The Board of Trustees of Lancaster Bible College (LBC) announced on June 3 a planned leadership transition that aims to affirm the college's 93-year mission, build on recent momentum, and continue LBC's Kingdom impact in the years ahead.

After leading the college since 2020, Tommy Kiedis has announced that he will conclude his presidency on June 30, 2027. The college anticipates that Kiedis will serve as chancellor starting July 2027, engaging in ambassadorial responsibilities and utilizing his gifts to advance the work of the college in support of the institution's next president.

The Board of Trustees has appointed Jael K.D.L.V. Chambers, current executive vice president, to serve as the college's next president, effective July 1, 2027. The announcement has been made more than a year in advance to provide a thoughtful, intentional, and smooth leadership transition for the college community. Over the next year, Kiedis and Chambers will work closely to ensure continuity of leadership, clarity of direction, and a smooth transfer of responsibilities.

The Board of Trustees' decision reflects the ongoing emphasis on succession planning at all levels of the institution and a deliberate and prayerful months-long process by the executive committee of the board, responsible for succession planning.

Under Kiedis' leadership, Lancaster Bible College executed a comprehensive three-year strategic plan, widely expanded access to online programs, grew enrollment, refreshed its brand, increased fiscal stability, completed a capital campaign, and enhanced institutional alignment and accountability. The self-study evaluation team report from LBC's Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) visit in March 2026 affirmed this progress while encouraging continued implementation and strengthening of institutional assessment practices.

The executive committee of the board determined that continuity of leadership, comprehensive institutional and industry knowledge, and the ability to sustain and accelerate current momentum were essential criteria for the next president. The board leadership determined that this moment in LBC's history called for a presidential selection process focused on identifying a qualified candidate already committed to and steeped in the college's mission, direction, and strategy. The executive committee of the board functioned as a presidential search committee in this respect, first defining the current institutional context and then identifying the most important competencies LBC needs in its next president.

The board believes that the most important leadership need for LBC is missional stewardship - that is, a clear, mission-aligned strategy, disciplined execution, a healthy organizational culture, and sustained momentum going into the next strategic plan.

The executive committee of the board evaluated a short list of potential presidential candidates and gave particular attention to demonstrated leadership capacity, institutional integration, strategic execution, and spiritual maturity. The committee recommended Chambers to the Board of Trustees.

Chambers has served as executive vice president during a pivotal season in LBC's history. In his role, he has acted as a primary leader in designing and executing the college's strategic plan, strengthening organizational alignment, implementing institution-wide Key Performance Indicators, enhancing professional development, and reinforcing a culture of clarity, accountability, and mission-centered decision-making.

At the center of Chambers' leadership is a commitment to students and a desire to ensure that Jesus Christ remains central to the Lancaster Bible College experience. His leadership has consistently emphasized spiritual formation, belonging, student flourishing, and mission alignment across both on-campus and online student populations. Through the development of an emerging Spiritual Formation Framework and the implementation of one of the college's most comprehensive Student Experience Surveys, he helped create institution-wide insight into how students are flourishing academically, spiritually, relationally, and personally both inside and outside the classroom. This work aimed to strengthen cross-department collaboration, inform retention and engagement strategies, and reinforce LBC's commitment to educating and developing students who are prepared to serve Christ faithfully in the church and society.

Chambers has demonstrated the ability to lead across all areas of the college, translating vision into execution while maintaining a focused commitment to "educating Christian students to think and live a biblical worldview and to proclaim Christ by serving Him in the Church and society." He has also served as an adviser to the president and a key integrator of institutional strategy and culture.

In addition, Chambers was identified by Kiedis as his recommended successor. Kiedis cited Chambers' proven leadership, humble boldness, student focus, fundraising acumen, and continual learning.