Staci Martin, Ed.D. currently serves as the Interim President of Kilgore College. She is an East Texas native with 29 years of higher education experience and 25 years of service at KC. Dr. Martin joined KC in February of 2001 and has served as Interim President since November 1, 2025. In June 2025, she was named Vice President of Organizational Effectiveness & Excellence. She was Vice President of Student Life & College Affairs from June 2024 to May 2025 and Vice President of Student Services from July 2021 to May 2024. Her first executive-level leadership position was as Vice President of Institutional Planning, which she held from August 2014 to July 2021. Prior to that, Dr. Martin spent 13 years working in the Registrar’s Office, serving as Registrar & Director of Admissions, Associate Registrar, and Assistant Registrar.
Prior to joining KC, Dr. Martin held roles in student recruitment, marketing, and job placement at Texas State Technical College-Marshall. She began her professional career as a middle school math teacher at Atlanta ISD, followed by a stint as a junior high math teacher at Redwater ISD.
During her tenure at KC, Dr. Martin has overseen multiple areas, including Registrar, Admissions, Financial Aid, Testing, Counseling, Advising, Athletics, Rangerettes, Campus Life, Student Activities, Campus Police, Institutional Effectiveness and Research, Disability Services, Grant Writing, TRIO Programs, and Student Conduct. She has in-depth experience with strategic planning, budget management, policy development, and dual credit. Dr. Martin led KC’s most recent reaffirmation of accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
She has served on numerous statewide committees for the Texas Association of Collegiate Registrars & Admissions Officers and has made multiple presentations at the association’s annual meetings. She also served on the Texas Association of Community Colleges Metrics Task Force and was a member of the Texas Association for Institutional Research Strategic Planning Task Force. She is an experienced peer reviewer for reaffirmation of accreditation site visits for SACSCOC.
Her contributions to KC have been recognized through multiple Kilgore College Outstanding Employee Awards and designation as an Honorary Life Member of Rangerettes Forever.
Dr. Martin holds a Doctor of Education in Higher Education from Texas Tech University, a Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from Texas A&M University–Texarkana, and a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from Texas A&M University–College Station. Her doctoral dissertation was titled Dual Credit in Texas Community Colleges: A Quantitative Analysis of the Relationship between Grades and Course Subject, Location, and Faculty Type.
Dr. Tracee Watts, Ed.D. is a senior executive leader in higher education with more than 20 years of progressive leadership experience across community colleges, nonprofit organizations, and state and federal governmental sectors. She currently serves as Senior Vice President of Student Success and Advancement at Brazosport College in Texas, where she provides executive leadership for student success, enrollment management, institutional advancement, marketing and communications, dual enrollment, and external and legislative relations. Throughout her career, Dr. Watts has led transformational institutional initiatives that strengthened student access, persistence, and completion. Under her leadership, Brazosport College achieved record enrollment, including double-digit growth across consecutive terms, 15% in summer, 10% in fall, and 14% in spring, and the highest unduplicated headcount in the college’s history.
She spearheaded the first comprehensive restructuring of enrollment and student success functions in more than four decades, improving coordination across advising, academic support, and student services. Dr. Watts has led the implementation of ethical AI-enabled student engagement strategies, achieving a 97% student opt-in rate and strengthening the college’s ability to proactively identify and address student needs. Her leadership reflects a data-informed, student-centered approach that aligns institutional strategy with measurable outcomes and continuous improvement.
Dr. Watts brings deep experience in institutional advancement and fiscal stewardship. As chief advancement officer and Executive Director of the Brazosport College Foundation, she led fundraising efforts that secured more than $16.5 million in philanthropic support, including the institution’s largest-ever major gift. Her work expanded scholarship support, strengthened student success initiatives, and enhanced the college’s long-term financial sustainability. She has also served as a strategic advisor to the Board of Regents on institutional planning, enrollment performance, and fiscal priorities.
A strong advocate for workforce and community partnerships, Dr. Watts has expanded dual enrollment opportunities by as much as 60% through collaboration with school districts, faculty, and industry partners, strengthening pathways from high school to college and careers. She has also led initiatives addressing students’ basic needs, including the creation and expansion of a campus food pantry that has provided essential resources to thousands of students. Her leadership reflects a systems-level approach that integrates student success, academic alignment, workforce readiness, and community engagement.
Dr. Watts began her career in public service as a congressional staff member in the U.S. House of Representatives, where she worked closely with federal agencies, community leaders, and constituents. She later served as Program Director and Director of Development at a nonprofit organization that provides services to children with developmental delays and disabilities. She holds a Doctor of Education in Community College Leadership from Kansas State University, a Master of Organizational Leadership, and a Bachelor of Science in Government with a minor in Spanish from Evangel University. Dr. Watts is actively engaged in statewide higher education leadership, serves on the Board of Directors for the Texas Association of Community College Foundations, and is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE).
Dr. Watts, Ed.D. is widely recognized for her collaborative leadership style, commitment to student-centered practice, and ability to align institutional strategy with mission, fiscal sustainability, and community needs. She brings a comprehensive internal and external perspective to higher education and is committed to strengthening institutions that expand opportunity and transform lives. Guided by a passion for empowering others, she is dedicated to advancing student success and positioning colleges to meet the evolving needs of the communities they serve.
