Polk State College names new president

Polk State College has a new president. The District Board of Trustees voted 5-0 on Wednesday, June 3, 2026 to name Anastasios “Stasi” Kamoutsas as the college’s sixth president.

Kamoutsas currently serves as Florida’s Commissioner of Education. He will join Polk State on July 6, following interim president Dr. Anne Kerr’s completion of service in June.

According to Polk State College News, more than 250 students, faculty, staff, and community members attended meet-and-greets on the Lakeland and Winter Haven campuses before the board’s vote. Kamoutsas also toured the Clear Springs Advanced Technology Center in Bartow and visited the Center for Public Safety in Winter Haven.

He outlined several priorities, including workforce education, seamless college articulation, and civil discourse. He also pointed to the nearing completion of the Polk State Haines City-Davenport Campus and the upcoming launch of a new Welding Program.

“It is an honor to join Polk State College on the cusp of significant developments,” Kamoutsas said. “I look forward to supporting student success, the work of faculty and fostering community connections.”

Kamoutsas holds a law degree from Regent University School of Law and previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Gov. Ron DeSantis, among other state and local roles.

Polk County Public Schools announces principal changes for 2026-27

Sources: Polk State College Press Release Photo: Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anastasios_Kamoutsas_portrait_(cropped).jpg