Dr. Curtis L. Ivery, Chancellor of the Wayne County Community College District, has been a national thought educator, columnist, author, scholar, equity advocate and force for change in access to higher education for more than two decades. Under his leadership, WCCCD has become a thriving, six-campus district serving over 70,000 students annually. He has received numerous awards, including the 2024 University of Arkansas Distinguished Career in Education Award and the 2022 American Association of Community College’s CEO of the Year Award. He was also honored with a street renaming in 2023 to Curtis L. Ivery Street.

Ivery is a prolific author, with nearly 20 books and numerous articles to his name. His recent works include “Urban Voices: Racial Justice and Community Leadership” and “Detroit and the New Political Economy of Integration in Public Education.” Ivery and his wife, Ola, are dedicated to advancing childhood literacy and learning in Detroit.