NMICC Board of Directors
Dr. Steve McCleery, President
New Mexico Junior College
President, New Mexico Independent Community Colleges
Dr. Steve McCleery is in his fourteenth year as president of New Mexico Junior College. He began his tenure in 1998, and previously served as Dean of Arts and Sciences from 1991-1998 and as Director of Athletics from1988-1991. Prior to NMJC, McCleery was a Professor and Supervisor of the Physical Education program at College of the Southwest from 1980 to 1984. He began his career in 1972 at Lubbock Christian University, where he served as Assistant Professor of Physical Education, Director of Intramurals, and Assistant Track Coach.
Dr. McCleery earned his Doctorate in Educational Administration and Supervision from the University of New Mexico. He earned his Master of Science in Education Degree in Physical Education from Texas Tech University and his Bachelor of Science in Education Degree from Lubbock Christian University. Dr. McCleery was elected by his colleagues in May 2008 to serve as president of NMICC.
Dr. Katharine W. Winograd, President
Central New Mexico Community College
Dr. Katharine W. Winograd was elected as the Central New Mexico Community College president by the CNM Governing Board with a unanimous 7-0 vote. She officially became president of the state's largest community college and second-largest postsecondary institution on July 1, 2007.
Dr. Winograd is the first female president of the college, which serves more than 26,000 students at four campuses and the Workforce Training Center in the Albuquerque-metro area. A fifth campus in Rio Rancho, N.M., is expected to open in early 2010.
Prior to becoming president, Dr. Winograd was vice president for Planning and Budget. She began her tenure at CNM in 1997 as the institutional planning and research officer. In 2001, she began serving as executive officer for the department of Planning, Budget and Institutional Research, and in 2005 she was promoted to vice president for Planning and Budget. Other experience in New Mexico includes special assistant to the dean of the College of Education at the University of New Mexico (1996-97).
From 1980 to1996, Dr. Winograd was a participant and leader in Kentucky's educational reform efforts while working at the Kentucky Council on Higher Education (1980-83), the University of Louisville (1983-95) and Fayette County Public Schools (1995-96).
Dr. Winograd earned her doctor of education degree in educational leadership from UNM and her master's degree in higher education administration from the University of Louisville. Dr. Winograd's husband, Peter Winograd, is the director of the Office of Education Accountability at the Department of Finance and Administration for the State of New Mexico.
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Dr. Becky Rowley, President
Clovis Community College
Dr. Becky Rowley has taught English at Clovis Community College since 1993, as a full-time faculty member from 1993-1999, and as an adjunct from 1999 through the present. In 1999, she became Vice President for Educational Services and in 2002 Executive Vice President. The Clovis Community College Board of Trustees appointed her the fourth president of CCC in 2011.
As a faculty member, Dr. Rowley focused on distance education, particularly with dual credit high school students. As academic/student services vice president, her interests centered on the integration of instruction and students services and on workforce development. She currently serves on the Eastern Area Workforce Development Board and as a consultant/evaluator for the Higher Learning Commission.
Dr. Rowley earned a bachelor’s degree in English and Latin from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, a master’s degree in English Literature from the University of Virginia, and a Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of New Mexico in 1996. Dr. Rowley is also an avid marathon runner.
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Dr. Pete Campos, President
Luna Community College
Dr. Pete Campos was selected by the Luna Community College Board of Trustees as the college's President in early 2008 and assumed his position on July 1, 2008. He previously served as superintendent at Las Vegas City Schools from 2004-2008. From 1993 to 2004, Dr. Campos was associate superintendent for support services at the Las Vegas City Schools. From 1978 to 1982, Dr. Campos was a counselor at Santa Rosa High. Dr. Campos has been a New Mexico state senator since 1991. He is currently serving the counties of San Miguel, Guadalupe, Torrance, Santa Fe and Mora.
Dr. Campos earned his doctorate degree in educational leadership from the University of New Mexico in 2003. He also has a master's degree in counseling from Highlands University and a bachelor's degree in economics and philosophy from UNM. Dr. Campos is a 1971 graduate of Santa Rosa High.
In 1992 and 1994, Dr. Campos was one of 35 emerging leaders from across the nation selected as both a Flemming and Toll Fellow. The rigorous policy immersion program, based in Lexington, Ky. and Washington D.C. was geared to offer solution to state's problems.
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Dr. Mildred P. Lovato, President
Mesalands Community College
Dr. Lovato was appointed as the second president of Mesalands Community College on July 1, 2011. Dr. Lovato is from Albuquerque, New Mexico where she received her B.A. degree in Sociology and an M.A. degree in Counseling Education from the University of New Mexico. She earned an Educational Doctorate (Ed.D.) from New Mexico State University in Educational Administration.
She joined the team of administrators at Bakersfield College as the Vice President of Student Services in 2005, having previously served as the Assistant Vice President of Academic Support and Student Retention at Santa Fe Community College. She was also the Director of Advisement and Counseling at Central New Mexico Community College (CNM), and the Achievement Coach for the Technologies Department at CNM. Dr. Lovato has served on several accreditation visiting teams and led accreditation efforts at Bakersfield College. During her tenure in California, she was a member of the Disaster Resistance California Community Colleges (DRCCC) State Task Force which developed Emergency Response legislation and training for the 110 California community colleges. She served as the Incident Commander for one of the largest community college emergency response and preparation drills in partnership with 16 public and private law enforcement, fire and health care agencies and organizations.
Over the last several years Dr. Lovato has led several successful participatory governance committees. She is deeply committed to promoting the involvement of faculty, staff, student, and community members in the progression of Mesalands Community College.
Dr. Jerry W. Grizzle, Superintendent/President
New Mexico Military Institute
Major General Jerry Grizzle, PhD, United States Army National Guard (Retired), became the 19th President/Superintendent of New Mexico Military Institute on July 1, 2009.
General Grizzle graduated in 1976 from Southwestern Oklahoma State University with a BS in Accounting. He received his MBA from Central State University and his Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University. Previously, General Grizzle was the President/CEO of Orbit Finer Foods, Skolniks, CD Warehouse, and most recently AMS Health Sciences in which he was fully responsible for all aspects of business development in a highly competitive marketplace. Prior to his tenure with CD Warehouse, he was Vice President/Treasurer of Sonic Industries.
General Grizzle started his military career in 1971 as a Private and retired as a Major General in 2005. General Grizzle was appointed Commander of the 45th Infantry Brigade (Thunderbirds) of the Oklahoma National Guard, where he was responsible for all matters affecting the combat readiness of the command. Immediately after the attacks of September 11, 2001, Major General Grizzle entered active federal service and took command of the Department of Defense Joint Task Force - Civil Support (JTF-CS), the only unit in the Department of Defense responsible for the planning and execution for the response to any possible Weapons of Mass Destruction attack within the United States.
General Grizzle and his wife, Shawn, a former high school Biology teacher, have two children and three grandchildren.
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Dr. Nancy "Rusty" Barceló, President
Northern New Mexico Community College
Dr. Nancy "Rusty" Barceló is the president of Northern New Mexico College. She is a nationally recognized leader in equity and diversity in higher education, with more than 30 years of experience in the field.
Dr. Barceló received her Ph.D. in higher education administration from the University of Iowa, and before that, her B.A. in social work from Chico State University in California. Dr. Barceló spent more than 20 years at the University of Iowa, where she served as Assistant Dean and Provost for Academic Affairs and received the Distinguished Educator in Diversity Award. She went to the University of Minnesota in 1996 as Associate Vice President for Multicultural and Academic Affairs and also served from 1999 to 2001 as chair of the Chicano Studies Department. In 2001, she left Minnesota to become Vice President and Vice Provost for Minority Affairs and Diversity at the University of Washington. In 2006, she returned to Minnesota, first as the University’s chief diversity officer and member of the University’s senior executive team, then as Vice President and Vice Provost for Equity and Diversity. At the University of Minnesota, Dr. Barceló provided leadership and strategic planning on issues relating to faculty, staff, and student equity and diversity across the University of Minnesota system. Her role also included administrative and programmatic oversight of units on the Twin Cities campus that provide direct services to faculty, staff, students and community members. She assumed the presidency of Northern New Mexico College on July 1, 2010.
Dr. Barceló has been hailed as a visionary leader for transformational change around issues of equity and diversity and as an astute and dedicated administrator with a gift for community building. At one time, she was the only Chicana student at the University of Iowa. She has since become one of the nation’s most highly respected authorities on equity and diversity in higher education. She is also an avid bicyclist and accomplished storyteller, songwriter, and guitarist.
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Michael Tacha, Interim President
San Juan College
Michael Tacha was named interim president at San Juan College in February 2011. He served as the College’s vice president for learning from July 2005 until he retired in June 2010. Tacha was president of Mohave Community College in Arizona from 1997 to 2002 and as vice president for eight years prior to that. His background is in instructional administration and library services and he has worked at institutions in Arizona, Colorado and Kansas. He started his career teaching history at the junior high and high school level, then taught education, government and library science to college students.
Mr. Tacha earned his bachelor’s degree in history and elementary education from Kansas Wesleyan University, his master’s in cultural studies from Adams State College (Colorado), another master’s in library science from Emporia State University (Kansas) and conducted doctoral work at Northern Arizona University. Wherever he has lived, Tacha has been active in his community, serving on chambers of commerce boards, historical societies, library task forces and more.
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Sheila Ortego, Ph.D., President
Santa Fe Community College
Dr. Sheila Ortego currently serves as President of Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She also played a key role in development of the college's new fundraising arm, the GROW Foundation, and served as its founding president.
Dr. Ortego has a long and distinguished record of achievement at SFCC and more than 20 years of service in various roles, as a faculty and staff member, and in senior management roles. In 2002-03, she chaired the team that resulted in successful reaccreditation for the College, and serves as an AQIP consultant-evaluator for the Higher Learning Commission.
Dr. Ortego's work has resulted in numerous successful community partnerships focused on economic development, and her track record in raising grant monies is particularly significant, for workforce training, distance learning and other initiatives. Her special interests are in student outcomes, technical training, distance education, faculty/staff development, and institutional climate. Her current focus is on institutional improvement through AQIP (Academic Quality Improvement Program), Quality New Mexico, and Achieving the Dream (AtD) initiatives. She is also in the process of establishing the Sustainable Technology Center at SFCC, which will focus on workforce training for the green economy.
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Dr. Joseph Shepard, President
Western New Mexico University
The Board of Regents unanimously appointed Dr. Joseph Shepard the 15th President of Western New Mexico University (WNMU) on April 27, 2011. Dr. Shepard assumed the office on July 5, 2011 and now leads the Silver City campus, as well as learning centers in Deming, Gallup, Lordsburg and Truth or Consequences.
Prior to arriving at WNMU, Dr. Shepard served over 15 years in senior-level leadership positions at Florida Gulf Coast University. Throughout his years at FGCU he held the positions of Chief Student Affairs Officer, Chief Business Officer, and Chief Financial Officer. Among his many responsibilities, Dr. Shepard was one of the founding leaders in helping to build the State of Florida’s 10th university. When Dr. Shepard arrived at FGCU, there were no students, no classes, no athletics, no on-campus housing, no policies and no infrastructure. By Dr. Shepard’s departure in 2011, FGCU had grown to over 460 faculty with a total workforce of nearly 2,000 that served nearly 13,000 students.
Dr. Shepard has also remained active in the classroom and with research. His teaching areas have been at both the graduate and undergraduate levels in quantitative methods, public finance and business leadership. He has also taught internationally in Mexico.
Dr. Shepard earned his Ph.D. in Public Administration specializing in public finance from Florida International University. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree in Finance and Banking where he specialized in international finance from the University of North Texas and a Bachelor of Science in Math Education from Northern Arizona University.
He has been married to his wife, Marcela, for 21 years and has two children. He is fluent in Spanish and enjoys mountaineering, backpacking, canoeing, fishing, golfing, and racquetball.
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NMICC Staff
Danny K. Earp, Director
New Mexico Independent Community Colleges
Mr. Danny Earp assumed the directorship of New Mexico Independent Community Colleges in July 2006. In this capacity, he represents the interests of the ten member institutions before state agencies and the New Mexico Legislature.
Mr. Earp has thirty-five years of experience in New Mexico state government and higher education administration. Prior to his employment with NMICC, he served in a variety of public policy and fiscal administration roles, including: Vice President for Business Affairs at Eastern New Mexico University; Budget Director at New Mexico State University; Deputy Director and Fiscal Analyst at the New Mexico Commission on Higher Education; Deputy Director and Fiscal Analyst at the New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee; Administrative Assistant in the Office of Lieutenant Governor
Mr. Earp is a native Santa Fean. He holds an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of New Mexico and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Colorado. He and his wife Marissa have two grown daughters and five delightful grandchildren.
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