Meet Our Keynote Speaker

Bette M. Simmons, Ed.D.

Dr. Simmons spent 42 years at County College of Morris (CCM) advancing in the following positions: Assistant to the Dean of Students, Counselor, Assistant to the President & Affirmative Action Officer, Assistant Dean of Student Development, Dean of Student Development, Vice President of Student Development and Enrollment Management. She also served concurrently in 2018-2019 as Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs. During this time, she frequently taught graduate-level classes and served on dissertation committees at various New Jersey Universities. Dr. Simmons retired from CCM in June 2022, however, she has recently come out of retirement to serve as Interim Vice President of Student Affairs at Mercer County Community College.

Outside of her work in higher education, Dr. Simmons has been active in several community organizations. She is involved in the Girls Scouts of Northern New Jersey (currently Chair of Board of Directors), Preschool Advantage, Morris County Human Relations Commission, the African American Wellness Coalition, Morris County Park Alliance and the Morris County Sexual Assault Advisory Board. Beyond that, Dr. Simmons was appointed to the Governor’s Task Force on Campus Sexual Assault, representing New Jersey’s community colleges in developing statewide recommendations for how colleges and universities address campus sexual assault.

Throughout her career, Dr. Simmons has served as an advocate and leader for empowering girls and women in educational and professional settings.