CEOs on the move
Claudia Lourido-Habib will become president of California’s Ventura College on July 8. She is currently president of Porterville College (California), a post she has held since July 2019.
Under Lourido-Habib’s leadership, Porterville College has been noted for its campus-wide enrollment of transfer-level English and math courses, earning recognition from the Campaign for College Opportunity.
“Dr. Lourido-Habib is highly recognized as a collaborative and visible leader,” said Community Colleges of Ventura County Chancellor Rick MacLennan, who cited her community engagement and her fierce advocacy for celebrating and supporting all students.
Over her 20-plus career in higher education, Lourido-Habib has held various positions at several California community colleges, including dean of career technical education at Reedley College; dean of instruction for fine performing arts, communication and journalism at Fresno City College; vice president of student services at Reedley College; and vice president at Madera and Oakhurst Community College Centers.
Vicky Wood will become the sixth president of Trident Technical College in South Carolina, effective July 1. She is currently president of Washington State College of Ohio (WSCO), a position she has held since 2017.
Under Wood’s leadership, WSCO has enhanced community partnerships, strengthened academic programs and student support services, increased both the WSCO Foundation and college’s financial position, and investing in personnel and facilities to advance student success, according to a release.
Wood has also strengthened the college’s ties in the local community and region. She is a member of the Southeastern Ohio Port Authority economic development board, Frontier Local Economic Development Association and Marietta Area Chamber of Commerce. Her state and national engagements include serving as vice chair elect of the Ohio Community College Presidents’ Council, advisory board and coach for the Ohio Association of Community College’s Leadership Academy, and membership in the National Center for Inquiry and Improvement’s Rural Guided Pathways Initiative.
Previously, Wood was provost and vice president of academic affairs and student services at Marion Technical College in Florida.
New CEOs
Wade Derden will serve as the fifth president of National Park College (NPC) in Arkansas, effective July 1. He is currently the college’s executive vice president for advancement and government relations, a position he has held since April 2023.
Derken started his 20-plus year career in education as a part-time instructor at Arkansas State University-Beebe and at Pulaski Technical College (PTC). Then, as a full-time faculty member at PTC, he taught classes in history, political science and the humanities. Next, Derken chaired the social science division at NPC before becoming vice president for academic affairs.
Derken also has served as president of the Arkansas Community College’s board of directors, was appointed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson to the University of Arkansas’s Criminal Justice Institute Board of Advisors and serves as a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission, an accrediting agency.
“His distinct knowledge of community colleges, specifically NPC, his trusted leadership, and deep compassion for student success are all reasons he stood out among an incredibly strong pool of candidates,” said NPC board chair Joyce Craft. “Dr. Derden has a clear vision for carrying the legacy of NPC forward.”
Roberto Gonzalez will assume the presidency of California’s Oxnard College on July 1. He is currently vice president of student services, enrollment management and equity initiatives at West Los Angeles College.
With expertise in both student services and academic affairs, Gonzalez is recognized as an inclusive, equity-minded leader prioritizing the student experience, according to a release. Community Colleges of Ventura County Chancellor Rick MacLennan called Gonzalez a “celebrated as a student-focused leader,” emphasizing his commitment to meeting diverse student needs.
Prior to his current post, Gonzalez was a dean at Santa Monica College in California. Over 25 years of experience in higher education, Gonzalez also has held a variety of positions within the California Community College system, including classified educator, adjunct faculty and educational administrator.
Tricia Paramore will become president of Hutchinson Community College (Kansas) in on July 1, pending approval of a contract next month. She has been at the college for 28 year, most recently serving as vice president of academic affairs.
Over her career at HutchCC, Paramore has also been a science professor, department chair for the natural sciences, social science, and mathematics department and coordinated and the New Faculty Teaching Academy.
Interim president
Shari Olson will serve as interim president of Minnesota’s Northland Community & Technical College, effective July 1. Most recently, she was president of South Mountain Community College (SMCC) in Arizona from 2011 until her retirement in 2022.
Some milestones achieved by SMCC under Olson’s leadership include: a 10-year reaffirmation of Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accreditation; securing a U.S. Department of Education Title V grant of nearly $3 million; receiving HLC approval to offer a bachelor of science program in behavioral science; opening the SMCC Science Complex after a $19 million remodeling; and recognition by the Aspen Institute as one of the nation’s top 150 community colleges four times from 2015 to 2021.
Over her career, Olson was interim president of Anoka Technical College from 2010 to 2011, served as the Minnesota State system’s director of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act from 2009 to 2010 and was president of Eastern Wyoming College from 2007 to 2008. From 1995 to 2007, she served Northland Community & Technical College in several capacities, including vice president of planning and administrative services, vice president of outreach and planning, and vice president of outreach and technology, according to a release.
Kudos
Jim Klauber, president of Hagerstown Community College (Maryland), is among this year’s recipients of the Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction, Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society’s most prestigious award for community college presidents.
Klauber was chosen for his support of student success initiatives, leading to stronger pathways to completion, transfer and employment, according to PTK. He has taken an active interest in supporting high-achieving students and developing student leaders on campus. To be eligible for the award, college presidents and CEOs must have served in their role for at least five years. Recipients are nominated by students on their campus and are only eligible to receive the award once over their career.
Rose Mince, associate president at Carroll Community College (Maryland), has been named to the 2024 Top 100 Women in Maryland by The Daily Record. She joins an elite group of women who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation and dedication across various sectors, according to the newspaper. The nomination underscores Mince’s commitment to leadership in education, as well as her significant impact on the local community.
Appointments
Dawn Schoenenberger was recently appointed vice president of academic affairs and student services at Hagerstown Community College (Maryland). She has served as interim vice president since 2023. Schoenenberger joined the college in 2004 and since 2008 was its director of developmental education and the Program of Adult Literacy Services.
