New CEOs
Edward Bonahue will serve as president for Suffolk County Community College in New York. He currently is provost and vice president for academic affairs at Santa Fe College in Florida, a position he has held since 2009. In this position, he has implemented nine new baccalaureate programs and multiple associate of science degree and certificate programs, as well as established two deferred-admission partnerships with the University of Florida. Bonahue also has served as associate vice president for academic affairs and department chair of humanities and foreign languages.
DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna became president of Monroe Community College in New York on May 10. She previously was vice president of student and academic affairs for South Central College (Minnesota), a post she has held since 2018. Prior to that, she was vice president of academic affairs at Baker College in Michigan, from 1999 to 2018. Burt-Nanna has more than two decades of higher education leadership experience, having served in college and university system roles as faculty, department chair, dean, system department coordinator, and most recently as vice president and senior academic and student affairs officer.
Kate Smith is now president of Rio Salado College (RSC) in Arizona. She has served as interim president of the college since August 2018. She joined RSC in 2016 as vice president of academic affairs and chief academic officer. With nearly 30 years of educational leadership experience, Smith has worked to eliminate barriers to expand student success. She has also served as a critical member of RSC’s leadership team, serving on the boards for the Higher Education Research and Development Institute, Presidents Forum, Taskforce on Higher Education and Opportunity and co-chair for the Arizona Mexico Commission’s Education Committee.
Appointments
Archie L. Blanson, president of Lone Star College-North Harris, is one of 24 members serving on the Texas Transfer Advisory Committee for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The committee will advise the higher education commissioner and agency staff on the state’s transfer policy framework, including the development of the field of study curricula. Blanson will serve on the advisory committee through August 2022.
Kenneth Kirkland is now dean of health sciences at Gadsden State Community College in Alabama. Since 2019, Kirkland — who earned associate degrees in nursing and emergency medical services from Calhoun Community College before attaining higher degrees, including a Ph.D. — has served as director of health programs for the Alabama Community College System.
Nate Mackinnon is the next executive director of the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges. He most recently was vice chancellor for community colleges at the Nevada System of Higher Education. Mackinnon, a former state House staffer, also previously served as assistant commissioner and chief of staff at the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education for eight years.
Dolores Swirin-Yao is the new executive director of the Westchester Community College Foundation and vice president of external affairs at the New York college. She brings more than three decades of nonprofit executive and development experience, having served in leadership positions with organizations including York College/CUNY and several nonprofit groups join New York.
Napierra Alexander is the new public and media relations manager at Cleveland State Community College in Tennessee. Alexander previously was a marketing/communications specialist at the Susan G. Komen of Central Georgia, content writer for CTW Broadcasting out of Tallahassee, Florida, and a senior news producer with WTVC in Chattanooga.
At Tallahassee Community College in Florida, Bryan Hooper will serve as dean of behavioral, social sciences and education; Donmetrie Clark will serve as dean of communications and humanities; and Kalynda Holton will serve as dean of science and mathematics. Hooper previously was the lead faculty and program coordinator for the College Success and First Year Experience, associate professor for college success, and the TRIO program specialist. Clark previously was associate dean of communications and humanities since 2016. Holton previously was associate dean of science and mathematics since 2016.
