CEO on the move
Bryan Renfro is the next chancellor of Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, effective July 1. He is currently president of John Wood Community College (Illinois), a post he has led since 2023, and has more than 20 years of experience in community college leadership, academic instruction and workforce development.
“Throughout my career, as a faculty member and administrator, I’ve been guided by a student-first philosophy,” Renfro said in a release. “I will continue this approach in a collaborative spirit, with a strategic focus, and with the utmost respect for the transformative power of the community college to change lives.”
Prior to John Wood, Renfro held leadership roles at Paris Junior College and Tyler Junior College in Texas, including vice president of academic instruction, associate vice provost of academic and workforce affairs, and dean of professional and technical programs. He also worked at Hawkeye Community College (Iowa) and Colorado Mountain College.
Interim CEO
Melissa Frank-Alston is now interim president of Augusta Technical College (ATC) in Georgia.
Frank-Alston has nearly 30 years of experience in higher education, with almost 20 years at ATC since joining in 2005, holding leadership positions such as provost, executive vice president for academic affairs institutional effectiveness and research, senior vice president for institutional effectiveness and research, vice president for academic and student affairs, and vice president for student affairs. She has worked with faculty, staff, administrators and local business leaders to secure more than $8 million in federal and private grants to support student success initiatives, according to a release from the college.
Frank-Alston also serves on the foundation board of directors for the South Carolina Governor’s School for Agriculture at John de la Howe, and was recognized in 2018 with the Pennsylvania State University College of Education Alumni Society Award for Leadership and Service.
Kudos
Mary Okada, president of Guam Community College, has been recognized as one of the Top 25 Most Influential Women on Guam by the Pacific Daily News and the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce. She has served as the college’s first female CEO since 2007.
Kelly Koermer, vice president of workforce, business and community education at Carroll Community College, has been selected to participate in Leadership Maryland’s Executive Program. The professional development program focuses on Maryland’s five main geographic regions and the most vital issues impacting economic development, education, health and human services, criminal justice, the environment, and multi-culturalism/diversity across the state.
Retirement announcement
Kevin Pollock, president of Central Carolina Technical College (CCTC), has announced his plans to retire on June 30.
Pollock has served at the South Carolina college for more than four-and-and-half years, during which he has initiated several initiatives and projects, including a strategic enrollment plan and process and joining Achieving the Dream, a national student success platform. Last fall, he led efforts to develop a dilapidated department store in Bishopeville, S.C., into a CCTC technical education center. In 2021, Pollock co-authored and co-edited the book SEM as a Connector: Principles of Practice, which illustrates how SEM [strategic enrollment management] can help support relationship-building in fostering student success.
Prior to CCTC, Pollock was president of Montgomery County Community College in Pennsylvania for four years, and president of St. Clair County Community College in Michigan for seven years. Over his 42-year career, Pollock has served at private, public, community, and technical colleges and universities, including vice president of student services at West Shore Community College (Michigan) and Lake Superior State University (Michigan) as director of enrollment and recruitment.
Appointments
DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna, president of Monroe Community College, has been appointed to serve as co-chair of the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council. In 2011, 10 regional councils were established in New York to develop long-term strategic plans for economic growth for their regions. The councils are public-private partnerships made up of local experts and stakeholders from business, academia, local government and non-governmental organizations.
Lisa Johnson will serve as the next vice president of learning and workforce development/chief academic officer at Randolph Community College (North Carolina), effective May 1. The retired U.S. Air Force first sergeant and community college graduate most recently was vice president of student learning and chief academic officer at Alamance Community College.
