Zachary Named Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff

Todd Zachary, Ed.D., a retired Air Force colonel with vast educational experience, has been named the senior vice president and chief of staff, announced President Michael Rounds. He will assume his duties on April 3.

Rounds said, “I am delighted that Todd Zachary has accepted our invitation to serve Williamson in this important position. Todd has an impressive background that includes, not only a stellar military career, but also serving at Valley Forge Military College and leading the United States Air Force Academy Preparatory School. His background, talents, and leadership abilities will help us immensely as we work to further Williamson’s mission.”

Zachary said, “I am honored to be joining the staff at Williamson. It is exciting to be a part of a school that makes a lasting difference in the lives of its students and the community. My wife Sheri and I are excited about joining the Williamson family. I’m looking forward to helping guide Williamson as it moves into the future, yet steadfastly championing the traditions of its honored heritage.”

Among Zachary’s many talents are executive leadership and management, student counseling and mentoring, strategic planning, organizational development, curriculum development, and faculty training and management.

Zachary’s educational experience includes serving as dean of students at Valley Forge Military College in Wayne, Pa.; head of school at Rivermont Collegiate Preparatory School, in Bettendorf, La.; and department chair and senior aerospace science instructor at North Penn High School-North Penn School District, in Lansdale, Pa.

In his 23 years of Air Force service, he flew a variety of airplanes, saw combat in Operation Desert Storm, and retired from active duty with the rank of colonel in 2010. His many assignments included serving as commander of the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School in Colorado Springs and serving as commander of the 562nd Joint Training Squadron, the Department of Defense’s largest flight training school, teaching U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and international students to fly. The planes he flew included the B-52G, B-52H, T-43, T-37, and F-4 Phantom.

His operational leadership assignments included serving as the director of joint operations for Alaskan Command/Joint Task Alaska, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, and serving at the Pentagon as combat chief long-range strategic planning and aide-de-camp to Gen. Wehrle, Air Force Plans and Budget.

Zachary graduated from California State University at Northridge in 1987 with a Bachelor’s Degree in History. Upon graduation, he received his commission as a second lieutenant following completion of ROTC at the University of California at Los Angeles. His graduate degrees include Master of Arts in Humanities from California State University at Dominguez Hills, Master of Arts in Defense Studies from King’s College London, United Kingdom; Master of Arts in Airpower Arts and Science from Air University; Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College. He will receive his Doctorate in Higher Educational Leadership from Gwynedd Mercy University in May.

He holds professional certifications from the State of Pennsylvania in Secondary Education: Social Studies, Vocational Education, and Administrative: Level 1.

Zachary grew up in Westlake Village, Calif., one of six children. His father and grandfather worked for the Los Angeles Police Department.

He and his wife, Sheri, have been married 29 years and have two children, Brandon, a graduate of Columbia College Chicago who is living in Los Angeles, and Kate, a junior at Chapman University in Anaheim, Calif. They also have a dog named Milo.

Zachary is an avid skier and ski instructor, having taught skiing in Alaska, a film buff, sports and Olympics fanatic, and book collector.