Olympic College names new president, will begin role May 18
Published 1:30 am Monday, March 30, 2026
The Olympic College Board of Trustees announced March 30 that Dr. Chantae Recasner has formally accepted the offer to serve as the 16th president of Olympic College, following a vote to extend the offer a few weeks earlier.
Recasner is expected to begin her role May 18, per a news release. Joan Hanten, who has more than 20 years of leadership experience at the college, has been serving as interim president since June 2025 following the retirement of former president Marty Cavalluzzi. She will remain in the interim role until Recasner starts.
The new OC president brings more than 20 years of higher education experience and leadership, including roles as tenured faculty, dean of instruction, and vice president of instruction. Recasner has served K-12 and higher education in various roles. 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, the release says.
Recasner 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.
“We are thrilled that Dr. Recasner has accepted the offer to be president of Olympic College,” Board of Trustees Chair Harriette Bryant said. “Her expertise and experience leading Seattle Central College will be invaluable in her new role.”
Recasner’s appointment as president represents a historic milestone, as she becomes the third woman and the first African American to lead OC, per the release. Recasner was one of the four finalists for the job. The other three were Dr. Lisa Mayte Edwards, Dr. Angela McLean, and Dr. Marc Singer.
