Interim CEOs
Ray Brooks is now interim president of Cleveland State Community College in Tennessee. He retired in 2021 as the second president of Piedmont Technical College (PTC) in South Carolina after 13 years as the college’s CEO. Prior to PTC, Brooks was president of Northwestern Technical College (NTC) in Georgia for 22 years, and previously served as an instructor and then coordinator of postsecondary instruction at NTC.
Nancy Johnson will serve as interim president of Kentucky’s Big Sandy Community and Technical College (BSCTC), effective July 15. Before her retirement from the college in 2016, Johnson served as its provost from 2000 to 2016 and executive dean of academic affairs from 1998 to 2000.
“My love for community and technical colleges goes back to the beginning of my career when many of these institutions were created to provide access to education and new skills for people in rural areas,” Johnson said in a release. “Nearly 40 years of my career was here in Kentucky, with 18 years at BSCTC. Our programs are state-of-the-art, and our faculty and staff are outstanding. It is so wonderful to be coming back to assist the college and the communities it serves with a transition to the future.”
Kimberly McCormick will serve as interim president of Jackson State Community College in Tennessee. She is currently executive vice chancellor of external affairs at the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) and previously was special assistant to the chancellor.
During her tenure, McCormick served in a similar role as interim president of Nashville State Community College in 2018 during a transition of leadership. Prior to her role at TBR, McCormick was provost and vice president of academic affairs, interim dean of business and information technologies and associate vice president within two different divisions.
“There is transformative work being done here, and I think the college’s track record of industry-leading graduates speaks for itself,” MCCormick said in a release. “Now, with the industry growth seen across West Tennessee, I believe the college is poised for future success, and I encourage West Tennesseans to take advantage of the excellent program offerings.”
Kudos
Margaret M. McMenamin, president of Union College of Union County, New Jersey, has been named 2023 Woman of the Year by the Irish Business Association (IBA) of New Jersey, part of the Greater Westfield Area Chamber Commerce.
“We are delighted about this well-deserved recognition of President McMenamin. She is very proud of her Irish heritage, so I know this award is special to her. We are thankful to the IBA for honoring this great leader and proud Irish-American as their Woman of the Year,” said Victor M. Richel, chair of the college’s board of trustees.
Obituary
Dana B. Hamel, the founding chancellor of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS), passed away on June 23. He was 99. He served as chancellor from the system’s creation in 1966 to 1979.
“Dr. Hamel’s leadership as the architect and first chancellor of our community colleges was essential in opening the door for countless Virginians to gain access to higher education and a better life,” VCCS Chancellor David Doré said in a statement. “It was through Hamel’s guidance and dogged determination that Virginia advanced from having a collection of trade schools and university branch campuses to produce one of the country’s leading systems of comprehensive community colleges.”
Hamel started his career teaching in Ohio and was recruited in 1963 to run the Roanoke Technical Institute (Virginia). He later was named the founding director of the Virginia Department of Technical Education and Department of Community Colleges. Hamel then became chancellor of VCCS when it was created — and financed by the state’s first-ever sales tax — by Gov. Mills Godwin in 1966.
After leaving VCCS in 1979, Hamel served as executive director of the Virginia Center for Public/Private Initiatives and helped to develop the Thomas National Accelerator Facility, a nuclear physics research facility in Newport News.
When he retired in 1995, Virginia lawmakers adopted a joint resolution of thanks and commendation for Hamel’s efforts to advance higher education and economic development in the commonwealth, according to a VCCS release. In 2016, the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education created the Dana B. Hamel Commonwealth Legacy Scholarship in his honor. The annual award provides financial assistance to students who show potential for public service and educational leadership.
Appointments
Shelly Bell has been appointed as the new vice president for workforce innovation at Tallahassee Community College (Florida), effective July 24. She has served as director of Lively Technical College (Florida) since June 2017.
Elizabeth Guerra, senior director of workforce at Dallas College (Texas), has been named to the board of directors for the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Grand Prairie. She said in a release that she will work to promote education pathways that benefit learners of all ages, while increasing Dallas College’s visibility in Grand Prairie.
Nicole Mace has joined the Community College of Vermont as dean of administration. She most recently was director of finance and operations for the Winooski School District.
Loretta Ovueraye is the new vice president of academic affairs at Seminole State College of Florida. She previously was vice provost for workforce programs and professional learning at Miami Dade College in Florida.
Jasmine Sauceda-Izbrand is the new director of cultural diversity at Big Sandy Community and Technical College in Kentucky. Jasmine brings years of experience as an educator working with undergraduate and graduate students as well as in the K-12 system.
Erica Spiller is now vice president for enrollment services and student success at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) in Iowa. She previously served at DMACC as orientation and transfer coordinator, assistant director of student development and most recently as associate provost of student services at the college’s Urban Campus.
Trina Stokes is the new executive director of the Blue Ridge Community College Educational Foundation. She previously held roles as foundation director of AdventHealth Hendersonville, executive director of Henderson County’s Council on Aging and executive director of South College.
