About SUNY

Senior Vice Chancellor for Community Colleges and the Education Pipeline

Johanna Duncan-Poitier

With over 25 years of experience providing results-driven leadership, Johanna Duncan-Poitier serves as Senior Vice Chancellor for Community Colleges and the Education Pipeline in The State University of New York (SUNY).  In her work with community colleges, Senior Vice Chancellor Duncan-Poitier provides system oversight and coordination for SUNY’s 30 community colleges that educate over a quarter of million students each year.  Also, as SUNY’s senior executive for the education pipeline, she provides leadership to strengthen the critical connections between SUNY’s 64 campuses and PreK-12 schools, business leaders, and other partners so more students graduate from college prepared to succeed in future careers.  This responsibility encompasses coordinating the implementation SUNY’s strategic initiative to strengthen teacher preparation, workforce preparation and practice.  In addition, Senior Vice Chancellor Duncan-Poitier serves as one of the Commissioners of the Education Commission of the States for New York.   The Education Commission of the States is the only nationwide, nonpartisan interstate compact devoted to all-levels of education.  

Prior to joining SUNY, Senior Vice Chancellor Duncan-Poitier served as Senior Deputy Commissioner of Education-PreK-16 in the New York State Education Department having regulatory responsibility for ensuring the quality and accountability for over 7,000 schools, 270, colleges and universities, including SUNY, The City University of New York, private and for-profit colleges, and 450 proprietary schools.  She directed the preparation and practice of more than 227,000 teachers and school leaders and was responsible for the management of more than $30 billion in State and federal funds to support student achievement across the education continuum -- prekindergarten through higher education.  Before this appointment, she served, concurrently, as Deputy Commissioner for the Office of Higher Education and for the Office of the Professions.  During her tenure, she led the development of the most comprehensive Statewide Plan for Higher Education in New York’s history in collaboration with the leadership of each of the State’s public and private higher education sectors.  She also had responsibility for the preparation and licensure of three quarters of a million licensed professionals in 47 health, business, and design professions.

Before her service with the Education Department, Senior Vice Chancellor Duncan-Poitier worked for more than 10 years in leadership positions with The City University of New York at Queens College, York College and Bronx Community College.

Senior Vice Chancellor Duncan-Poitier has been recognized for her accomplishments with numerous State and national honors and awards, including: the Governor’s Outstanding Leadership Award; the President’s National Award for Excellence in Administering Science,  Mathematics, and Engineering Programs in New York State; the New York State Association for Women in Administration - Pathfinder Award; Saint John Fisher College - Presidential Citation for Service and Dedication to the People of New York State; the New York State Council of School Superintendents - Friend of the Council Award; The Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation – Member Achievement Award; Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, Saint Joseph’s College; and Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, D’Youville College.

Senior Vice Chancellor Duncan-Poitier earned a baccalaureate degree from Queens College of The City University of New York and a master's degree in public administration from Bernard M. Baruch College of The City University of New York.