Christine Johnson McPhail

Dr. Christine Johnson McPhail, a distinguished academic administrator and trailblazing leader in higher education, passed away on March 1, 2026, after a battle with cancer. She was 80 years old. Dr. McPhail's impactful career spanned decades, marked by her pioneering roles as the first Black and first female president of Cypress College and later as the thirteenth president of St. Augustine's University. Her dedication to fostering leadership and promoting equity left an indelible mark on numerous institutions and countless students.

Born on February 1, 1946, in Tyler, Texas, Christine Johnson McPhail was the daughter of Otis and Mary Johnson. She was raised in a rural East Texas town and was the first in her family to attend college, driven by a foundational belief in her ability to excel. She earned her bachelor's degree in social work and a master's degree in education and counseling from Fresno State University. Her early career included work as a social worker for Head Start, serving low-income families across California.

Dr. McPhail continued her academic pursuits, completing a Doctor of Education degree in higher education from the University of Southern California in 1987. Her dissertation focused on academically underprepared students in California community colleges. Prior to her doctoral studies, she held counseling and administrative positions at Contra Costa College and the College of Alameda, where she rose to the rank of dean.

A significant milestone in her career came in 1995 when she was appointed president of Cypress College, becoming both the first woman and the first African American to lead the institution. She stepped down from this role in June 1998, the same year she married her beloved husband, Dr. Irving Pressley McPhail.

Following her presidency at Cypress College, Dr. McPhail founded the Community College Leadership Doctoral Program (CCLDP) at Morgan State University in 1998, serving as its founding professor and director. This program was instrumental in developing a new generation of higher education leaders, particularly among African Americans. She also served as a professor of practice at the John E. Roueche Center for Community College Leadership at Kansas State University and was the President and CEO of the McPhail Group, LLC, a higher education consulting firm. Her contributions were recognized with numerous accolades, including the 2008 League of Innovation's Terry O'Banion Leadership Award, the 2010 AACC National Leadership Award, and the 2018 Diverse Champions Award.

In a poignant turn of events, Dr. McPhail was selected to succeed her late husband as the thirteenth president of St. Augustine's University in Raleigh, North Carolina, effective February 24, 2021. Her husband, Dr. Irving Pressley McPhail, had passed away in October 2020 due to COVID-19 complications, just months into his tenure as president. Dr. Christine Johnson McPhail embraced this role, viewing it as a continuation of her husband's vision and a step toward her own healing. Her presidency at the historically Black university concluded in December 2023.

Throughout her life, Dr. McPhail was a tireless advocate for equity and leadership development, particularly for underrepresented populations. She authored several books and articles on leadership and higher education, emphasizing the importance of learning from the past to build a stronger, more inclusive future. Her final message to family, friends, and colleagues encouraged them to "be a Sankofian"—to reach back and uplift others, to mentor, and to move forward with courage and faith. Her legacy of service, mentorship, and transformative leadership will continue to inspire future generations.