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Aracely Aguiar, President, Los Angeles Pierce
College
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 Los Angeles Pierce College
President Aracely Aguiar, brings decades of experience in
community college leadership and a deep commitment to
student success and equity. With more than 34 years of
service in the Los Angeles Community College District
(LACCD), Ms. Aguiar is a leader who is focused on building
pathways for student achievement and institutional growth.
Ms. Aguiar’s leadership is defined by results-driven
initiatives that prioritize access and innovation. As Vice
President of Instruction at West Los Angeles College
(WLAC), she led efforts to increase enrollment, boost
degree completions and expand dual enrollment and noncredit
programs. During her tenure WLAC developed new career
pathways and strengthened fiscal management, all while
ensuring accreditation compliance for programs. Ms. Aguiar
spearheaded the development of LACCD’s pioneering
Bachelor’s Degree program for WLAC.
Ms. Aguiar’s passion for equity in education is borne from
experience as a first-generation college graduate and
immigrant, which showed her the transformative power of
opportunity. She began her education at Los Angeles Valley
College, later completing programs at Los Angeles City
College and West Los Angeles College. She holds a Bachelor
of Science in Public Health from UCLA and a Master of
Business Administration from Pepperdine University. These
experiences shaped her commitment to making education
accessible and impactful for all students.
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Lisa Cardoza, President, American River
College
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 Lisa Cardoza proudly serves
as the first Latina President of American River College in
the Los Rios Community College District. American River
College serves more than 32,000 students, has the largest
Apprenticeship program in California, and is focused on
improving the success of our disproportionately impacted
students. She previously served as Vice President for
University Advancement at Sacramento State and Executive
Officer for The University Foundation, leading the
University toward completion of its first, successful
comprehensive fundraising campaign, On the Rise, which
exceeded its $225 million goal by raising nearly $240
million. Lisa joined Sacramento State in 2015, primarily
serving as President Robert S. Nelsen’s Chief of Staff and
holding interim Vice President roles in Advancement and
Human Resources. With a focus on empowering the next
generation of leaders and making an impact on the
Sacramento community, Lisa serves on the Board of Directors
of Improve Your Tomorrow, Greater Sacramento Urban League,
Girl Scouts Heart of Central California, Street Soccer USA,
Dignity Health Community Board, as well as on the Executive
Committee for the 1300 Campaign and the Nueva Epoca
Advisory Council. She is also a Senior Fellow of the
Mountain Valley American Leadership Forum (ALF), Class
XXII. She was named a Latino Changemaker in 2024 and
received the ALF Exemplary Leader award the same
year. Lisa earned a BA and MA from Stanford University
and an Ed.D. from the University of Texas Rio Grande
Valley. She is also the very proud mother of two
boys—Gabriel and Diego.
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Ryan Cornner, Superintendent/President, Glendale
Community College
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 As the leader of GCC, Dr.
Cornner is dedicated to fostering an environment that
promotes a commitment to care for students, the community,
and each other with empathy, respect and trust. He believes
academic success thrives on engaging students inside and
outside the classroom and creating an environment that
enhances learning and allows self-exploration. Prior to his
position at GCC, Dr. Cornner served as Vice Chancellor,
Educational Programs & Institutional Effectiveness for the
nine college Los Angeles Community College District, the
largest community college district in the nation.
Previously, he served as Associate Vice President for
Strategic Planning and Innovation at Pasadena City College
and Dean of Institutional Effectiveness at East Los Angeles
College. Dr. Cornner has twelve years of teaching
experience within the community college and university
systems, including providing instruction in the Master of
Higher Education Counseling Program at USC. A native of
Southern California, Dr. Corner earned his Doctor of
Education and Master of Social Work at the University of
Southern California. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in
Psychology from UC San Diego.
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Marshall
Fulbright III, Superintendent/President, Monterey
Peninsula College
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 Dr. Marshall
T. Fulbright III has more than 26 years of
experience as an educator and transformational leader.
Dr. Fulbright actively works to ensure
cross-divisional collaborations to support students
holistically. Before this position, he served as an
instructional Dean at Norco College and College of the
Sequoias. Also, for 11 years, he was a Professor at Long
Beach City College, but before that, he taught at the
elementary and high school levels, starting his career at
Irvine USD. For years, his commitment to diversity, equity,
inclusion (DEI), and antiracism has been unwavering.
Dr. Fulbright is a California Community College
Curriculum Committee member and participated in its DEI
workgroup, which recently released suggestions and
guidelines for including DEI practices in the curriculum.
He has successfully implemented statewide initiatives such
as Guided Pathways, AB705, student-equity activities, and
dual enrollment programs. Dr. Fulbright earned
his Doctorate in Education from Azusa Pacific University,
his Master’s degree from UC Santa Barbara, and a Bachelor’s
degree from Chapman University.
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Lee D. Lambert, Chancellor, Foothill-De
Anza Community College District
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 Lee D. Lambert, J.D.,
Chancellor of Foothill-De Anza Community College District.
He is a dynamic advocate for diversity, equity and
inclusion, student success, and community engagement. He
also believes and invests in employee professional
development and growth to better serve students and the
community. Among Lambert’s many achievements and
recognitions are the League of United Latin American
Citizens Humanitarian Award, the Association of Community
College Trustees Marie Y. Martin CEO of the Year Award, and
the National Association for Community College
Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurial President of the Year
Award. He has also been honored as Tucson Man of the Year
and a National Guard and Reserves of the U.S. Patriotic
Employer. A sought after thought leader, Lambert serves on
numerous local, state, and national boards and committees,
including the U.S. Department of Labor Advisory Committee
on Apprenticeship, Advisory Committee of Presidents for the
Association of Community College Trustees, Silicon Valley
Leadership Group, the National Association of Workforce
Boards’ executive committee and NOVAworks Workforce Board.
He previously served as an American Association of
Community Colleges board member. In addition to his
published writings, Lambert is an international and
nationally recognized speaker on the future of work and
learning. Lambert was born in Seoul, South Korea, grew up
on three continents, and served in the U.S Army. He
received a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from The
Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington and a Juris
Doctor degree from Seattle University School of Law.
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Lizette Navarette, President, Woodland
Community College
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 Dr. Lizette Navarette is a
passionate student-centered leader with nearly two decades
of experience in higher education and local government. She
joined Woodland Community College as President in January
2024. Dr. Navarette brings an extensive history championing
student success, affordability, and equitable educational
opportunities for all students.
Prior to joining Woodland Community College, Dr. Navarette
was the Executive Vice Chancellor at the California
Community College Chancellor’s Office where she led college
finance, facilities planning, institutional effectiveness,
professional development, and government relations. From
October 2022 to June 2023, Dr. Navarette served as interim
deputy chancellor. She previously served as the vice
chancellor of College Finance and Facilities Planning and
was the first woman to hold that position. Navarette has
also served as the Vice President of the Community College
League of California, Associate Director of Regional
Relations for the University of California Riverside, and
as the Youth & Education Coordinator for the City of
Riverside. Navarette earned a bachelor’s degree in
political science and international relations from UC
Riverside, a master’s degree in public administration from
the University of La Verne, and a doctorate in education
from UC Davis. In 2021, Dr. Navarette earned the United
Nations Global Education for All award for her research on
working adult learners. Navarette is a proud
first-generation graduate.
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Bruce Moses, Superintendent/President, Palo Verde
Community College District
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 Dr. Bruce Moses brings more
than 35 years of distinguished experience in higher
education administration to his current role as
Superintendent/President of Palo Verde College in Blythe,
California. Prior to his appointment at Palo Verde, Dr.
Moses served as President of Allen Community College in
Iola, Kansas. From March 2015 to June 2022, he held the
position of Vice Chancellor for Educational Services and
Institutional Integrity at Pima County Community College
District in Tucson, Arizona. An active contributor to
institutional quality assurance, Dr. Moses has served as a
Peer Reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission since
2006. He is also a graduate of the League for Innovation in
the Community College’s Executive Leadership Institute,
completing the program in 2017. Widely recognized for his
visionary leadership and strategic expertise, Dr. Moses has
consistently demonstrated an ability to foster
collaborative partnerships, cultivate inclusive
institutional cultures, and lead data-informed efforts to
enhance organizational effectiveness. His professional
practice is deeply rooted in the principles of diversity,
equity, inclusion, and access, with a longstanding
commitment to expanding educational opportunities for
historically underrepresented student populations. A
passionate advocate for student success, Dr. Moses is
particularly focused on improving student persistence,
retention, and completion outcomes, especially for
underserved communities. He holds a Doctorate in Community
College Leadership from Ferris State University, as well as
both a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership – Higher
Education and a Bachelor of Science in Administrative
Management and Business Administration from Eastern
Michigan University.
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Annebelle Nery, President, Santa Ana
College
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 Annebelle Nery, Ph.D. was
appointed President of Santa Ana College (SAC) in January
2022. In her 27 years of experience in education, Dr. Nery
has served in numerous administrative capacities most
recently as Vice President of Instruction and prior to that
the Vice President of Student Services at College of the
Desert. In these roles she collaborated successfully with
colleagues, faculty, staff, students, leadership, and
community members in multiple capacities in student
services, instruction, instructional technology, and
institutional effectiveness and planning. Through her
leadership, SAC has experienced multiple terms of
double-digit growth in enrollment, making SAC the
fastest-growing college in the state, and in the 2023-2024
academic year, she led SAC back to large college status,
earning the college an additional million dollars in annual
funding. In the spring of 2024, Dr. Nery guided the
development of the Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP),
which maps the college’s goals and vision from 2024 through
2028. With her support, SAC now offers three bachelor’s
degrees (Occupational Studies, Paralegal Studies, and
Automotive Technology), the most in the CCC system, which
fuels the local economy and helps students and alumni earn
a living wage. In addition, SAC has now become number one
in online education out of the California Community
Colleges (OEI-CVC). She has also been instrumental in
securing additional funding and developing valuable
community partnerships to advance college efforts.
Supported by Dr. Nery, the colleges at which she worked
received state and national recognition in recent years
that have increased student outcomes, positively impacted
their respective local communities, and closed equity gaps.
Under her leadership, many innovative and effective
programs were founded. In 2021, Dr. Nery was recognized as
the Administrator of the Year by the California Association
of Postsecondary Education and Disability, and the
California Community Colleges named Dr. Nery Chief Student
Services Officer of the Year in 2019. Dr. Nery earned a
Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology/Organization and
Statistics from the University of California, Riverside; a
Bachelor of Arts and a Master’s degree in Sociology from
California State University, Los Angeles; and an
Associate’s degree from Los Angeles Pierce College. A
first-generation college student with Spanish as her first
language, Dr. Nery is an equity advocate with significant
work in social justice. Her guiding principle is to ensure
student success is at the center of all decision-making.
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Meridith Randall, President, Golden West
College
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 Meridith Randall served as
Interim President of Golden West College (GWC) since March
2023 and was appointed permanent President in January 2024.
She joined GWC as Vice President of Instruction in July
2020 after serving as Chief Instructional Officer (CIO) in
the California community college system since 2006. She has
been president of the statewide CIO organization twice and
currently is Vice President of the Board for the California
Coalition of Early and Middle Colleges (CCEMC), the leading
state organization for the promotion of dual enrollment.
During her career, Ms. Randall has been an accreditation
liaison officer for four different institutions; served on
six visiting accreditation teams; participated on state
advisory committees for dual enrollment, institutional
effectiveness and online education; and has supported the
development of multiple career technical education
programs, most notably the creation of nursing programs at
two colleges. At these colleges, she supervised the
creation of multiple short-term and long-term planning
processes that resulted in strategic plans. In 2019-2020,
she was director of programs and educational effectiveness
for the California Virtual Campus and helped lead the
effort to develop a statewide online course exchange. Ms.
Randall has focused her efforts on the support of quality
curriculum; development of programs; support for free
resources for students and removal of other barriers to
success; and promotion of diversity in hiring and equitable
student outcomes. She has also promoted efforts to increase
professional development for all college employees as a
part of succession planning and leadership development at
institutions. She began her career in community colleges as
an English instructor at Palau Community College in 1993,
eventually becoming dean of academic affairs there. In
2000, she joined Mendocino College as associate dean and
was promoted to vice president of educational services
before leaving in 2012 for Shasta College. After a
four-year stint at Shasta as CIO, she joined Chaffey
College in the same role from 2016 to 2019. Ms. Randall has
a Bachelor’s Degree from Amherst College, a Master’s Degree
from Cornell University, and a Juris Doctor Degree from New
York University School of Law. She is a member of the
Jewish faith and has three adult sons – Henry, Ben and
Sammy – with her husband Remeliano Gonzaga.
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Denise Richardson, President, Berkeley
City College
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 Dr. Denise Richardson is a
forward-thinking educational leader who prioritizes
data-informed decision-making, student-centered financial
management, and equitable outcomes for historically
marginalized communities. Her 20-year journey in community
college education began with the Peralta Community College
Faculty Diversity Internship Program. Following this
pivotal experience, she transitioned to the faculty as a
part-time political science instructor at Laney College and
the College of Alameda, ultimately attaining a tenure-track
position at Laney. As an instructor, Dr. Richardson
fostered critical inquiry, empowerment, and civic
engagement, carrying these values into her roles as Vice
President and President of the Laney Academic Senate. In
2012, she was honored as Laney Faculty of the Year. In
August 2013, Dr. Richardson began her administrative career
as Dean of Math and Sciences at Laney College. Her success
in that role paved the way for her appointment as Vice
President of Instruction at Merritt College, where she made
significant strides in accreditation, strategic planning,
and supporting industry partnerships. On July 1, 2023, she
became Interim President of Berkeley City College (BCC) and
was confirmed as the permanent president in November 2023.
Dr. Richardson holds an Ed.D. and an M.A. in Educational
Leadership from Mills College, an M.A. in Political Science
from San Francisco State University, and both a B.A. and an
A.S. in Communication from Oakwood University. For Dr.
Richardson, leading in community college education is not
just an honor; it’s a vital opportunity that aligns
seamlessly with her commitment to advancing social justice,
equity, and inclusion.
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Jessica Robinson, President, Cuyamaca
College
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 Dr. Jessica Robinson holds an
Associate Degree from Cuyamaca College, a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Social Work, a Master of Social Work degree with
an administration concentration, and an Educational
Doctorate with an emphasis in community college leadership
from San Diego State University. Dr. Robinson has
over 22 years of achievement in higher education with a
focus on student success and program development for
disproportionately impacted and historically marginalized
populations including former youth in foster care. At San
Diego State University Dr. Robinson served as social work
faculty, as the Undergraduate Curriculum Coordinator, and
as the Undergraduate Advisor in the School of Social Work.
Additionally, Dr. Robinson worked as the Interim Associate
Dean for Academic Affairs and Assistant Dean for Student
Affairs. This rich combination of experiences in leadership
has allowed her to further strengthen the partnership
between student services and instruction and advance high
education strategic priorities. Most recently, Dr. Robinson
served as the Vice President of Student Services and
Interim President at Cuyamaca College before serving as the
college’s seventh President and first President Alumnae, a
position she currently holds. In addition to her
educational and professional experiences, Dr. Robinson is
best known for her leadership assets including her ability
to empower and mobilize groups into action toward a common
goal of providing access and success. She has been
described as a steadfast, loyal, compassionate, reliable,
efficient, spirited, and optimistic leader.
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Kimberly Rogers, President, Contra Costa
College
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 Dr. Kimberly R. Rogers has
over 25 years of administrative and teaching experience in
higher education and currently serves as the President of
Contra Costa College (CCC) in the Contra Costa Community
College District (4CD). Since joining CCC as the Vice
President of Instruction in January 2021, Dr. Rogers has
worked to promote and expand academic and career pathways
for CCC’s students. Under Dr. Rogers’s leadership, CCC was
selected for the inaugural Achieving the Dream Accelerating
Equitable Outcomes for Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and
People of Color Cohort; was chosen as a NASA Community
College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) campus; established a
Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) program;
and became the first 4CD member of the Rising Scholars
Network, a program to improve educational and career
outcomes for justice-impacted individuals. Under Dr.
Rogers’s leadership, CCC has experienced several
consecutive terms of enrollment increases. She has overseen
the implementation of student-centered scheduling;
advocated for new personnel to alleviate understaffing and
enhance CCC’s ability to serve its community; and
demonstrated open-mindedness and creativity in embracing
ways to serve students and meet the diverse needs of West
County. Dr. Rogers organized a $2.8 million grant from the
Mexican American Opportunity Foundation to support a new
Head Start/Early Head Start program and much-needed updates
to the Early Learning Center, a $500,000 multi-year
partnership between CCC and the Service Employees
International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, started
a Phi Theta Kappa international honors society chapter, as
well as a professional clothing closet. She earned her
Ph.D. in Higher Education from the Pennsylvania State
University, master’s degree in education from Harvard
University, and BA degree in French, with a minor in
chemistry, from the University of South Carolina Honors
College.
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Charles
Sasaki, President/Superintendent, Ohlone
College
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 Charles S. Sasaki began his
career as faculty in Ethnic Studies and has since served in
senior leadership roles which span the institution – as
Chief Diversity Officer, Senior Student Affairs Officer,
and Chief Academic Officer. Following eight years of
service at the University of Hawaii – Windward Community
College, Sasaki was appointed as the eighth
President/Superintendent of Ohlone College in 2023. Sasaki
has partnered with faculty to improve graduation and
transfer as well as to introduce innovative low residency
programs and workforce credentials which meet student and
employer needs. Through the pandemic, he led his previous
institution to buck national trends by growing the
College’s enrollment, increasing success rates for
underrepresented students, and closing equity gaps in
distance education. His work at Ohlone College is now
focused on maintaining academic excellence and student
success, building partnerships to increase the visibility
of the college, providing equitable service to all three
cities in the district, and improving institutional
enrollment and finances. A leader in the national community
of Minority Serving Institutions, Sasaki is frequently
called upon to speak about the creation of socially just
learning environments for students at AANAPISIs. He is a
three-time U.S. Fulbright Scholar, has served as Pew
Charitable Trusts National Learning Communities Fellow, and
volunteered for over a decade as lead trainer for the Gates
Millennium Scholars Program. A fifth-generation descendant
of Hawaiian sugar plantation laborers, Sasaki was born in
Los Angeles, raised in Orange County, and is proud to now
call the southeastern San Francisco Bay Area home.
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Gregory Smith, Chancellor, San Diego
Community College District
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 Gregory Smith serves the San
Diego Community College District as Chancellor, a role he
assumed in March 2023, after serving as Vice Chancellor of
People, Culture, and Technology Services since arriving in
the district in 2020. He has 20 years of public sector
service experience, beginning with the U.S. Department of
Labor in 2004, where he enforced equal employment
opportunity and affirmative action regulations in
progressive leadership roles. A former California community
college student and first-generation college graduate, Greg
joined the community college system professionally in 2016
at Shasta College, where he served as Director of Human
Resources, Associate Vice President of Human Resources, and
Interim Vice President of Administrative Services.
Throughout his career, Greg has worked to reframe how
public, private, and nonprofit organizations operate to
ensure diverse communities have meaningful access, achieve
equitable success, and experience authentic belonging. He
has been a key contributor on numerous workgroups which
have produced actionable policy and practice innovations to
expand diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and
anti-racism in teaching, learning, service delivery, and
employment. He has led initiatives to redesign resource and
budget allocation models to ensure equitable investments in
and outcomes for diverse communities. Greg began his
collegiate education at Cerro Coso Community College. He
went on to earn Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and
English Literature at Arizona State University and a
Master’s degree in Public Administration from the
University of Southern California.
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