Newsmakers

New CEOs

Kim Blosser is the next president of Lord Fairfax Community College (LFCC) in Virginia, effective February 1. She is currently the college’s vice president of academic and student affairs. Blosser began her career in 1996 as a high school teacher in Staunton, Virginia. In 1998, she transitioned into higher education, taking on the role of associate professor and then dean at Blue Ridge Community College. In 2012, Blosser was named associate vice president of instruction at LFCC and was promoted to vice president of academic and student affairs three years later.

Wolde-Ab Isaac has been appointed chancellor of the California’s Riverside Community College District (RCCD), effectively January 1. He is currently president at Riverside City College. He came to RCCD in 2006 as dean of health science at the Moreno Valley campus. In 2012, he was named vice president of academic affairs at Riverside City College, and later as interim president of RCC. Two year later, he was named the college’s permanent president. A Fulbright Scholar, Isaac served as president of the University of Asmara in Eritrea from 1993 to 2006 and was previously was a senior clinical researcher with AstraZeneca, a position he held for 12 years.

Lori Suddick has been named president of the College of Lake County in Illinois. She has served since 2009 as vice president of learning and chief academic officer for Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. Suddick has 18 years of experience working in two-year college leadership and faculty roles. She has presented at the national and state level on multiple topics including student success, integrated advising, systemic engagement of faculty, K-12 partnerships, flexible adult learning and alignment of credentials with the labor market needs. Suddick was one of 40 exceptional leaders selected to the 2016-2017 inaugural Aspen Presidential Fellowship for Community College Excellence.

Lori Sundberg will serve as president of Kirkwood Community College in Iowa. She is currently president of Carl Sandburg College in Illinois, where she has served since 2010. Prior to that, she served at Carl Sandburg in vice presidential positions in academic services and administrative services. In addition to her leadership roles, Sundberg also has experience in the classroom. Early in her career, she was an adjunct economics instructor at Carl Sandburg and also taught accounting courses at Knox College. Since 2013, she has been an adjunct instructor in Ferris State University’s Doctorate in Community College Leadership program.

Tina Tinney to will serve as president of Nunez Community College (NCC) in Louisiana, effective January 2. Tinney most recently served as vice chancellor of strategic initiatives at Northshore Technical Community College, where she was instrumental in the programmatic development of its $10 million STEM Campus. She began her career as a high school teacher in St. Bernard Parish, and later transitioned to NCC, where she served as health and natural sciences department chair. Relocation post-Katrina brought her to Southeastern Louisiana University where she was a microbiology instructor. At Northshore Technical since 2013, Tinney initially was dean of academics and STEM.

Retirements

Glen Gabert, president of Hudson County Community College (HCCC) in New Jersey, announced plans to retire at the end of June. Gabert marked his 25th anniversary as president of the college in September, making him the longest-serving CEO in the college’s history, and the longest serving current community college president in the state. During his tenure, HCCC enrollment more than tripled, two state-of-the-art campuses – Journal Square (Jersey City) and North Hudson (Union City) – were built, and more than 60 degree and certificate programs have been put in place. In addition, the HCCC Foundation, which has provided more than $3 million in scholarships to more than 2,000 deserving students, was initiated.

Appointments

Michelle Fischthal will serve as vice president of instruction at San Diego Continuing Education (SDCE), which is part of the San Diego Community College District. Most recently, she has served as SDCE’s dean of institutional effectiveness.

Kenneth P. Gonzalez is now vice president of student and enrollment services at Texas’ El Paso Community College. He previously was associate vice president for academic affairs at Our Lady of the Lake University.

Austin Monk has joined Wallace State Community College (Alabama) as director of workforce development. Monk, an alumnus of the college, served several years as manager of Washington County Workforce Development and later become director of workforce development at Bishop State Community College.

Arlanda Williams will serve as vice chancellor for workforce development and institutional advancement at Delgado Community College in Louisiana. She is also the owner of Rosemary’s Soul Food Kitchen and currently represents District 2 in Terrebonne Parish.

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