New CEO
Alan Smith, who has served as Gadsden State Community College’s interim president since June 1, is now its permanent president.
“My connection to this college spans more than 35 years, when I began my education journey, and has shaped who I am today. This is an incredible honor that I embrace with great enthusiasm,” said Smith, who attended the college as a student and has served as an instructor and administrator.
Smith joined Gadsden State as an adjunct instructor in 2017. He was appointed as dean of workforce development in 2019, a position he held until being named the college’s vice president of capital projects, community relations and workforce development in December 2024.
Smith also has chaired the Workforce Commission for the Alabama Community College Association. In 2023, he received the Chancellor’s Award for Administrators from the Alabama Community College System.
In addition, Smith has experience at the secondary and university levels. He started his education career as an agriscience teacher at a high school, where he taught for 11 years, before moving to another secondary school to teach building construction. Outside of his career in education, Smith operated his own construction and cabinet-making companies, according to a release.
Kudos
Kari Shults, vice president of advancement at Tulsa Community College and president of the college’s foundation, has been named to the Leadership Oklahoma Class 38. About 50 candidates from all areas of the state are chosen to participate in Leadership Oklahoma, an annual 10-month program where they learn and address key state challenges. The curriculum typically includes military issues, sovereignty, tourism, criminal justice, state government, education, economic development, agriculture and energy.
Appointments
Sharon “Jamila” Buckner is the new vice chancellor of human resources at the Peralta Community College District in California, effective July 14. Most recently, Buckner was the chief people officer, equity and inclusion for the SF Marin Food Bank.
Collin Callaway is the new executive director of Arkansas Community Colleges, which represents all 22 of the state’s public community and technical colleges. She has served at the organization for nearly 17 years as its senior policy director.
Russ Carmichael has joined Virginia’s Rappahannock Community College as vice president of finance and administrative services. He previously was director of finance in the College of Humanities & Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Mark McKinney is the new dean of the College of Computer and Information Technology at St. Petersburg College in Florida. He most recently was associate dean for academic affairs and retention services at Pasco-Hernando State College (Florida).
Karie Solembrino has been promoted to vice president for academic affairs at Wor-Wic Community College. She was previously the Maryland college’s dean of health professions.
Taylor Young will become executive director of the Jackson State Community College Foundation in Tennessee. She comes from the Civic Design Center in Nashville where she was a research and grants manager.
At Holyoke Community College (HCC) in Massachusetts, Natalia Castagno was named assistant director of alumni relations, and Heather Haskins is now assistant director of annual giving. Castagno comes from Springfield College, where she was senior assistant director of undergraduate admissions and coordinator of diversity recruitment. Haskins, a 2020 graduate of HCC, previously was an advancement operations associate at the Harold Grinspoon Foundation.
At Howard Community College (Maryland), Michael Popp has been named interim associate vice president of facilities management and operations, and Michael Smelkinson is now interim associate vice president of athletics. Popp previously served as the college’s facilities operations manager; Smelkinson was previously director of athletics at the college.
At California’s Yuba College, Samantha Dana is the new vice president of instruction, and Karissa Morehouse will become next vice president of student services, a role she has held in an interim capacity since October 2024. Dana comes from Clover Park Technical College (Washington), where she was associate vice president for institutional effectiveness. Morehouse has previously served as vice president of instruction, chief instructional officer/dean of student learning and counseling and director of college access.
