Dr. Wayne D. Lewis Jr. is the president of Houghton College in Houghton, New York. Before taking this role, Dr. Lewis served as the inaugural Dean of the School of Education at Belmont University. Lewis has also served as the Commissioner of Education for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, overseeing an agency with over 1,100 employees and a $5 billion annual budget while also a faculty member at the University of Kentucky. Prior to that, he taught in K-12 public schools of Louisiana and North Carolina. 

Lewis is recognized as being a champion for students; focusing on improving educational access, opportunities and experiences for students, including those who have historically been underserved. A native of New Orleans, Lewis is a graduate of St. Augustine High School, completed undergraduate study at Loyola University New Orleans, earned a master’s degree at The University of Akron’s Buchtel College of Arts & Sciences, completed post-baccalaureate teacher certification at The University of New Orleans, and earned a Ph.D. at North Carolina State University’s College of Education.