouri State Highway Patrol.