Chancellor's Office
The Chancellor's Office aims to ensure the highest quality learning experiences
for current and future students. This happens through creative leadership, committed and valued
employees, effective services, sufficient funding, and an environment of respect, mutual trust and
open communication. Responsiveness to the needs of our external and internal stakeholders will guide our actions.
Helen Benjamin
is in her ninth year as Chancellor of the
Contra Costa Community College District (District). She
began her career at the District in 1990 when she joined
Los Medanos College as Dean of Language Arts and
Humanistic Studies and Related Occupations, and has held
progressively higher level positions including District Vice
Chancellor, Educational Programs and Services, interim
President of Los Medanos College and President of Contra
Costa College.
Dr. Benjamin has a B.S. degree in English and Spanish from Bishop College in
Texas where she graduated magna cum laude and earned her masters and doctoral
degrees from Texas Woman's University in Denton, Texas. She has never lost sight
of her roots as a teacher, having taught high school English in the Dallas
Independent School District and looks for opportunities to turn challenges into
teachable moments.
Dr. Benjamin is passionate about maintaining an active role in a wide variety of
professional organizations and community organizations. At the local level, she is
a board member for the Kennedy-King Memorial College Scholarship Fund, a
county-wide effort to provide District students with financial support to continue
their educational goals at a four-year or graduate institution. At the state level,
Dr. Benjamin is President of the California Community College Chief Executive
Officers; a member of the Community College League of California (CCLC)
Commission on the Future; and also serves as Chair of the CCLC Board of Directors.
At the national level, she is a member of the Presidents’ Round Table, an affiliate
organization of the National Council on Black American Affairs. In addition,
Dr. Benjamin serves on the board of Excelsior College located in Albany, New York.
Headquartered in Martinez, California, the District was the first county-wide college
district in the state and began serving students in 1949. The District consists of
Contra Costa College, Diablo Valley College, Los Medanos College, San Ramon
Campus, and the Brentwood Center. With a county population of over one million
people, the District serves an annual enrollment of nearly 52,000 students.