New CEOs
Kristin Clark is the new chancellor of the West Hills Community College District in California, as of July 1. She is currently president of the district’s Lemoore campus, a post she has held for five years.
Clark has more than 26 years of experience in higher education administration. At the Lemoore campus, she led the college to reaffirm accreditation and innovated several student success initiatives.
“As the new chancellor, I am committed to continuing our mission to expand the West Hills Community College District’s innovative culture and advance our student-centered commitment,” Clark said in a statement. “I am passionate about our community and dedicated to enriching students’ lives through equitable practices and upward mobility opportunities.”
Prior to working at West Hills, Clark taught organization leadership in the educational leadership graduate program at California State University, Fullerton. She also served at Orange Coast College as director of admissions, records and enrollment technology, and then as dean of enrollment services. In 2010, she was promoted to vice president of student services.
Sonya Christian has been named chancellor of Kern Community College District in California. She has served as president of Bakersfield College (BC), which is part of the district, since 2013.
Under her leadership, BC has improved student preparation and achievement through innovative partnerships and programs involving community and local school leaders. Some of those efforts include the Making It Happen mentoring program and guided pathways. Christian also helped lead the $500 million Measure J bond campaign, grew BC’s annual budget from $80 million to more than $180 million, increased enrollment by almost 60% and improved degree completion by more than 330%.
Prior to BC, Christian served in a variety of senior administrative roles at Lane Community College (Oregon), including executive vice president and chief academic officer, and vice president for academic and student affairs. During her first tenure at Bakersfield College, she was a member of the mathematics faculty, served as division chair of mathematics and computer studies, and was appointed dean of science, engineering, allied health and mathematics.
Paul Czarapata is the new president of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS). He has served as interim president since October.
“As soon as it’s safe to do so, I plan to get out to all corners of the state and make sure everyone knows the face of KCTCS. We are Kentucky’s largest provider of postsecondary education, and I want to make sure Kentuckians understand what we offer them,” he said in a statement.
Prior to serving as interim president, Czarapata was KCTCS vice president and chief information officer, responsible for the technology needs of the 16 colleges and system’s office. He joined KCTCS in 2000 and has served in technology leadership roles leading up to his appointment as vice president. Before joining KCTCS, Czarapata was a software consultant and a manager with PeopleSoft. He also served as an adjunct professor at Bluegrass Community & Technical College and the University of the Cumberlands.
Sandra Kiddoo will be the next president of Northland Community & Technical College in Minnesota, effective July 1. Since 2018, Kiddoo has served as chief academic officer at Hazard Community & Technical College (HCTC) in Kentucky.
At HCTC, Kiddoo helped to create a long-term facility plan for the college and obtained $9 million in grant funding for a Manufacturing and Construction Center of Excellence. She also helped implement a K-Tech competency-based youth apprenticeship model, and added programs in manufacturing to diversify the regional economy.
Prior to HCTC, Kiddoo was vice president of academics at Wisconsin’s Mid-State Technical College from 2015 to 2018. She also served at the Wisconsin Technical College System from 2007 to 2015 in various posts, including education director for transportation and electronics and associate vice president of instruction.
“Dr. Kiddoo’s leadership style is inclusive, transparent and collaborative,” Devinder Malhotra, chancellor of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, said in a statement. “She has a strong track record of exploring new initiatives to provide the services and programs students and industry need for today and tomorrow.”
Kudos
Galen DeHay, president of Tri-County Technical College (TCTC) in South Carolina, has been named the 2020 CEO of the Year by the South Carolina Association of Technical College Commissioners.
“This recognition is a testament to the great team we have here at Tri-County,” DeHay said in a release. “I believe individual awards are team awards. Everyone here believes in the mission and vision of the college and works together on initiatives that move TCTC and the community forward. That makes all the difference in our programs, strategies and services.”
Since becoming president of the college in 2019, DeHay has prioritized partnerships that benefit students and bolstered workforce opportunities through initiatives such as its youth apprenticeship program, onsite licensed practical nurse certification at a veterans nursing home, a no-cost EMT academy and an accelerated path for students entering law enforcement.
