New CEOs
Michelle Allmendinger will become the sixth president of Michigan’s Delta College on June 29. She is coming from Southeastern Community College (Iowa), where she was vice president of student affairs for three years.
Allmendinger is “steady, approachable and has executive presence,” Delta trustee Dianne Middleton said in an MLive article. “She has a maturity about her leadership. She can continue to build on the sense of unity we have here at Delta College.”
Previously, Allmendinger was dean of student development at Clinton Community College in New York, and served in various roles at Michigan State University, including coordinator of programming for leadership and engagement in its graduate school. She also was assistant dean of students/athletic director/adjunct faculty at Scott Community College (Iowa). Allmendinger started her career in education as a high school English teacher and part-time college coach before moving into collegiate coaching.
Lonita Cordova has been named the next president of Saddleback College in California on July 1. She is currently assistant superintendent/vice president of student services at San Joaquin Delta College (California), where she has served for over five years.
Leaders at South Orange County Community College District, which includes Saddleback, noted Cordova’s record of advancing academic achievement, strengthening career education pathways, and fostering inclusive campus environments that support student success.
“Dr. Cordova brings a clear vision for student-centered excellence, workforce alignment, and inclusive leadership. Her experience and passion will help guide Saddleback College into its next chapter of growth and impact,” said District Chancellor Julianna M. Asperin Barnes.
Cardova has served in the California community college and K-12 system for more than 22 years, holding positions such as campus dean and dean of student equity and success in the Merced Community College District, and director of disability services and mental health in the Yosemite Community College District. Her early career included working with court and community students, justice-impacted students, foster youth and housing-insecure students. In addition, she also served in K-12 as a high school teacher and school counselor and was an information system technician in the U.S. Navy for more than eight years.
At the state level, Cordova served on the executive board of the Association for California Community College Administrators and served as its president.
Lori M. Gonko has been named the seventh president of Macomb Community College (MCC) in Michigan, effective July 1. She has served as Henry Ford College’s interim president since July 2025.
Gonko’s community college experience covers 25 years, with her career beginning at MCC, where she worked from 2001 to 2012. She started at Macomb as an administrative assistant before becoming a coordinator and then manager in career and technical education, according to a release. Gonko joined Henry Ford College in 2012 as coordinator of Perkins before becoming coordinator of program improvement and effectiveness. She was named vice president of strategy and human resources in 2018.
Isaac Zúñiga will serve as the next president of Richard J. Daley College in the City Colleges of Chicago. Most recently, he was executive vice president of academic and student success and chief academic and student affairs Officer at Richland Community College (Illinois), where he served for eight years.
Zúñiga’s career also includes nearly 12 years at Kennedy-King College (as part of City Colleges of Chicago), where he held a range of student services leadership roles, including college advisor, associate dean and dean. In addition, he served at South Mountain Community College (Arizona) for four years as student support specialist and college advisor.
Zúñiga received the Illinois Latino Council on Higher Education Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his longstanding commitment to educational access, equity and leadership development for Latino students and communities.
He currently serves as board treasurer of the National Community College Hispanic Council and previously led the Illinois Community College Diversity Commission.
Cheryl D. Calhoun will become CEO of the Community College Baccalaureate Association (an affiliate council of the American Association of Community Colleges) on July 1. She is currently provost and vice president of instruction at Arapahoe Community College (Colorado).
Calhoun previously served at Florida’s Santa Fe College for more than 26 years, holding multiple positions such as dean of the education center, dean of access and inclusion, and as an IT professor. Prior to that, she was an entrepreneur book publisher and also worked in the nonprofit field.
Calhoun also serves as a leadership coach for Achieving the Dream and is a co-leader of the National Center for Women & Information Technology Academic Alliance, and serves on the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing Academic Advisory Committee and on numerous advisory committees for National Science Foundation-funded research projects.
Interim CEOs
Lisa Dougherty, senior vice president for student affairs and enrollment at Hudson County Community College (HCCC), will serve as the New Jersey college’s interim president, effective June 9.
Dougherty came to HCCC in 2016 as dean of enrollment and was promoted to senior vice president for student affairs and enrollment in 2019.
HCCC Trustees Chair Jeanette Peña said in a release that Dougherty has a strong record at the college.
“In the decade she has been at HCCC, she has consistently focused on student success and has overseen the provisions of on-campus and remote support services for HCCC students,” Peña said in a release. “As a first-generation college student, she knows and understands the challenges our students face and has worked collaboratively to remove roadblocks and help empower students so they can complete their higher education dreams.”
Prior to HCCC, Dougherty was national director of admissions and training at Ross University School of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, and executive director of admissions at DeVry University and Keller Graduate School of Management.
Recently, Dougherty received the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society’s Distinguished College Administrator Award, and she will be presented the New Jersey Council of County Colleges’ 2026 Dr. Lawrence A. Nespoli Leadership Award on June 10.
William S. “Bill” Carver has been named interim president of the North Carolina Community College System for a third time, effective July 1.
“Bill Carver has proven himself more than capable in this role, and we are fortunate to have someone of his experience and dedication available to lead the System during this transition,” Tom Looney, chair of the State Board of Community Colleges, said in a statement.
The state system previously tapped Carver to serve as interim president in 2020 and again in 2022. Carver was the fourth president of Nash Community College (North Carolina) from 2005 to 2019, when he retired. He started his career at Nash in 1987 as small business center director, later becoming director of business and industry services, and then dean of continuing education. In 1999, Carver was named vice president for instruction before becoming president.
Derrick Lindstrom will serve as interim president of Minnesota State College Southeast, effective July 1. He currently is vice president of academic affairs at North Hennepin Community College (Minnesota), a position he has held since 2023.
“I am impressed with Dr. Lindstrom’s experience and progressive career growth over his two decades with Minnesota State,” said Scott Olson, Minnesota State chancellor. “His significant contributions across the institutions he has served have equipped him with the experience and insight needed to effectively support the students, faculty, and staff of Minnesota State College Southeast during this year of transition.”
Prior to his current role, Lindstrom was interim provost and vice president of academic affairs at Inver Hills Community College (Minnesota). From 2014 to 2023, he served Minneapolis College as academic dean for the school of liberal arts and cultures. He also served as interim associate vice president of academic operations and institutional effectiveness at Minneapolis College for four months in 2021.
Lindstrom began his career in the classroom and has teaching experience at Minneapolis College, St. Cloud State University and the College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University (Minnesota).
Acting president
Katy Ho is now acting president at Portland Community College (PCC), having previously served as the college’s executive vice president.
Ho began at the Oregon college in 2002 as an academic advisor and went on to hold leadership roles across student affairs, academic affairs, operations, strategic planning, information technology, brand management and people strategy.
“Without question, no one is more qualified than she is, given her educational acumen, professional experience, and 18 years of dedication to PCC, to provide the kind of collaborative, strategic, student-centered leadership our college needs,” PCC board chair Tiffani Penson said in a release.
In 2013, Dr. Ho served as vice chancellor of academic affairs at Honolulu Community College (Hawaii). She later returned to PCC in 2017 as vice president for academic affairs.
Kudos
Barbara Gaba, president of Atlantic Cape Community College, recently received the Metropolitan Business & Citizen’s Association’s (MBCA) Educational Legacy Award, presented by New Jersey District 2 Sen. Vincent J. Polistina for her “lasting impact on students and higher education across our region” during the MBCA’s Scholarship Award Luncheon in May.
Appointments
Jolene Chapman has been appointed to provost at Oakland Community College (OCC) in Michigan. She has served as OCC’s interim provost since July 2025. She previously was the college’s associate provost.
Elizabeth Gassel Perkins will become the next vice chancellor for academic affairs at St. Louis Community College (STLCC) on July 1. She previously was president and chief academic officer for the STLCC-Florissant Valley campus for 10 years. Perkins joined STLCC as provost of the Florissant Valley campus in 2016.
Rosenda Minella has been selected as vice president of enrollment management and student success (EMSS) at Central New Mexico Community College (CNM). She joined CNM in 2013 and has since held several leadership roles, most recently serving as associate vice president.
At Mississippi Delta Community College, Dannielle Taylor is now dean of student services, and Jacquelyn LeSueur will become director of financial aid on June 15. Taylor previously was director of the McNair Research Scholars Program at Delta State University. LeSueur comes from the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where she was manager of business operations and financial aid.
