Natasha James-Waldon Named Executive Director of Workforce Development and Lifelong Learning
Formerly the Director of Lifelong Learning, Natasha James-Waldon will now oversee the creation and administration of Middlesex College’s noncredit programs that range from workforce and corporate training to youth camps and personal enrichment programs.
“I am excited to have Natasha lead the Workforce Development and Lifelong Learning team. Her experience working in higher education, especially in the area of continuing education, coupled with her familiarity with our institution, puts the College in a strong position in meeting the educational needs of everyone in our community,” said Middlesex College President Mark McCormick. “I look forward to working with Natasha and the entire WDLL team to continue to create and implement programs that keep pace with the evolving demands of our residents – adult learners, mid-career changers, parents of young children, employers in need of skilled workers, and those who seek to enrich their lives.”
With an extensive background as an education specialist and adjunct professor, James-Waldon brings to her new role an in-depth understanding of curriculum and program development, and classroom instruction in the higher education environment.
“The Workforce Development and Lifelong Learning Division provides the opportunity for individuals to enhance their skills and/or change their careers, helps corporations and organizations to provide educational opportunities to their workforce, and provides opportunities for our youth to grow and develop, while embracing the lifelong learner within each of us”, said James-Waldon. “I look forward to serving as the Executive Director of WDLL and helping people, through education, to explore, grow and thrive.”
She came to Middlesex College in 2018 as an adjunct professor, a path she began at Wilmington University in 2011, developing and teaching courses on the doctorate, master’s and undergraduate levels, and one that she continues to this day at the College. She also served as the program coordinator for the New Brunswick Center’s College Readiness Now (CRN) program for the 2019 Spring Semester. James-Waldon, as an adjunct faculty member, also served as a member of the College’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Council.
In 2022, James-Waldon was appointed the Director of Lifelong Learning programs, which include non-credit and enrichment courses such as culinary and dance programs, ESL and GED preparation courses and Camp Middlesex. Notably in that role, she spearheaded innovative programs and pathways involving the non-credit-to-credit Industry Recognized Credential programs.
A lawyer by training, James-Waldon worked in public interest law for over 10 years. During her time at The Legal Aid Society in New York and Central Jersey Legal Services in New Brunswick and Perth Amboy, James-Waldon represented low-income individuals in legal matters that involved criminal, family, mental health, consumer, and housing related issues.
At the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights, she provided training on the state’s Law Against Discrimination, unconscious bias, all anti-bias matters, and other important civil rights issues as an education and training specialist. Prior to that role, she held several titles in her decade-plus-career at the Jewish Renaissance Foundation – first, as Director of the Community Action Agency Program (CAAP) for Middlesex County East, then as Director of Compliance and Community Engagement, and lastly, as Director of Educational Services where she oversaw four educational programs that served close to 2,000 students per year between the ages of middle school to an alternative educational institution for adults.
James-Waldon holds a B.A. in Journalism from Temple University, a J.D. and M.P.S. in Media Administration from Syracuse University, and an Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership, Learning and Innovation from Wilmington University. Additionally, she has served on a number of taskforces and advisory boards, including Middlesex County East Health and Human Services Consortium, Raritan Bay Medical Center Community Benefit Taskforce, and Elijah’s Promise Culinary Institute Advisory Board, and has been awarded several prestigious fellowships (Prudential Non-Profit Executive Leaders Fellowship, National Association of Public Interest Lawyers Equal Justice Fellowship and Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Congressional Fellowship Program).
