New CEO
Richard Nelson, Louisiana’s secretary of revenue, has been selected to serve as the next president of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS), effective January 1.
“Secretary Nelson is a problem solver, a bridge builder and a leader who recognizes the critical role our colleges play in every region of Louisiana,” LCTCS Board Chair Tim Hardy said in a release. “His career has been defined by service to our nation, to his community, and to this state. The Board is confident that he will lead LCTCS with vision, integrity, and a deep commitment to helping more Louisianans build better lives through education and training.”
Earlier in his career, Nelson served for seven years in the Foreign Service at the U.S. Department of State. He then transitioned to the private sector in an executive role before being elected in 2019 to serve in the Louisiana House of Representatives. During his time in office, he focused on elementary literacy, strengthening workforce pipelines and modernizing the state’s tax structure.
Following his campaign for governor, Nelson was appointed secretary of the Louisiana Department of Revenue by Gov. Jeff Landry. In that role, he has led efforts to restructure key parts of the state’s tax code to attract investment, support workforce development and position the state for long-term economic growth.
“His experience bridging public systems, industry priorities and state policy provides a strong foundation for leading LCTCS into its next chapter,” LCTCS said in a release.
Interim CEO
Annette Funderburk has been named interim president of Chattahoochee Valley Community College in Alabama. She most recently served as president of Ingram State Technical College for nearly eight years.
Prior to Ingram State, Funderburk held positions in the Alabama Community College System, including director of external affairs, and workforce and governmental affairs officer.
Obituary
Jon H. Larson, who served as president of Ocean County College (New Jersey) for 23 years before his retirement, passed away on November 17. He was 84.
Larson, a U.S. Army veteran, started his community college career at Berkshire Community College (Massachusetts), where he served in multiple roles from 1972 to 1977. He then moved to Frederick Community College (Maryland) to become its vice president of administration/dean of institutional services from 1977 to 1997, before serving as president of Luzerne County Community College (LCCC) in Pennsylvania from 1997 to 2000. He led OCC from 2000 to 2023.
Current LCCC president John Yudichak noted Larson’s tenure at LCCC was short but impactful.
“His commitment to educational excellence and his belief in the power of community colleges to change lives helped shape the foundation we continue to build on today,” he said in a release.
Under Larson’s leadership, Ocean County College instituted many changes, upgrades and additions to the campus and focused on fostering student success. The college’s Jon and Judith Larson Student Center commemorates both him and his wife for their contributions. Larson also shepherded a partnership with Keane University to enable students to matriculate after two years at OCC to complete a four-year degree program at Keane at a low cost.
In 2022, OCC received a Bellwether Award for its AI chatbot in the planning, governance and finance category, which recognizes programs that improve efficiency and effectiveness.
Appointments
Tania Acosta will become vice president of student success at Santa Monica College in California, effective January 2. She has served at Miami Dade College (Florida) for more than 20 years in various positions, including currently as dean of student services and previously as campus director of MDC’s Homestead campus.
Lori Heafner has been appointed vice president for academic affairs at Horry-Georgetown Technical College, effective January 1. She most recently was the South Carolina college’s vice president for institutional effectiveness and development.
Maria Heidkamp, chief innovation and policy officer at the New Jersey Council of County Colleges, has been named to Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill’s Jobs, Opportunity and Prosperity for All Transition Action Team. She brings extensive expertise in higher education, workforce development and state policy to the work.
Rachael Kittleson is now senior manager of employer engagement and workforce partnerships at Cape Cod Community College’s Center for Community and Professional Education. She previously served as a career counselor at the Massachusetts college.
Lenore Rodicio, an education consultant who previously served at Miami Dade College for 18 years, will become the new president and CEO of Achieving the Dream on July 1, 2026. She held various positions at the Florida college, including executive vice president and provost. In 2020, she left MDC to become a strategic advisor to several higher education organizations and foundations, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Complete College America.
