New CEOs
David M. Knezek, Jr., has been appointed as the seventh president of Henry Ford College (Michigan). He is currently chief operating officer of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and an elected Wayne County commissioner.
“Knezek brings to HFC an exceptional record of executive leadership, policy achievement and community investment rooted in Wayne County and the state of Michigan,” according to a release from the college.
The U.S. Marine Corps veteran previously served in the Michigan Senate (2015–2018) and the Michigan House of Representatives (2013–2014), and was director of legislative affairs for the Michigan Department of the Attorney General.
Jamal Scott will become Highland Community College’s 10th president, effective June 15. He is currently vice president of undergraduate education and dean of the undergraduate college at National Louis University.
The Illinois college’s board of trustees recognized Scott’s collaborative approach, strategic vision, and a strong commitment to academic excellence and student achievement.
Scott previously was vice president for strategy and community development at Waubonsee Community College and has been a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission since 2014.
Bishane Whitmore will become the next president of the Community College of Denver, effective October 1. A colonel in the U.S. Air Force, he is currently a deputy commander.
Whitmore “brings a strong record of inspiring and leading people, managing complex operations and delivering results at scale,” said Colorado Community College System (CCCS) Chancellor Marielena DeSanctis. “Just as importantly, he understands the vital role community colleges play in expanding opportunity and strengthening our workforce.”
Whitmore brings more than two decades of leadership experience in the Air Force, where he has held senior roles spanning operations, strategy and organizational leadership at the highest levels, according to CCCS. Prior to his role as deputy commander, Whitmore held a senior chief of staff role at the Pentagon, where he directed operations for an enterprise responsible for strategy, policy development and executive communications.
During his time as a training officer for the Air Force, Whitmore designed and delivered academic curriculum and instructional programs, mentored adult learners, and oversaw assessment, certification and program evaluation processes, CCCS said.
CEO on the move
Annette Funderburk is now the permanent president of Alabama’s Chattahoochee Valley Community College (CVCC), following an interim role since December. She previously was president of Ingram State Technical College.
“Annette’s time serving as interim of Chattahoochee Valley proved she is the right person for the job,” said Jimmy Baker, chancellor of the Alabama Community College System (ACCS). “She’s continued a stable presence at the leadership position, which CVCC has become accustomed to, and is continuing to keep the school’s momentum as an educational staple for east Alabama.”
Under Funderburk’s leadership, CVCC has seen a 9% increase in enrollment this academic year, according to ACCS.
At Ingram State, Funderburk led statewide and career technical education, adult education and GED programs at the state’s only 100% institutionalized educational provider to incarcerated individuals, overseeing 19 programs designed to equip individuals with the skills needed to successfully reenter the workforce and their communities, ACCS noted.
Funderburk championed initiatives at Ingram State that helped students transition from incarceration to meaningful careers, including through the Prison-to-Workforce Pipeline. Ingram State celebrated its largest commencement class in its history in 2024.
Prior to her presidency, Funderburk held several leadership roles at the ACCS office, supporting governmental affairs, statewide workforce development initiatives and external partnerships.
Acting CEO
Patrick Schulte has been named acting president at Kansas City Kansas Community College. He previously was vice president of finance and operations at the college since 2024.
Schulte has more than 20 years of experience in higher education. He previously was vice president of finance at Donnelly College. Before that, he was at Briar Cliff University in Iowa, where he served as vice president of finance, executive vice president and president.
CEO Obituary
Clyde Muse, who for 42 years served as president of Hinds Community College, passed away on April 15. He was 96.
Over his tenure, which ran from 1978 until 2020, Muse led Mississippi’s largest community college and fourth-largest higher education institution by growing enrollment, adding critical programs and expanding facilities. As a result of his long-term leadership at college and in the state, he was often called the “godfather” of Mississippi community colleges.
“He was one of those figures who was ‘bigger than life’ and it is hard to contemplate that he is no longer with us,” current Hinds President Stephen Vacik said in a release. “His life was dedicated to service above self, as his 42 years as president of Hinds CC exemplify. Under his leadership, this institution rose to a place of prominence among others in the state and region — and we remain there today because of the foundation that he helped established.”
Muse, an alumnus of East Central Community College, started his career in education as a teacher and coach in Mississippi before becoming a principal and school superintendent. He served a total of 26 years in K-12 public education in Mississippi, including leading Hinds County schools through desegregation in 1970. Muse became president of then-Hinds Junior College on July 1, 1978, taking on the task of managing the federal court-ordered merger of Hinds Junior College and Utica Junior College in 1982, according to a release from the college.
Over his four decades leading Hinds, Muse improved infrastructure at all six Hinds locations, guiding two branches that began as vocational-technical centers into comprehensive campuses.
Muse also garnered recognition from many organizations, including the Association of Community College Trustees with its Southern Region Chief Executive Officer Award, Gov. Phil Bryant with the inaugural Governor’s Award for Excellence in State Government, and the Mississippi Association of Partners in Education with the prestigious Winter-Reed Partnership Award.
Kudos
Jo Alice Blondin, president of Ohio’s Clark State College, was presented with the Mildred Bulpitt Woman of the Year Award by the American Association for Women in Community Colleges. The national honor recognizes leadership and mentorship that advance opportunities for women in community colleges. Blondin will retire in June after 33 years in higher education, including 13 years as Clark State’s fifth president.
One of Blondin’s signature achievements is the nationally recognized Serving Our Own Through Advancement and Retention (SOAR) initiative, through which she has mentored dozens of emerging education leaders, according to a release.
“Jo has been a longtime colleague and friend to me, as well as a mentor to me and many other community college leaders,” said Lisa Avery, president of Linn-Benton Community College in Oregon, who nominated Blondin. “She leads with candor, grit and pragmatism, as well as dedication to the students we serve.”
DeRionne Pollard, president and CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), was recognized by the American Association for Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC) with its Carolyn Desjardins CEO Award, which honors outstanding service and support to AAWCC by a community college leader, noting their contributions to advancing women in community college leadership. Pollard became the leader of AACC last October. She previously was president of Nevada State University and has also served as president of two community colleges.
Mandy Sessions, director of institutional effectiveness at Wallace Community College-Dothan in Alabama, has received the Joseph T. Sutton Leadership Award from the Alabama Association for Institutional Research, recognizing her leadership and outstanding accomplishments in the field of institutional research.
Appointments
Laura Duda will serve as vice president of strategy and engagement at Stark State College (Ohio), effective April 13. She most recently was a senior vice president and chief communications officer at Goodyear.
Chris Kennedy is now dean of workforce and career and technical education at Alabama’s Wallace Community College-Dothan. He brings more than two decades of experience in education, having served in roles as a teacher, administrator and state-level leader.
Matthew LaBrake has been promoted to associate vice president for digital learning, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies at Hudson County Community College. He joined the New Jersey college in 2021 as its executive director of the Center for Online Learning and as its chief online learning officer.
Tara Lindahl has been named dean of academic affairs at Allen Community College (Kansas). Most recently, she served at Kansas State University as director of pre-college pathways.
Ty Welborn is the new vice president of academic affairs at Chandler-Gilbert Community College in Arizona. He comes from Phoenix College (Arizona), where he was interim senior associate vice president of academic affairs and institutional research.
At LaGuardia Community College in New York, R. Kevin Jones is now director of government relations and Kirk Lacy has been named executive director of employer partnerships. Jones previously was associate state director for advocacy with AARP New York. Lacy previously was executive director of AI acceleration, education and innovation at Mohave Community College (Arizona).
