New CEOs
Terence L. Finley is now the eighth president of SUNY Corning Community College (New York). He previously was vice president and chief operating officer at Harris-Stowe State University in Missouri.
At Harris-Stowe, Finley helped efforts to eliminate institutional debt, grow the university’s endowment, increase scholarships and institutional grants, advance financial aid initiatives, and improve student retention and completion. He also led innovative efforts such as offering students tuition-free summer credit hours and expanding partnerships and grant-funded programs.
Prior to Harris-Stowe, Finley was assistant vice president for business services and interim associate vice president for auxiliary enterprises at Prairie View A&M University, part of the Texas A&M University System. At the university, Finley successfully created the development initiative LeadershipPVAMU, which he later replicated at Harris-Stowe State University as LeadershipHSSU.
Earlier in his career, Finley held executive roles at Fortune 500 companies, including Intel and NVIDIA.
Shannon Hair will serve as the seventh president of James Sprunt Community College in North Carolina, effective early February. He is currently vice president of institutional advancement and development at Danville Community College (DCC) in Virginia.
Over his 15 years at DCC, Hair has held progressive leadership, including director of development and executive director of the Danville Community College Educational Foundation. Among major initiatives he spearheaded in those roles were two successful major gifts campaigns that raised millions of dollars for the college. Also under his leadership, the college’s foundation saw unprecedented growth in donations, including funding for DCC’s first Promise Program, and an increase in student scholarship awards.
Hair also worked for more than a decade in economic development with Dewberry, Inc., leading regional workforce initiatives, and supporting localities across Virginia and North Carolina in securing state and federal funding for major economic and workforce development projects, according to a release.
Aron Potter has been selected to serve as the eighth president of John Wood Community College in Illinois, effective March 2.
For the last decade, Potter has served as vice president for academic services at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas. In that role, she coordinates all aspects of accreditation, evaluates academic programs and oversees the operations of multiple support services, including institutional effectiveness, library, advising, counseling, financial aid, admissions, concurrent/dual enrollment, student success center, recruiting and fine arts, according to a release.
Previously, Potter was an assistant professor and head softball coach for five years at Culver-Stockton College (Missouri). She has also worked as an instructor and softball coach for the University of Central Missouri and Missouri Southern State University. Potter is a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the Kansas Council of Instructional Administrators, Council on Accreditation for Two-Year Colleges and the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development, among other professional organizations.
CEO on the move
Monte E. Perez, who has served as interim president of East Los Angeles College (ELAC) for more than a year, will become its permanent president.
“East Los Angeles College is a cornerstone of opportunity for the communities it serves, and Dr. Perez is exceptionally well-positioned to lead the college into its next chapter as the next ELAC President,” said Alberto J. Román, chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District, which includes ELAC. He noted Perez has a strong record of advancing equity, strengthening academic pathways and building meaningful partnerships.
Prior to ELAC, Perez was president of Los Angeles Mission College for a decade, where he led a successful reaffirmation of accreditation, launched a president’s community advisory committee and secured more than $20 million in grant funding to advance student success initiatives. Perez has also served as president of Moreno Valley College within the Riverside Community College District. During his tenure there, he secured $10 million in funding for allied health programs and developed key partnerships with the University of California, Riverside Medical School and Riverside Regional Medical Center.
Earlier in his career, Perez held senior leadership roles at Golden West College, where he guided accreditation efforts and implemented initiatives focused on supporting underprepared students. He also served on several education and leadership roles with national education and workforce organizations.
Retirement announcements
Brent Bates, president of State Fair Community College (SFCC), has announced his decision to retire at the end of 2026. He has served as the Missouri college’s sixth leader since 2022.
As CEO, Bates led a $60 million expansion of facilities and programming to support workforce development, including a $20 million capital campaign for a new agriculture and mechanics training facility, according to a release. SFCC also opened a new campus site on the campus of Lincoln University. The investments contributed to a 20% enrollment increase over three years, the college said.
Patty Wood, president of SFCC’s board of trustees, lauded Bates for setting a strong foundation, genuine relationships and strong teams at the college. “His steadfast belief in the importance of education, its value for students and the mission of the college has made an incredible difference in all our lives, leaving a lasting impact throughout the communities we serve,” she said.
Bates joined SFCC in 2002 as vice president of educational services and chief academic officer, and later assumed responsibility for student and academic support services. During his tenure in these roles, SFCC was recognized as one of the top 50 fastest-growing midsized public community colleges in the nation for two consecutive years, according to the release. Bates also led major expansions in distance learning, launched new campus operations at the Lake of the Ozarks, Clinton and Boonville, and implemented a student success model that provides each student with an advisor.
Bates started his career at Labette Community College (Kansas), where he held teaching positions and advanced up the administrative ranks.
Kent Phillippe, vice president of research and student success at the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), retired this week after nearly 32 years at the association. His responsibilities included overseeing AACC surveys, data collection and analysis. He also oversaw the association’s efforts on the Voluntary Framework of Accountability and the data tool development for the Achieving the Dream initiative. Phillippe also was a contributor to Comunity College Daily’s DataPoints column and compiled information for AACC’s annual Fast Facts.
Kudos
Carol A. Rothstein, president of Jackson State Community College in Tennessee, has received the Crown Jewel of Transformational Academic Leadership, Workforce Innovation & Student-Centered Excellence from The Not Alone Foundation — a humanitarian organization that supports individuals with chronic medical conditions — and The Academy of the Diamond Awards, which focuses on honoring leaders whose work embodies service, intellect, compassion and transformative impact. The Crown Jewell honor is given to the nation’s most visionary, impactful and service-driven leaders in higher education.
The organizations noted Rothstein’s career impacts in higher education that reflect a commitment to academic innovation, community advancement, equitable access and the holistic empowerment of students.
“Dr. Rothstein, your leadership embodies the full curation of this crown jewel distinction,” Mark Dodd, founder and CEO of The Not Alone Foundation, said at the award’s ceremony. “You are not only a transformational president — you are a builder of pathways, a champion of workforce relevance, a mentor to faculty and emerging leaders, and a steadfast advocate for students seeking a better life through education.”
Appointments
Patricia Sims, president of Dr ake State Community & Technical College, has been reappointed by Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey to the Alabama Port Authority board of directors. She will represent the Northern District.
The nine-member Port Authority board holds fiscal and policy oversight for the public seaport. The Port Authority owns and operates the state’s deep-water port facilities at the Port of Mobile, one of the nation’s largest seaports.
“The work we’ve been doing is critical to Alabama’s economy, and I look forward to building on the progress we’ve made as we advance the port’s strategic initiatives,” Sims said in a release.
Sims previously served on the Port Authority board from August 2020 through July 2025.
Christine Case is now director of recruitment at Tennessee’s Jackson State Community College. She comes from the non-performing loans sector of the finance industry.
Ralph W. Davis has been named dean of student affairs at Borough of Manhattan Community College (New York). He previously was dean of student services at Los Angeles Trade Technical College.
Wendy DuBose is now dean of health sciences at Wallace Community College–Dothan (WCCD) in Alabama. Previously, DuBose, an alumna of WCCD, served as assistant clinical professor, RN-to-BSN program coordinator and MSN nurse educator track coordinator for Auburn University at the Montgomery School of Nursing.
Jason Johnson has been named director of financial aid at Guilford Technical Community College. He had served as the North Carolina college’s assistant director of financial aid since 2010.
Gerald F. Napoles is the next executive vice president and chief operating officer at Del Mar College in Texas. He is currently vice chancellor of student success at Lone Star College in Houston.
Keith Paul has been appointed chief marketing officer at the Community College of Rhode Island. He previously was chief marketing officer at Northern Essex Community College (Massachusetts).
Megan J. Webb, dean of advancement and continuing education at Eastern West Virginia Community & Technical College, has been appointed by Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins to serve on the West Virginia USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) state committee. The state panels are responsible for the oversight of farm programs and county committee operations, resolving program delivery appeals from the agriculture community, maintaining cooperative relations with industry stakeholders and keeping producers informed about FSA programs.
Toya Webb has been promoted to executive vice president and chief of staff at Waubonsee Community College (Illinois). She previously was chief of staff and vice president of strategy.
Ian Wolf is now chief of staff at Rockland Community College (RCC) in New York, supporting the president on key initiatives, governmental relations and strategic operations. He comes from Passaic County Community College (New Jersey), where he was assistant dean for student engagement.
At Hudson Valley Community College in New York, Chris Dobert is now chief technology officer, Jim Eaton is director of admissions and recruitment, and Dan Seaman is director of facilities. Dobert previously served as the college’s co-interim chief technology officer and senior systems engineer and systems and support manager. Eaton comes from Siena University where he served in enrollment management, communications and student recruitment. Seaman most recently was chief facilities officer at St. Lawrence University.
