Lone Star College-North Harris President Dr. Gerald Fernandez Napoles is one of 10 community college presidents recently elected to serve on the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) board of directors.
“I am excited to be elected by my colleagues from across the country to serve and lead on behalf of more than 1,100 member colleges and 12 million students,” said Dr. Napoles. “As a former community college student and current community college president, I will continue to do my best to represent the needs of our students, our colleges, and our communities.”
Napoles was nominated to the board by Lone Star College Chancellor Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., who also has served on the AACC board.
“I am honored to be nominated by Dr. Head, as he has proven expertise in seeing the future needs of higher education and the role community colleges provide in growing the economy,” Napoles said. “I plan to follow his lead and strive to ensure everyone enjoys the benefits provided by a strong community college education.”
AACC represents the nation’s more than 1,100 community colleges and is governed by a 32-member board of directors. The remaining newly elected board members are:
- Joy Gates Black, President, Delaware County Community College
- Brent Knight, President, Lansing Community College in Michigan
- Anne Kress, President, Monroe Community College in New York
- Sandra Massey, Chancellor, Arkansas State University – Newport
- Phil Neal, President, Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College
- Joseph Schaffer, President, Laramie County Community College in Wyoming
- Sheree Utash, President, WSU Tech in Kansas
- Charlotte Warren, President, Lincoln Land Community College in Illinois
- Kristine Young, President, Orange County Community College in New York
The new board members will begin their terms on July 1 and join 22 existing members.
“The AACC board of directors acts on behalf of our member colleges to create and maintain a vision for AACC and to advocate on behalf of the community colleges we serve,” said Walter G. Bumphus, AACC president and CEO. “We are thrilled to have these esteemed colleagues join the board and know they will bring their unique talents and leadership to advance the nation’s community colleges in Washington, DC and throughout the country.”
About Lone Star College
Lone Star College offers high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education to 99,000 students each semester. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., serves as chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area with an annual economic impact of nearly $3 billion. LSC consists of six colleges, 10 centers, two university centers, Lone Star Corporate College and LSC-Online. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.
About American Association of Community Colleges
As the voice of the nation’s community colleges, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), delivers educational and economic opportunity for 12 million diverse students in search of the American Dream. Uniquely dedicated to access and success for all students, AACC’s more than 1,100 member colleges provide an on-ramp to degree attainment, skilled careers and family-supporting wages. Located in Washington, D.C., AACC advocates for these not-for-profit, public-serving institutions to ensure they have the resources and support they need to deliver on the mission of increasing economic mobility for all.