Newsmakers

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New CEOs

Melissa Gonzalez is the new president of Lone Star College’s (LSC) Kingwood campus, effective June 1. She currently is president of Houston Community College’s Southeast campus, a position she has held since 2017. Prior to that, Gonzalez was vice chancellor/chief of staff at the college. Gonzalez previously served at LSC in a variety of posts, including vice chancellor of workforce and economic development, interim vice president of the LSC-Greenspoint Center and LSC-Victory Center, and special assistant to the president and academic and workforce dean at LSC-North Harris.

Gonzalez also was a tenured faculty member at the University of Houston (UH)-Clear Lake where she was an associate professor of international business management and assistant chair for the management program. She taught as an adjunct faculty member at UH-Downtown, business lecturer at the University of Texas-Pan American and adjunct instructor at South Texas College.

 Gonzalez’s “administrative skills, teaching experience and passion will make her a tremendous asset to both students and employees,” said LSC Chancellor Stephen Head.

William Heineman will become the fifth president of North Shore Community College in Massachusetts on July 1. Currently, he is provost at Northern Essex Community College (NECC) in Massachusetts. He has served at NECC for 25 years, holding positions such as vice president of academic affairs, vice president of student affairs, dean of two different divisions, program coordinator, faculty member and department chair.

Heineman is a board member of both the National Council of Instructional Administrators and the Teaching Academic Survival and Success Conference. He serves as an accreditation site visitor for the New England Commission of Higher Education and chairs the Massachusetts Community College Chief Academic Officers council. In addition, Heineman has participated in the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) Future Leaders Institute, the Massachusetts Community College Leadership Academy and the Aspen Presidential Fellowship for Community College Leadership.

“Dr. Heineman is already known as one of the finest academic leaders in the Massachusetts public higher education system,” said J.D. LaRock, NSCC board of trustees chair. “But his analytical and business acumen impressed us as well. He understands that American higher education is facing immense pressures, and that to thrive, all colleges – including NSCC – will need to innovate.”

Jeannie Worden will be the next president of Northcentral Technical College (NTC) in Wisconsin, as of July 1. She is currently executive vice president of the college. Worden has served the college for 26 years in a variety of roles: vice president of student services, vice president of human resources and college advancement, executive director of the NTC Foundation, director of human resources, human resources specialist, benefit specialist and adjunct faculty. Prior to NTC, Worden worked in private industry in the field of human resources.

“I am humbled and feel truly blessed to have been given the privilege of serving the great students and staff of NTC as its next president,” Worden said in a release. “As the mother of two NTC graduates, I have seen first-hand the impact NTC has had in the life of my family, and I am committed to providing those same opportunities to the residents of our district.”

Kudos

The Greater Missouri Leadership Foundation has named Kimberly Beatty, chancellor of Metropolitan Community College, as its 2021 Inspirational Leader of the Year. The organization noted that Beatty, who also serves on the AACC board of directors, has been committed to workforce and academic education while establishing new partnerships throughout the Kansas City region throughout her career. The foundation added that Beatty is a champion of access and equity who is devoted to the mission of providing access to higher education for all.

John J. “Ski” Sygielski, president of HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, has been named among Central Penn Business Journal’s Power 100 for 2021. The publication said the list features individuals who hold positions that give them the ability to shape the area’s communities and influence quality of life.

“Today, the role of a president is much more of a town minister than an academic philosopher,” said Sygielski, who has served as leader of the college for almost a decade and is a member of the AACC board of directors.

Appointments

William Serrata, president of El Paso Community College and AACC board chair, has joined Lumina Foundation’s board of directors. The foundation cited his leadership over the past several years at the Texas college in guiding it toward improving student success and retention, especially among Hispanic and Latino students.

Debra McGaughey, director of communication services at Houston Community College, was named the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR) president for 2021-22. She is the first African-American woman to serve in the position in nearly two decades. NCMPR is an AACC-affiliated council.

About the Author

Matthew Dembicki
Matthew Dembicki edits Community College Daily and serves as associate vice president of communications for the American Association of Community Colleges.
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