New CEOs
Terence L. Finley has been named the eighth president of Corning Community College in New York, effective January 2. He currently is vice president for finance and administration and chief operating officer at Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis.
State University of New York system leadership in its appointment of Finley cited his dedication to student success, retention and completion. Leaders also noted his 25 years of experience in the corporate and higher education sectors, including executive roles at Fortune 500 companies, including, Intel and NVIDIA. In his role at Harris-Stowe University, Finley’s work led to the elimination of institutional debt, an increase in the university’s endowment value and the largest state funding increase in over a decade.
“I have dedicated the last 15 years to higher education, championing the principles of access, adequacy and equity for underserved, underrepresented, under-resourced and, in some cases, underprepared student populations,” Finley said in a statement. “My deep commitment to educational excellence is underscored by my unwavering belief in the transformative power of education to drive societal change, elevate communities and create long-term impact through student success.”
Prior to Harris-Stowe State, Finley was assistant vice president for business services and interim associate vice president for auxiliary enterprises at Prairie View A&M University in Texas.
Primavera Monarrez is now the permanent president of Porterville College, which is part of the Kern Community College District (KCCD) in California. She has served as interim president since July 2024.
Under Monarrez’s leadership, Porterville College (PC) has strengthened enrollment, expanded dual-enrollment programs, addressed critical facility needs and enhanced participatory governance, according to a release from the college. Monarrez has also advanced the college’s efforts to improve access, persistence and regional economic mobility for students.
Monarrez’s “student-first leadership, commitment to equity and record of forging partnerships will position Porterville College for its next chapter of growth and impact,” KCCD Chancellor Steven Bloomberg said in a release.
Prior to her interim role, Monarrez was vice president of student services at PC since 2018, and she previously was dean of student success at Taft College (California) and interim vice president of student services. Her earlier leadership experience includes roles at Bakersfield College and California State University, Bakersfield.
Appointments
Vincent June, chancellor of South Louisiana Community College, has been named the 2026 board chair of One Acadiana, a business-led, privately-funded economic development organization serving a nine-parish area in south Louisiana. It represents more than 800 businesses and individuals in the region.
“Serving as the 2026 Chair of One Acadiana, I am energized by the opportunity to unite our nine-parish region around a shared vision of economic strength, workforce empowerment and inclusive growth,” June said.
Tonjua Williams, president of St. Petersburg College (Florida), has been named by the U.S. Education Department (ED) to serve on its Accountability in Higher Education and Access through Demand-Driven Workforce Pell (AHEAD) committee. The panel will help to shape how updated Pell Grant policies, including the new Workforce Pell option for short-term programs, roll out across the country.
The AHEAD committee will meet over several sessions — December 8-12 and January 5-9 — to negotiate proposed regulatory language before ED finalizes new rules.
Mark Hartley is the new dean of student development at Coconino Community College in Arizona. He previously was dean of student life at Norco College in California.
Angela Steward-Randle is now vice president of people and culture at Normandale Community College (Minnesota). She most recently was vice president of talent, equity and culture at Neighborhood House in Saint Paul, following four years as the organization’s director of human resources.
Sara VandeKamp is the new director of workforce development at Southeast Technical College in South Dakota. She previously served as director of the Eastern South Dakota Perkins Consortium.
