New CEOs
Linda Kingston will become president of Minnesota’s Lake Superior College (LSC) on July 1. She is currently the college’s vice president for academic and student affairs, a position she has held since 2020.
Previously, Kingston served Winona State University from 2017 to 2020 as assistant vice president for distance learning and summer session, as well as adjunct faculty in the College of Education. Before that, she served for seven years at Saint Paul College in several roles, including interim vice president of academic affairs, dean of STEM, and dean of STEM and liberal arts.
Kingston was also dean of academic affairs at Minnesota State College Southeast from 2007 to 2010 and distance learning coordinator, as well as a mathematics and computer science instructor, at Alexandria Technical and Community College from 2000 to 2007. She started her career in education at a Minnesota high school as a mathematics and computer science instructor.
Laura Treanor will serve as the next president of Virginia Western Community College, beginning July 1. She is currently provost, senior vice president for instructional services and dean of faculty at Vincennes University in Indiana, where she has served for seven years.
“Dr. Treanor is an experienced educational leader well-equipped to take the college to new heights in regional workforce development through academic, training and credentialing excellence,” Virginia Western Local Advisory Board Chair Todd Putney said in a release.
Previously, Treanor served for 12 years at Baker College (Michigan) in the roles of system associate vice president for institutional effectiveness, vice president for academics, chief academic officer and dean of general education. She also was an associate professor at Roanoke College, assistant professor at West Virginia University and associate professor at Barton College.
CEO on the move
Carlos R. Morales will become the inaugural president of the Lone Star College System’s LSC-Online, effective July 14. He is the current campus president of Tarrant County College TCC Connect Campus, which he helped to establish in 2014.
“I believe in the transformative power of digital learning to expand opportunities for students, especially those balancing work, family and other responsibilities,” Morales said in a release. “Additionally, I wanted to be part of a team committed to redefining what flexible, high-quality education looks like — and to lead an online campus that is responsive to today’s learners and anticipates the needs of tomorrow’s workforce.”
Morales has 30 years of experience in higher education, with 25 years as an online faculty member and administrator at various institutions. His previous positions include vice chancellor for academic affairs at the Ana G. Méndez University–Virtual Campus, executive director for academic technology at Lock Haven University and instructional designer at New Jersey City University.
Morales has also served on the National Community College Hispanic Council and the board of directors of the Instructional Technology Council.
Interim CEO
Pakou Yang will become interim president of Minnesota’s Normandale Community College on June 4. She is currently the provost and vice president of academic and student affairs at Century College, a position she has held since 2021.
Previously, Yang was vice president of student affairs and enrollment management at Century College from 2018 to 2021, system director for P-20 and college readiness at the Minnesota State system office from 2014 to 2018, and an academic dean at Century College from 2008 to 2014. Yang was also a communication instructor at Century College from 2003 to 2008.
Retirement announcement
Jo Alice Blondin, president of Clark State College, has announced her plans to retire in June 2026. Blondin, who is the Ohio college’s fifth president, will have served in this role for 13 years.
During her tenure, Clark State has made strides that has raised the college’s profile not only locally and in the state, but nationally as well. Among the college’s achievements under her leadership:
- Invested more than $40 million in technology and infrastructure to enhance the student experience and ensure operational excellence.
- Added four baccalaureate degrees to its academic program offerings, including manufacturing technology management, web development and design, addiction and integrated treatment studies and a bachelor of science in nursing.
- Added and enhanced many workforce development programs in high-tech, in-demand fields such as modeling and simulation, laser materials processing and photonics, cybersecurity, semiconductor technology, precision agriculture and diagnostic medical sonography.
- Founded and led the nationally recognized SOAR (Serving Our Own Through Advancement and Retention Program) mentoring program to develop future leaders in student success.
“Dr. Blondin has been, and I am sure will continue to be, an absolute powerhouse in higher education. She has amazingly raised the bar of success for Clark State,” Sharon Evans, chair of the college’s board of trustees, said in a release. “Dr. Blondin has been totally focused on student success since her arrival at Clark State and she will always go the distance for our students. In addition, she has raised Clark State’s profile at both the state and national levels. She is extremely well-respected and is often sought-after for her skill and expertise. Clark State is all the better as a result of her leadership and she will definitely be missed.”
Prior to Clark State, Blondin was chancellor of Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus, where she increased enrollment from 250 students in 2004 to 2,200 in 2013. She also served at the college as chief academic officer and chief student officer, as well as an English professor.
Among the various organizations that Blondin has served on are: the American Association of Community Colleges board of directors, the Higher Learning Commission, the National Council for Workforce Education and the Community College Alliance for Agricultural Advancement. She has represented community colleges at the national level when she participated in U.S. Education Department negotiated rulemaking sessions.
Blondin is also the current chair of the Ohio Association of Community College Presidents and vice chair for the Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education.
Blondin’s numerous honors and awards include: the National and Regional Community College CEO/President of 2023 from the Association of Community College Trustees; the 2018 CEO/Board Relations Award Winner from the American Association of Community Colleges; and 2024 “Woman Who Means Business” from the Dayton Business Journal. She has been named one of Dayton’s Most Influential Women nine times.
Appointments
Levy Brown will be the new vice president of academic and student affairs at Halifax Community College in North Carolina on July 1. Brown recently was vice president of student access and success at Nash Community College (North Carolina).
Elba Gomez is the next vice president of administrative services at California’s MiraCosta College, effective mid-June. She most recently was vice president of administration and chief administrative officer at the Port of San Diego.
Nate Humphrey will serve as the next executive director of the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, as of July 1. He is currently director for workforce and regional economies at Jobs for the Future, a national nonprofit focused on connecting education and the workforce.
