Talladega College President Dr. Gregory Vincent has named two alumnae to key leadership positions. Attorney Marsetta Lee will serve as chief of staff and chief compliance officer effective August 15, 2022, and Rachelle L. Williams will serve as director of alumni engagement and annual giving effective August 1, 2022.
“I am thrilled to have two distinguished alumnae return to campus as we lay the foundation for a new chapter of success at Talladega College,” Dr. Vincent said. “Both Attorney Lee and Ms. Williams have outstanding credentials and the essential skill sets needed to excel in their respective positions.”
Attorney Lee, whose role will include helping to ensure the operational efficiency and effectiveness of the Office of the President, previously served as associate dean of administration and external relations for North Carolina Central University (NCCU) School of Law and as a criminal justice coordinator and adjunct instructor at Wilmington University. Prior to joining Wilmington, she served in the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office for 27 years in various leadership capacities, including executive director of the New Jersey Victims of Crime Compensation Office (VCCO), Department of Law and Public Safety; deputy chief of Operation CeaseFire New Jersey, Division of Criminal Justice; deputy chief of the New Jersey Law Enforcement Services Bureau; and legal counsel for the Office of the State Medical Examiner.
Throughout the years, she has held a vast array of leadership positions in diverse organizations. She is a past president of the Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey, a past president of the National Association of University Women, and a member of the Zeta Delta Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. In 2017, she received the New Jersey Attorney General’s Lifetime Achievement Award. She holds a Juris Doctor from Temple University Beasley School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from Talladega College, where she graduated magna cum laude.
Ms. Rachelle L. Williams, whose position will involve the strategic development and collaborative execution of programs fostering alumni engagement, has over twenty years of experience as an educator, mentor, tutor, and academic coach. She previously served as an associate faculty member at the University of Phoenix - Washington, DC Campus/Arlington, VA Learning Center, where she received the Outstanding Service as an Associate Faculty award. Prior to her tenure at the University of Phoenix, she served as an instructor in the African American studies and women’s studies departments at the University of Maryland, College Park and Baltimore County. Ms. Williams is a contributing writer for East City Art in Washington, DC., and her work has been published in two editions of the anthology CONFLUENCE: Two Rivers, One City. Additionally, she was initiated into the Alpha Zeta Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Incorporated at Talladega College and currently serves as acting president for the Talladega College National Alumni Association’s Greater Washington Alumni Chapter in Washington, DC.
Ms. Williams earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from Talladega College, a Master of Arts in women’s studies from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Master of Fine Arts in narrative media writing from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia.
“I am excited to be a part of this new chapter at Talladega College. I look forward to working with Dr. Vincent to help realize his vision for the college, and to working with Dr. Kenney to strengthen our alumni networks,” said Ms. Williams. “My mother and her first cousin graduated from Talladega College in 1966. They both wanted their daughters to go to Talladega, and we did. Although I graduated in 1992, I consider myself an honorary member of the Class of ’66. I learned so much about the college’s history and culture from interacting with my mother, my cousin and their friends. Through their example, I also learned the importance of giving back to my alma mater. Alumni networking and engagement are essential to the success and future of our community and to our institution.”
