CEOs on the move
William Wainwright, who has served for seven years as chancellor of Northshore Technical Community College (NTCC) in Louisiana, has been named the next president of Southeastern Louisiana University.
During his tenure at NTCC, Wainwright helped lead exponential growth and success for the institution, including expansion of campuses and tripling its enrollment. Previously, he served as interim chancellor at Delgado Community College (Louisiana) and was its CEO. He also has served as vice president of business development and training at the Safety Council of the Louisiana Capital Area and held various posts at Louisiana Technical College including dean, dean of workforce development and regional facilitator.
Rachel Solemsaas, who has served as chancellor of Hawaii Community College since 2016, plans to step down on June 30 after the spring 2023 semester.
“It truly has been an honor to serve Hawaii Community College as chancellor, but personal family-related matters have necessitated that I leave this institution that I love and have served for seven years,” Solemsaas said in a statement. “Hawaii CC has an amazing history in the Hawaii Island community, and I am incredibly proud of our ‘Kauhale’ — the faculty, staff, students and community members — for all that we have accomplished together.”
Solemsaas’ belief in higher education as a pathway to social mobility, especially for many traditionally underserved students, informed the college’s efforts to increase access and equity. Three-year graduation rates for both full-time (36.3%) and part-time (10.4%) first-time freshmen reached all-time highs, according to the University of Hawaii (UH), and Hawaii CC closed success gaps for target student populations, including Native Hawaiians, Filipino and Pell Grant students.
Under Solemsaas’ leadership, the college adopted an “island-wide” approach, establishing innovative career and technical education early college programs, a new physics lab, an outdoor learning center, an apprenticeship program and it helped establish a 700-acre dryland forest preserve adjacent to campus.
“Chancellor Solemsaas has done a remarkable job in her seven years at Hawaii CC and was truly committed to the college and Hawaiʻi Island community,” said UH President David Lassner. “I commend her for expanding the college’s reach on Hawaii Island and its underserved communities and her work guiding the campus through the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Solemsaas previously was vice president for finance and administrative services at Truckee Meadows Community College in Nevada. Prior to that appointment, she was vice president for administrative services at Bellevue College and vice president for finance and operations at Edmonds Community College, both in Washington.
Solemsaas also currently serves on the board of directors for the American Association of Community College.
New CEOs
Lisa Cardoza has been named the new president of California’s American River College, which is part of the Los Rios Community College District.
Most recently, Cardoza was vice president for university advancement at California State University, Sacramento and executive officer for the University Foundation at Sacramento State, where she led record-setting fundraising efforts. She also previously served as Sacramento State President Robert Nelsen’s chief of staff and as the university’s interim vice president of human resources. Earlier in her career, Cardoza worked at the University of Texas-Pan American in the areas of outreach and college access, enrollment and student services, governmental relations and as chief of staff.
“Dr. Cardoza is exceptionally qualified for this position, and brings a wealth of experience in a variety of different capacities within higher education,” District Chancellor Brian King said in a statement. “Extraordinarily thoughtful and strategic, Lisa understands the vital role that community colleges play in our communities, and is deeply committed to seeing our students be successful.”
Jeremy Thomas has been appointed to serve as the next president of Black Hawk College (Illinois), effective June 12.
He currently is provost at Oklahoma City Community College, a position he has held for almost five years. Previously, Thomas served for more than four years as the college’s vice president for student affairs and also as interim president from January 2021 to February 2022.
Over his more than 20 years in various leadership positions in higher education, Thomas has been dean of student success at Blinn College (Texas) and director of admissions and enrollment services at Angelina College (Texas) and has held posts at College of the Mainland (Texas) and Northwestern State University (Louisiana).
“Dr. Thomas has an impressive leadership background in higher education within a multi-campus environment with demonstrated results of growing enrollment, strengthening academic programs and nurturing strategic partnerships,” said Fritz Larsen, chair of Black Hawk College’s board of trustees.
George Timmons will serve as the next president of Holyoke Community College in Massachusetts, effective late June.
Timmons is currently provost and senior vice president of academic and student affairs at Columbia Greene Community College (CGCC) in New York. Among his major accomplishments in that post: Providing strategic leadership and support in pivoting from in-person to virtual instruction at the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020; Leading the application process to participate in the U.S. Education Department’s Second Chance Pell Grant; and negotiating a partnership between CGCC and SUNY Delhi to enable current students and alumni to earn bachelor’s degrees via traditional and online instruction.
Trustee Yolanda Johnson said Timmons, 54, is a leader who can build on what has already been accomplished under current President Christina Royal, who is retiring. “He is well-prepared to build on that foundation, and he has a story that could resonate with our black and brown students and move the needle on enrollment,” Johnson said.
Timmons has also served as dean of liberal arts at Excelsior College (New York) and as the college’s associate provost and founding dean for online education learning and academic services. Previously, he served at North Carolina Wesleyan College as assistant dean for its adult degree program.
Kudos
Linda Lujan, former president of Lamar Community College (LCC) in Colorado, recently received the Michael Bennett Lifetime Achievement Award from the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society. PTK presents the annual award to retiring college presidents who have advocated for student success initiatives and demonstrated outstanding support of scholars and student leaders. Lujan was nominated by students in LCC’s PTK chapter, led by Professor Kelly Emick.
“The award was an unexpected but wonderful capstone to my 40-year career in community colleges,” said Lujan, who was LCC president for nearly seven years upon her retirement in February. “As a community college graduate who was inducted into the Sigma Phi Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at Arapahoe Community College many years ago, it is especially meaningful to come full circle with PTK. I am so appreciative to the Beta Eta Gamma Chapter at Lamar Community College for the nomination.”
Appointments
José Dela Cruz is the next vice president of student affairs at Portland Community College in Oregon. He comes from Dallas College, where he is dean of K-12 partnerships, providing leadership for and management of the expansion and improvement of dual-credit programs.
Chrissy Downwind will serve as vice president for American Indian student success and campus diversity officer for Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College in Minnesota. She has served both institutions as executive director of the American Indian Resource Center since January 2020.
Scott Jefferies has joined Piedmont Virginia Community College as vice president of finance and administration. Previously, he was associate vice president of finance at Wytheville Community College in Virginia, and prior to that he was superintendent of two public school systems in Virginia.
Allyssa Joseph has been appointed as vice president for advancement supporting both Bemidji State University (BSU) and Northwest Technical College (Minnesota) and as executive director of BSU Alumni & Foundation. She currently serves Metropolitan State University in Denver as director of development.
Lisa Schlachter will join Central Piedmont Community College (North Carolina) as its new vice president of institutional advancement. She comes from the YMCA of Greater Charlotte, where she is vice president of financial development.
Ken Zimny has been named dean of human services and public safety at Guilford Technical Community College in North Carolina. He previously was associate dean of human and protective services at Madison Area Technical College in Wisconsin.
