Following his appointment as interim president the New College in Florida, former Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran was selected in October 2023 by the College Board of Trustees as its next president. Corcoran was one of three finalists in a national search that attracted more that 60 applicants.
Corcoran first ran for the Florida House of Representatives in 2010 and was re-elected twice. He has been active in many roles in government including serving as a legislative aide to Paul Hawkes, chief of staff to Marco Rubio, and outside counsel to former House speaker Tom Feeney.
A practicing attorney for more than two decades, Corcoran earned his JD from Regent University. He served in the Naval Reserve while a student. In May 2022 when he resigned as Florida’s education commissioner, he started a law firm and a consulting firm.