Kenneth Adams

Kenneth Adams is the president of LaGuardia Community College. LaGuardia is located in Long Island City, Queens, and is part of the City University of New York (CUNY). Since taking the helm in 2020, President Adams has led the college’s efforts to improve student success, strengthen its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and increase government and philanthropic support.

In 2021, he launched a bold fundraising campaign to raise funds to help LaGuardia students and Queens residents rise and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The “Tomorrow Campaign” reached its $15 million goal in March 2021.

Before joining LaGuardia, President Adams was dean of workforce and economic development at Bronx Community College/CUNY.

Prior to joining CUNY, President Adams spent more than 20 years leading economic and workforce development organizations in New York State. He served as acting commissioner of the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance, president and CEO of Empire State Development, and commissioner of the NYS Department of Economic Development.

He previously led the Business Council of New York State and the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. He was also the founding executive director of New York Cares.

President Adams is a director of the Queens Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the Long Island City Partnership, and the Research Foundation of CUNY. He has served on boards, commissions, councils, and advisory groups on behalf of five governors and two mayors.

President Adams received BA and MA degrees and an Ed.D. honoris causa from Middlebury College. He lives with his family in Brooklyn.