Please welcome Brother Thomas Jones, FSC, as Interim President

As we continue to celebrate our spring graduates and the wonderful Commencement ceremonies that took place this past weekend, we are pleased on behalf of Saint Mary’s Board of Trustees to announce Brother Thomas Jones, FSC, as the College’s Interim President, effective July 1, 2023. Please join us in welcoming him to his new role!

The Right Leader at the Right Time

Brother Thomas’s deep-rooted history with Saint Mary’s College, his commitment to our Lasallian mission with its 300-year tradition of serving and responding to the needs of the marginalized, his academic and professional experience, and his determination to forge a strong future for our institution, make him singularly suited to lead the College.

Brother Thomas is himself a Gael alumnus, having earned a BA at Saint Mary’s College before obtaining two master’s degrees and a doctorate in Psychology from the University of San Francisco. He also holds two California state licenses in Psychology.  As a Staff Psychologist in Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and resident director since 2012, he is a guiding and thoughtful presence among Gael students and possesses a unique understanding of their needs and concerns.

A Long and Distinguished Lasallian Career

Adding to his history at Saint Mary’s, Brother Thomas has a long and distinguished career as a Lasallian educator and leader.

As Auxiliary Provincial and Vice President of De La Salle Institute, he strategically led the Brothers of the Santa Fe New Orleans and San Francisco provinces in the initial stages of their eventual unification in 2014.

In addition, Brother Thomas was the founding board chair of De La Salle North Catholic High School in Portland, Oregon, a secondary school now recognized nationally for its impact on traditionally underserved youth. De La Salle North Catholic was the second high school in the United States to adopt the Cristo Rey Corporate Internship model of education.

“I am both honored and humbled to serve Saint Mary’s as its Interim President,” Brother Thomas said. “Throughout my life I have been committed to Lasallian principles of education, principles that are embodied in the College’s mission and have inspired and grounded the transformational experiences of students since 1868.

“I enthusiastically embrace this opportunity to work with the Board of Trustees, senior leadership, faculty, staff, alumni, our amazing student body, and other supporters as we position ourselves as a leading innovative, national Catholic university that inspires minds, touches hearts, and transforms lives,” he said.

The Search for a Permanent President

A national search for the next President of the College will be initiated at the beginning of the 2023–2024 academic year. We will begin by identifying an experienced executive search firm with deep experience in recruiting a diverse pool of presidential candidates and assembling a Search Committee that will include Trustees, Christian Brothers, faculty, staff, and student advisors. More information and updates will be communicated on the College’s website.

The Board’s approval of Brother Thomas to serve as Saint Mary’s Interim President, their support of the Lasallian mission and backing of senior leadership, the dedication and active presence of decades of alumni, the high quality and impressive commitment of current faculty and staff, and their recent endorsement of the College’s inspiring Transformation 2028 strategic plan—all anchor Saint Mary’s College and propel it with optimism and enthusiasm into the future.

Congratulations once again to all those involved in our just-completed Spring Commencement ceremonies, and to our new Interim President, Brother Thomas Jones! 

Sincerely,

Brother Visitor Nick Gonzalez, FSC

Eric Flowers, Chair of the Board of Trustees