Episode 8 with Deborah Ikeda

09/29/21 • 50 min

Leading Community Colleges in California

Dr. Galizio speaks with State Center Community College District Trustee Deborah Ikeda about her leadership both at the state and national levels. At the state level, she currently serves as President of the APITA Caucus and is a member of the CCCT Board. In this episode, we hear Trustee Ikeda’s unique perspective having served as a college president and now as a trustee. She shares her family’s experience as Japanese Americans and her background with the Chicago City Colleges. Trustee Ikdea discusses her role as the founding CEO of Clovis Community College and what led her to run as an elected board member and serve on ACCT’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.

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Episode 7 with Eric Bishop

Dr. Galizio speaks with Ohlone College Superintendent/President Dr. Eric Bishop. Last year, Dr. Bishop joined a unique cohort of college presidents that began their presidency during the pandemic. President Bishop talks about the challenges he’s encountered with leading a college without having met many of his faculty and staff in person, and the various strategies his institution has implemented to bolster fall enrollment. In addition, he explains why he believes 'equity' is a verb and how he works towards creating structural change.

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Episode 9 with Daren Otten

Dr. Galizio speaks with Dr. Daren Otten, Superintendent/President at Copper Mountain Community College. Dr. Otten talks about the challenges and opportunities of leading a small rural college in California, what led him to his current role, and even how his triathlon and training supports his work. Born on the east coast, President Otten traveled westward with his family. His father pursued higher education as a student on the GI bill and his mother was an English teacher. Following several years in business and engineering in 2004 Dr. Otten started teaching at Chico State and that's when he realized how much he enjoyed supporting students. The Copper Mountain leader shares how a nonlinear path brought him into the community college structure in 2015 and eventually led him to Copper Mountain where the institution is celebrating their 20th anniversary.