Bettina Celis

Alliance Executive Committee, Maricopa Community Colleges

Aisha Lowe

Vice Chancellor of Educational Services and Supports, California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office

Dr. Aisha Lowe is a passionate educator who has dedicated her life to improving education for all students and communities. As Vice Chancellor of Educational Services and Supports for the CA Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, Aisha provides leadership for Educational Services division activities including transfer and articulation, curriculum chaptering and approval, equity programs and grants, innovations in teaching and learning, special project management, and system wide technical assistance delivery. Prior to joining the Chancellor’s Office in 2020, Dr. Lowe served as Associate Professor of Education at William Jessup University, where she oversaw the thesis research of future teachers in training. She also served as the Dean of the Office of Academic Research, leading the university’s Strategic Academic Research Plan and academic grant making. Additionally, Aisha served the students of the Los Rios Community College District, Sierra College and CSU Sacramento as an adjunct professor for over eight years. Dr. Lowe received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and her Master’s in Sociology from Stanford University where she also received her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology.

Landon Pirius

Alliance Executive Committee, Colorado Community College System

Landon K. Pirius is the vice chancellor for academic and student affairs for the Colorado Community College System (CCCS). At CCCS, Pirius provides strategic leadership for all aspects of academic affairs, student affairs, online education, workforce development, and institutional research. Prior to his current position, he was the vice president for academic and student affairs at North Hennepin Community College. Pirius also served in a variety of leadership roles at Inver Hills Community College, Minnesota State University, Mankato, and Walden University, and as an adjunct faculty member. He completed his B.A. in Russian studies and environmental studies from Gustavus Adolphus College, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in educational policy and administration from the University of Minnesota.

Erika Lacro

Alliance Executive Committee, University of Hawai‘i System

Erika Lacro is the vice president for community colleges for the University of Hawaiʻi System. Lacro, the first woman to hold the chief executive position, served as Honolulu Community College chancellor starting in July 2012. Prior, she served as vice chancellor of academic affairs at the college and held several executive and management positions at the University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa. Lacro serves as commissioner for the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association and is a former commissioner for the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Lacro earned a master’s and bachelor’s degree in travel industry management, and a Ph.D. in communication and information sciences from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa.

Todd Schwarz

Alliance Executive Committee, College of Southern Idaho

Todd Schwarz currently serves as provost at the College of Southern Idaho since January 2014. He has had a long career in a variety of roles at CSI that exceeds 30 years with over 20 in administration including department chair and dean of career technical education. In 2012 he was appointed to the role of state administrator of the Idaho Division of Career Technical Education where he was instrumental in the creation of the Idaho micro credentialing system before returning to CSI. In 2015 he was recognized with the Institutional Leadership Award by the International Economic Development Council. Schwarz holds an associate, baccalaureate, and master’s degree from Idaho schools and a Ph.D. in education from the University of Idaho.

Angela DeWolf King

Alliance Executive Committee, Montana University System

Jeffrey Alexander

Alliance Executive Committee, Truckee Meadows Community College

Jeffrey Alexander has served as vice president of academic affairs at Truckee Meadows Community College since 2021, and he collaborates with public institutions of higher education across Nevada. Previously, he served for six years as dean of arts and sciences at Pueblo Community College, prior to which he taught history at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. Alexander is an historian of modern Japan and has published three books on Japanese consumer product manufacturing, sales, and consumption. He holds a B.A. in history from Brock University, and an M.A. and a Ph.D. in history from The University of British Columbia.

Orlando Griego

Forum Executive Committee, New Mexico Military Institute

Orlando Griego is the chief academic officer/dean of academics at the New Mexico Military Institute.  Previously, he served as the dean at the University of St. Francis, associate dean at Azusa Pacific University, senior faculty at the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, VA, and professor at Colorado State University.  He has co-authored four books, 70 publications, scholarly presentations, and conference proceedings.  He is a former Air Force Officer who served in Desert Storm.  Griego earned his Ph.D. in human resource development at Colorado State University in 1997, his M.S. in human resource management at Golden Gate University in 1987, and his B.A. in social service at San Jose State University in 1982.

Kaylyn Bondy

Alliance Executive Committee, Bismarck State College

Kaylyn Bondy serves as the vice president for student affairs at Bismarck State College (BSC) in Bismarck, North Dakota. She oversees student success and development, strategic enrollment planning, policy formation, and state/federal regulation implementation. Prior to her work at BSC, she led student affairs for nine years at Williston State College and worked prior to that in international education. Bondy received her B.A. in French from the University of North Dakota, a Master’s in French-American international business from l’Université de Caen Basse-Normadie, an M.B.A. from the University of St. Thomas and will soon complete a Ph.D. in higher education from the University of North Dakota.

Donna Lewelling

Alliance Executive Committee, Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission

Donna Lewelling is the interim director of the office of community colleges and workforce development at the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission. She has been involved in state-level higher education policy since 2006. In her role at the state, she as the privilege of leading a team that works every day to create pathways to success for Oregon’s students. Lewelling is passionate about community colleges and the students they serve. In 2018, she was awarded the Howard Cherry Outstanding Community College Advocate Award by the Oregon Community College Association for her outstanding contributions and advocacy for Oregon’s Community Colleges. Lewelling holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major in human resources and a master’s degree in management and leadership.

Barbara Kleinjan

Alliance Executive Committee, Lake Area Technical College

Barbara Kleinjan, M.A., honors lecturer, began leading Lake Area Technical College as dean of academics in July, 2022. Previously, she served as professor of communication studies at South Dakota State University, designing the honors speech minor which earned the national Basic Speech Course #1 ranking. Further, Kleinjan authored 16 contemporary issues Readers’ Theater performances, winning multiple national titles. Kleinjan received her B.A. in German, English and education from South Dakota State University and an M.A. in educational administration and leadership, also at SDSU. In July 2022, the South Dakota High School Activities Association presented Kleinjan with the prestigious Distinguished Service Award. The award celebrates her lifetime dedication to Fine Arts programs in South Dakota.

Clifton Sanders

Alliance Executive Committee, Alliance Chair, ​Salt Lake Community College

Clifton Sanders has served Salt Lake Community College(SLCC) as provost for academic affairs since 2015. He is chief academic officer at SLCC, overseeing instruction and training for more than 61,000 students annually.  Previously, he served in several roles at SLCC, including assistant professor of chemistry, division chair for natural sciences and communication, and dean of science, mathematics and engineering.  Prior to his tenure at SLCC Sanders was a senior research scientist and co-inventor on six patents in biomaterials technology.  He received his B.A. in chemistry from Hamline University and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Utah.

Carli Schiffner

Alliance Executive Committee, Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges

Carli Schiffner serves as the deputy executive director of education at the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. She is a dedicated leader in higher education, with over fifteen years of progressive senior leadership experience in positions including interim university president, university provost, vice president for instruction, and dean of arts and sciences. Schiffner values servant leadership, collaboration, quality improvement, focusing on the whole student, an entrepreneurial spirit, equity, hard work, and a sense of humor. She has a B.A. in history and political science from Gonzaga University; a M.A. in cultural and intellectual history from Drew University; and a Ph.D. in American women’s history from Washington State University.

Kari Brown-Herbst

Alliance Executive Committee, Laramie County Community College

Kari Brown-Herbst is the senior vice president of academic affairs at Laramie County Community College (LCCC) in Cheyenne, Wyoming. As the college’s chief academic officer, Brown-Herbst provides executive oversight and strategic guidance in the planning, development, and implementation of all aspects of academic programming as well as instructional support services.  Brown-Herbst also serves as a representative to the LCCC Foundation Board, is the Wyoming Passport State Facilitator, and is also a member of the Peer Review Corps of the Higher Learning Commission. She received an Ed.D. in instructional technology from the University of Wyoming, her master’s in education technology from Marian University (Wisconsin) and her bachelor’s in sociology with an education endorsement from Kalamazoo College (Michigan).