CEOs on the move
Marilyn Flores has been named the next president of San José City College, effective January 12.
Flores has held a variety of leadership positions in her more-than 25 years of service within the California Community Colleges system, including most recently as superintendent/president of Rio Hondo College, a position she held since 2022.
“Dr. Flores is a distinguished educational leader with a proven track record of advancing institutions and improving student success,” Beatriz Chaidez, chancellor of the San José–Evergreen Community College District, said in a release.
Prior to Rio Hondo, Flores was interim president of Santa Ana College and vice president of academic affairs at Santiago Canyon College. She also has previously served as both chief instructional officer and accreditation liaison officer. In addition, her experience includes instruction and deanships at Santiago Canyon College and Las Positas College, as well as earlier leadership roles at Riverside City College.
Over her career, Flores has been honored as Educator of the Year at the Inland Empire Hispanic Image Awards and received a Hispanic Border Leadership Institute Doctoral Fellowship at the University of California, Riverside.
Torence Powell has been selected as the next chancellor of the Los Rios Community College District, effective July 1. He is currently superintendent/president of Napa Valley College, having served in the post since 2022.
Before Napa, Powell was in the Los Rios Community College District for more than 12 years, holding various roles at Cosumnes River College and the district office, including associate vice chancellor of instruction, workforce and economic development. At Cosumnes River, he was the first as director of GreenForce Projects, working on establishing pathways for green-sector careers in the fields of architecture, construction, engineering and energy. He also served there as dean of communication, visual and performing arts, as well as division dean.
Prior to Los Rios, Powell was assistant director of diversity and inclusion at the University of the Redlands, where he was also an adjunct professor and taught courses in service learning and environmental justice.
“Dr. Powell has a deep commitment to the transformational work of our colleges and a personal connection to communities we serve,” said Los Rios Board President Kelly Wilkerson in an email to Los Rios employees and students. “Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a collaborative leadership approach and a willingness to tackle tough issues on behalf of students.”
New CEOs
Reetika Dhawan will serve as the 10th president of Arizona Western College (AWC). She is currently CEO of the college’s Entrepreneurial College and vice president of workforce and healthcare programs.
Dhawan started at AWC in 2008 as an adjunct math and physics instructor. Over her 18 years at the college, she has also served as vice president of workforce development and career and technical education. In her current role, Dhawan has led major growth through new programs, partnerships and transformative grants.
“In the 18 years Dr. Dhawan has been at AWC, she has made a transformative impact on the institution, serving our students and community with contagious passion and a commitment to innovation and equity,” said board chair Dennis Booth.
Prior to AWC, Dhawan was an adjunct faculty member at the University of Arizona South and Arizona State University.
Evon Walters will become the next president of Clark State College (Ohio), effective July 1. He is currently vice president of strategic initiatives and community engagement at the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) in Pennsylvania, where he has served for almost a decade.
At CCAC, Walters established one of the nation’s first Digital Inclusion Centers, supporting underserved communities, and he also launched an Innovative Learning STEM Achievers Program, expanding pathways for rural, female and underrepresented middle school students, according to a release.
Walters, who began his career at the University of Massachusetts as a research ad teaching assistant, has held senior leadership roles at multiple colleges, including campus CEO at Suffolk County Community College (New York), vice president for student and enrollment services at Montgomery County Community College (Pennsylvania) and vice president of student services at Onondaga Community College (New York), while also teaching and serving on numerous boards that shape initiatives to advance student success and institutional growth.
Among his accolades are the 2024 Pittsburgh Courier Men of Excellence, the Exemplary Service Award for Education from the Iota Phi chapter of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity and being named an American Council on Education Fellow.
Interim CEO
Matthew Jordan will serve as interim president of West Los Angeles College (WLAC). He is currently vice president of academic affairs at Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC).
At LAVC, Jordan’s leadership played a key role in the college’s three consecutive years of enrollment growth. He also spearheaded opportunities to secure nearly $9 million in grants since 2022. Previously, Jordan served as LAVC’s dean of academic affairs for seven years, and held various positions at Pasadena City College over eight years, including interim dean of instructional support.
Jordan currently is the Los Angeles region representative on the California Community Colleges Chief Instructional Officers Executive Board. He has also served as accreditation liaison officer at three colleges — Los Angeles Valley College, Los Angeles Pierce College and Pasadena City College — and brings extensive experience in budget management.
“Dr. Jordan’s deep understanding of our district, combined with nearly two decades of California community college leadership, makes him uniquely qualified for this role,” said Los Angeles Community College District Chancellor Alberto J. Román. “His expertise spans enrollment management, fiscal stewardship, equity-centered leadership and accreditation. Most importantly, he leads with transparency and collaboration.”
Retirements
James “Jim” Limbaugh, president of West Los Angeles College, retired this week. He was the college’s 11th and longest-serving president, starting his tenure in October 2016.
Under his leadership, the California college launched two successful baccalaureate degrees; earned designation as an Aspen Institution Top 150 college; established a nationally recognized Center for Climate Change Education; incorporated a full basic needs center into the heart of campus; opened two new educational facilities; and implemented a comprehensive plan for its physical environment, according to a release.
Limbaugh focused on community outreach to both establish new partnerships and bolster existing and previous ones. That work resulted in new agreements with local school districts on dual and concurrent enrollment courses. The college’s collaboration with a local workforce investment board helped to launch an apprenticeship program in aerospace engineering, the first such program of its kind in the country.
Prior to WLAC, Limbaugh was interim president at Oxnard College for a year, and previously served as chancellor of Montana State University-Northern for nearly three years. From 2008 to 2011, he was vice president of strategy, planning and policy at Angelo State University. He also spent nearly 28 years at Maryland’s Frostburg State University, serving in various positions over the years, including associate vice president for institutional effectiveness.
Appointments
Mary Ann Begley is the new vice president of enrollment services and student affairs at the College of Central Florida. She has served at the college since 2020 in roles that include director of compliance and planning and director of institutional research and effectiveness.
Derrick Griffey will become dean of academic programs and services at Gadsden State Community College, effective January 2. He currently serves as the Alabama college’s director of distance education, faculty development and learning resources.
Douglass Morency is now director of public safety at Howard Community College in Maryland. He previously was associate vice president for campus safety at the Maryland Institute College of Art.
Craig M. Ross will serve as vice president of administrative services and chief financial officer at Monroe Community College in New York. Ross has a blend of higher education, operational leadership and financial expertise, most recently serving as president of a New York soccer league and CEO of a construction company.
Mark Strickland has been appointed vice president for student success at St. Petersburg College (SPC) in Florida, after serving as acting vice president since January. Previously, he was provost of the Seminole Campus.
At Hudson Valley Community College (New York), Michael Markou will serve as executive director of the Capital District Educational Opportunity Center, and alumnus Gerard Marino will become vice president for administration. Markou currently serves as the adult education program manager at Capital Region BOCES. Marino currently is assistant vice president and controller of finance and administration at the University at Albany.
