Biography

Dr. Gail O. Mellow

Dr. Gail O. Mellow has served as President of LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City, Queens since 2000. A member of the City University of New York (CUNY) system, LaGuardia is a nationally recognized leader among community colleges for our boundary-breaking success educating underserved students.

A nationally recognized expert on the history, development and future of the American community college, Dr. Mellow is in demand as a speaker both here and abroad. Dr. Mellow has received numerous awards, sits on various boards and has presented to audiences throughout the country on the vital role that community colleges play in educating students for a global economy and spurring job creation.

In addition to numerous articles and editorials about issues facing higher education in America, Dr. Mellow co-authored Minding the Dream: The Process and Practice of the American Community College (Rowman & Littlefield, 2008).

Dr. Mellow is a frequent voice on higher education issues in the media. She has been extensively quoted in a range of publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, BusinessWeek and more.
Dr. Mellow has appeared on radio and television broadcasts, including on PBS's FRONTLINE, MSNBC and has participated in a debate with college presidents from public, private and for profit institutions about the future of higher education in America aired on PBS stations across the nation.