News Release for Immediate Release
BREMERTON, Wash. – On March 17, the Olympic College Board of Trustees voted to extend a public offer to Dr. Chantae Recasner to serve as the 16th president of Olympic College. The offer marks a major milestone in the college’s presidential search process, though the appointment will not be finalized and a start date will not be announced until contract negotiations are complete.
“I would like to thank everyone at Olympic College who helped us reach this stage in the search process,” Board Chair Harriette Bryant said. “We’ve reached a pivotal moment in a process that began last summer.”
The Board of Trustees also expressed gratitude to Joan Hanten, who has served as interim president since June 2025, for providing steady leadership during the transition.
“Joan stepped into the role without hesitation and her leadership has been invaluable,” Bryant said. “She has been a dedicated leader at Olympic College for many years, including the past nine months as Interim President.”
The college’s search for a new president began in July 2025. During the process, presidential finalists participated in open forums, answered questions from attendees, and met with college leadership as part of a comprehensive, inclusive search led by the Presidential Search Advisory Committee and executive search firm, Academic Search. Feedback from these groups helped shape the selection criteria and informed the Board’s decision.
Dr. Recasner brings more than 20 years of higher education experience and leadership, including roles as Tenured Faculty, Dean of Instruction, and Vice President of Instruction. In 2024, she was appointed interim president of Seattle Central College by the Seattle Colleges District Chancellor and Board of Trustees, a role she continues to serve in today.
She holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Education from the University of Cincinnati (2009), a Master of Business in Operational Excellence from Ohio State University (2017), and two Master of Arts degrees from Ohio State University (2003) in Teaching & Learning and African and African American Studies. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from Loyola University New Orleans in 2001.
More information about the presidential search process, including finalist bios, CVs, and portraits, visit the OC Presidential Search webpage.
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