Newsmakers

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New CEOs

Michael Gavin will become the fifth president of Delta College in Michigan. He most recently was vice president of learning at Anne Arundel Community College in Maryland. His leadership in strategic planning led to significant increases in completion and course success rates of all students at Anne Arundel, and specifically an elimination and/or reduction of equity gaps for African-American and Latinx students. In addition to strategic planning, Gavin established quality academic programming and workforce and transfer partnerships, and he spearheaded a revision of the general education curriculum to be outcomes-based. Previously, Gavin was a senior academic administrator at Prince George’s Community College in Maryland.

Kathrine Swanson is now president of the Metropolitan Community College-Longview campus in Missouri, in addition to her duties as the college’s vice chancellor for student success and engagement. She joined the college in 2015 after serving Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) in Pennsylvania for 10 years as a member of the senior leadership team, including vice president for student affairs and enrollment management. Prior to MCCC, Swanson was associate dean of students at Collin County Community College in Texas, where she also held the positions of executive director for community relations, acting provost and director of recruitment and retention.

Interim CEOs

Kay Faulconer Boger has been named interim president of the San Diego College of Continuing Education (SDCCE), which is part of the San Diego Community College District. Boger is the college’s former acting vice president of instruction. She has more than 30 years of higher education and business consulting experience. Prior to SDCCE, Boger worked as dean of Ventura College, acting vice president of instruction at Oxnard College and was manager of America’s Job Centers.

Scott W. Thayer is now interim president of San Bernardino Valley College in California. He has served as vice president of student services at the college since 2017 and has held numerous higher education leadership positions and faculty roles over the past 23 years. Thayer is known as an advocate for historically underrepresented students and an authority on student access, retention, equity, success, enrollment management and K-20 partnerships. He is a co-founder and board president of the African American Male Education Network and Development (A²MEND), which brings together African-American male educators to increase the engagement and success of young men of color in higher education. Thayer also teaches part-time in San Diego State University’s Community College Leadership program.

Appointments

Madison College President Jack Daniels III was recently appointed to the National Student Clearinghouse Board. The Clearinghouse provides data and analysis for more than 3,600 colleges and universities, the U.S. government and the public at large.

“The Clearinghouse provides a great service to education institutions in providing accurate data that is essential in enrollment and program planning as institutions push the completion agenda at their respective colleges and universities,” Daniels said in a statement.

Takeem L. Dean is the new dean of students at Union County College in New Jersey. He comes from North Carolina’s Johnson C. Smith University as its dean of students.

O. “Lee” Douglas returns to Long Beach City College (California) as vice president of academic affairs. Since September 2020 he has served as vice president of instruction at Cypress College. Prior to that, Douglas was LBCC’s dean of language arts, communication and learning resources since 2015. He has worked at the college in various other posts since 2001.

Jee Hang Lee will serve as the new president and CEO of the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT), effective November 1. He is currently ACCT’s senior vice president and has been with ACCT for 15 years, having served previously as vice president for public policy and external relations.

Kristina M. Marshall has been hired as director of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice at Oakland Community College in Michigan. She most recently was the DEI officer and director of the Human Services Program for Baker College.

Nicole Reaves is the executive vice president and chief programs officer at Wake Technical Community College in North Carolina. Previously, she was provost of Northern Virginia Community College’s Medical Education Campus, and also served as vice president for academics and student services at Wilbur Wright College (Illinois) and Westmoreland County Community College (Pennsylvania).

At North Shore Community College in Massachusetts, Steven Hubbard is now dean of STEM and education, and Nikki Pelonia is the college’s first chief diversity and equity officer. Previously, Hubbard was the photonics lab manager and a visiting assistant professor at Stonehill College. Pelonia was director of education, training and inclusive excellence at Salem State University.

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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