JCC Appoints Associate Vice Presidents Dr. Megan A. Stadler and Gabrielle M. Thompson

Jefferson Community College (JCC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Megan A. Stadler to the position of Associate Vice President of Liberal Arts and Gabrielle M. Thompson to the appointment of Associate Vice President of Student Affairs. 

Stadler, of Watertown, joined Jefferson in 2015 and has served the College as Associate Vice President (AVP) for Strategic Initiatives since 2020. As AVP for Strategic Initiatives, Stadler was responsible for overseeing Institutional Research and the School of Business, Hospitality & Tourism, JCC’s workforce training, and the Lewis County JCC Education Center in Lowville. She co-facilitated the development of the College’s 2020-2025 Strategic Plan, served on the Guided Pathways Steering Committee and currently serves on the Middle States Steering Committee, Curriculum Committee and Academic Standards Committee. An accomplished grant writer, Stadler has written several successful grant applications garnering funding in excess of $7M for Jefferson. Additionally, she is a member of the Greater-Watertown North Country Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and Center for Community Studies Advisory Board. Stadler holds a Doctor of Education in educational leadership from D'Youville University in Buffalo, Master of Science degree in developmental studies from University College Dublin in Ireland, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in international studies from Glendon College, York University in Toronto. Her appointment as AVP of Liberal Arts took effect on June 1, 2024. 

Thompson, of Watertown, joined Jefferson in 2008 as a retention specialist in the TRIO student support program and advanced to TRIO director in 2011, and then to director of access and opportunity programs in 2019. Since October 2022, Thompson has served as the Interim Dean of Students, providing oversight of student activities and inclusion, athletics, access and opportunity programs, accommodative services and testing, career services, and student conduct and compliance. In addition, she is the College’s Title IX Coordinator for students. Thompson’s campus involvement includes adjunct teaching, Guided Pathways implementation, leadership of the JCC Food Pantry, and service on the Diversity Workgroup, Financial Aid/Residence Life Workgroup, Integrated Budget & Planning Committee, and several Senate and campus governance committees. She was also selected as an Engaging Excellence in Equity Fellow through the Office of Community College Research and Leadership at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service recipient in 2021. Thompson holds a Master of Science degree in education and a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and secondary education from SUNY Potsdam and an Associate in Arts degree in humanities and social sciences from Jefferson Community College. Her appointment as AVP of Student Affairs took effect on June 1, 2024. 

"The College is honored to have two members of the JCC campus community advance to leadership roles,” says Jerilyn E. Fairman, Provost, Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs. “Their dedication, expertise, and unwavering commitment to Jefferson have not only helped shape our institution but have also empowered countless students and colleagues. Their leadership exemplifies the heart of our mission—to educate, inspire, and empower through education. We are immensely proud to witness their continued impact and look forward to the extraordinary contributions they will undoubtedly make in their capacities."