Dr. Mordecai Ian Brownlee

Dr. Mordecai Ian Brownlee is an inclusive educator who proudly serves as the sixth president of the Community College of Aurora in Colorado. President Brownlee provides the institution with impressive leadership experience in advancing equitable student success, improving student advocacy and support services, and expanding academic pathways.

Within the first two years of his presidency, Dr. Mordecai has already brought about significant change and improved the student success agenda at CCA. These successes include CCA embarking upon its first capital project in 24 years, record-breaking capital and scholarship fundraising, the hiring of CCA’s largest and most diverse faculty ranks in the college’s history, improved student completions by more than 20%, the third largest enrollment in college history, and CCA becoming the first Achieving the Dream institution in the State of Colorado.

Throughout Dr. Brownlee’s career thus far, he has served in critical roles in several multi-million-dollar capital construction projects supporting academic instruction, student support services, and collegiate sports programs to the tune of over $215 million. He is a transformative leader who embraces institutional advancement by cultivating relationships, opportunities, and resources to benefit the college and encouraging internal and external giving through example.

Dr. Brownlee earned a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership and a Specialization in Higher Education at Lamar University (Beaumont, Texas), where he was awarded the Outstanding Doctoral Student Award for his research regarding legislative impacts on community colleges in Texas.

Dr. Brownlee is a graduate of the Leadership & Mentorship Institute sponsored by the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education, Executive Leadership Institute sponsored by the League for Innovation in Community Colleges, John E. Roueche Future Leaders Institute of the American Association for Community Colleges, and Penn State University Academic Leadership Academy.

In 2020, Dr. Brownlee was featured by EdTech Magazine as one of the 30 most interesting voices in higher education who are shaping the conversation around technology and education. In 2022, Mordecai was featured by Diverse Issues in Higher Education Magazine as a “New School” leader representing the next generation of college presidents. In 2023, he was inducted into the Denver Business Journal’s 40 under 40 Class of 2023 and named Community Leader of the Year by the Aurora Chamber of Commerce. He became only the third recipient of the Dr. Joseph H. Silver, Sr. LMI Alumni Award. Most recently, Dr. Mordecai was featured as a “champion” of the U.S. Department of Education Unlocking Career Success Initiative.

As for his local, state, and national engagements, Dr. Mordecai serves as a Trust Member of Jobs For The Future, Inc. (JFF), Member of the Global Community College Leadership Network, Board Member of American Association of Blacks in Higher Education (AABHE), Executive Council Member for WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies (WCET), Member of the Presidents’ Round Table, Board Member for the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, Executive Board Member of the Aurora Economic Development Council, Board Member for the Aurora Mental Health Center, and Board Member of the Arapahoe/Douglas Workforce Development Council.

He is also a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the Rotary Club of Aurora, Colorado.

Dr. Mordecai Ian Brownlee resides in Aurora, Colorado, with his wife of 17 years, Daphne, their son, Mordecai Jr., and their daughter, Lauren Machelle.