President/Chancellors

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has successfully appointed Ms. Luanne Mayorga as the Assistant Chancellor for Strategic Programs and Partnerships. Ms. Mayorga is currently the Director of Employee Development at McHenry County College and has previous experience as Chief Engagement Officer at Anderson Humane, and Executive Director in the Division of Outreach, Engagement, and Regional Development at Northern Illinois University. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at Dominican University, an M.B.A. in Marketing at Benedictine University, and an Ed.D. in Adult and Higher Education at Northern Illinois University. 

The California State University System has successfully appointed Dr. Mandara Savage as Assistant Vice Chancellor for Professional and Continuing Education (PaCE) effective Monday, October 2, 2023. Dr. Savage will work with the CSU’s 23 universities to advance a shared vision and strategic plan for PaCE to deliver creative, diverse and high-quality, fully online and hybrid programs. He will serve as a key leadership partner with the CSU’s Commission on Continuing and Professional Education (CPaCE) and external workforce development groups, and ensure greater integration of PaCE programs in advancing the CSU’s student success and equity goals. Dr. Savage holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Technology, Electronics, from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff; a master’s degree in Technical Education, Manufacturing Engineering Technology from Memphis State University; and a Ph.D. in Industrial Education and Technology from Iowa State University. Named a Provost Faculty Fellow among other honors, he is a prolific author and presenter, has served on numerous university committees and has mentored several graduate students.

The Kentucky Community & Technical College System Board of Regents has selected Dr. Ryan Quarles as the System's fourth President. A native son and former community college student, Dr. Quarles currently serves as Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture. First elected in 2016 to the statewide office, he leads the commonwealth's second largest constitutional executive branch agency. From 2011 to 2016, Quarles served as a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives. As a college student, he was appointed by then Governor Fletcher as the student representative to the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, the state's higher education coordinating agency. In that role, he was immersed in the key issues of campuses and the state-level operations of higher education. Earlier work experience includes serving as associate general counsel at Georgetown College and in private practice. Quarles holds seven college degrees, including a doctorate in higher education administration from Vanderbilt University, a master's degree in higher education from Harvard University, and a juris doctorate from the University of Kentucky College of Law. Read more.

University of Wisconsin-Parkside has successfully appointed Dr. Lynn Akey as Chancellor. Dr. Akey currently serves as the Vice President for Student Success, Analytics and Integrated Planning at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Akey will assume her new leadership role at UW-Parkside on January 2, 2024. In her current role as Vice President, Akey provided vision and direction for a comprehensive integrated program of student success services and activities to drive improvement of student success outcomes. She was responsible for departments of Student Success, Registration and Academic Records, University Advising, and Institutional Analytics and Strategic Effectiveness with 67 employees across four collective bargaining units and a $5.5M operating budget. Dr. Akey has led strategic planning at the University for the past ten years and generated extensive engagement and participation with over 150 campus faculty, staff, and students, shared governance bodies, advisory boards, foundation board, and community leaders. Dr. Akey holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Northeast Missouri State University/Truman State University and a Master of Arts in College Student Personnel from Bowling Green State University. Akey also earned her Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development from the University of Minnesota. Read more.

The California State University has appointed Paul Gannoe as the new Associate Vice Chancellor for Capital Planning, Design and Construction (CPDC). Mr. Gannoe currently serves as the Chief of Planning and Design within the CPDC department at the Chancellor’s Office. Prior to his current role, he served as the Associate Vice President for Facilities Services and Capital Planning for Eastern Kentucky University, and Deputy Commissioner for Kentucky’s Department for Facilities and Support Services. Mr. Gannoe will be replacing Vi San Juan who is retiring after 42 years of service to CSU.

The Seattle Colleges Board of Trustees has selected Dr. Rosie Rimando-Chareunsap as the District's Chancellor. Dr. Rimando-Chareunsap has dedicated much of her career to Seattle Colleges. She stepped in as Acting Chancellor in July 2022 while maintaining her role as President of South Seattle College. She previously served as Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion for the Seattle Colleges District, and she has held other important roles across the system for more than 20 years. Dr. Rimando-Chareunsap was recognized as a rising star in 2019 by the  Aspen Institute, which selected her for its prestigious Presidential Fellows Program. She holds a B.A. in English and Ethnic Studies from Washington State University, a Master of Public Administration from the University of Washington, and a Doctorate of Education from Washington State University. Her permanent role as Chancellor becomes official on August 3, 2023. Read more.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has appointed Dr. Rodney D. Bennett as Chancellor beginning July 1, 2023. Dr. Bennett most recently served as President of the University of Southern Mississippi, a comprehensive public research institution that enrolls 14,000 students across multiple campuses. As President from 2013 to 2022, Dr. Bennett brought Southern Miss into the top tier of research institutions, delivered improved student outcomes, invested in faculty and high-growth academic programs, and stabilized the budget through fiscally conservative management. Prior to his role at Southern Miss, Dr. Bennett held various leadership roles at the University of Georgia, Winthrop University and his alma mater, Middle Tennessee State University. Dr. Bennett holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Administration from Tennessee State University in Nashville and specialist, master’s, and bachelor’s degrees from Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. Read more.

The City Colleges of Chicago has appointed Dr. Katonja Webb-Walker as President of Kennedy-King College. She has served in the role in an interim capacity since July 2022. Previously, Dr. Webb-Walker was Senior Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs at Malcolm X College. She also earlier served as a Kennedy-King College administrator from 2009 to 2012, including roles as Interim Vice President and Dean of Continuing Education. Dr. Webb-Walker earned an Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration from Northeastern University, an M.Ed. in Policy, Planning, and Administration from Boston University, and an A.B. in Psychology from Harvard University.

The Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary has announced that the Rev. Dr. Andrew David Pomerville will serve as Louisville Seminary's 11th president. Dr. Pomerville is the founding director of the Center for College and Community Engagement, assistant vice president for community engagement and senior chaplain at Alma College in Michigan. Dr. Pomerville was ordained in the Presbyterian Church USA in 2007. He is a graduate of three Presbyterian schools, earning a Bachelors of Arts in history and religious studies at Alma College, a Master of Divinity at Princeton Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Read more here.

Dr. J. Luke Wood has been appointed as the new president of California State University, Sacramento. He will begin his role on July 16, 2023. Dr. Wood joined San Diego State University (SDSU)  in 2011 as a professor and in 2012 was named co-director of the Community College Equity Assessment Lab, a research and practice center focused on reducing equity gaps between students of color and their peers. In 2017, he became the first Black faculty member to be named Distinguished Professor.  He has served as SDSU’s chief diversity officer since 2018 and as vice president for Student Affairs and Campus Diversity since 2020. In 2023, Dr. Wood was appointed by the California State Senate to serve on the newly established California Racial Equity Commission. Dr. Wood earned his bachelor's and master's degree from Sacramento State, and also holds a master’s degree and Ph.D. from Arizona State University.  Read more here.