Jamelle Smith Wilson serves as the 5^th Dean of the School of Professional and Continuing Studies at the University of Richmond. Prior to becoming Dean, Wilson served as the 11th superintendent of schools (2011-2015) for Hanover County Public Schools, a district that currently serves nearly 20,000 students. She began her career as a high school English teacher and over her career has served as a curriculum specialist, assistant principal, and principal. She was assistant superintendent for Instructional Leadership in Hanover from 2003 to 2011.

A native of Spotsylvania, Wilson was the first in her family to attend a four-year university. She has been an educator since earning her master’s degree in teaching from the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia in 1991. She later earned a master’s in English from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1998 and a doctorate in education from the University of Virginia in 2002. She has dedicated her career to ensuring that all her students—particularly the underserved and underrepresented—are exposed to meaningful educational opportunities. During her tenure as superintendent, the Hanover school system maintained its reputation for excellence by exceeding core subject and graduation benchmarks for full accreditation based on the Virginia Department of Education’s Standards of Learning test results.

Wilson is a passionate supporter of community development work, particularly that which focuses on education and meeting the needs of young people. She currently serves on the board of the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation and most recently served on the Virginia Board of Education, including as Vice-President. Past community service includes service as chair of the Greater Richmond YMCA and on the Board of Governors for the International Baccalaureate, an advanced educational curriculum that aspires to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.