Where’s Walter Archive

2020

On December 15, I participated in a phone call with my Senior Advisor Dr. Kay McClenney, Senior Vice President Dr. Martha Parham, and Chief of Staff Dr. Angel M. Royal to discuss planning for my Virtual Listening Tour.
On December 14, I participated in a virtual meeting with National League of Nursing President, Dr. Beverley Malone.
On December 10, I participated in a virtual meeting with the office of Sen. Corey Booker. Also in attendance were Senior Vice President David Baime, New Jersey Council of County Colleges President Aaron Fichtner, and Western Governors University Senior Vice President & Executive Dean of the Teachers College Dr. Mark Milliron. Later in the day, I participated in a call with one of our corporate partners, the American College of Education, to discuss the status of their relationship with AACC.
On December 9, I convened a virtual meeting of all AACC staff. Later in the day, I joined members of The Six for a virtual meeting.
On December 7, I participated in a call with AACC Board Chair Dr. William Serrata and Past Board Chair Alex Johnson to discuss our participation in a series of calls with the Biden-Harris Education Transition Team. Joining me for the call were Senior Vice Presidents David Baime, Mary Heiss, Dr. Martha Parham, Jen Worth, and Chief of Staff Dr. Angel M. Royal. Later that day, I participated in a podcast on stackable credentials for AACC Community College Voice podcast. Lastly, I participated in a call with the Biden-Harris Education Transition Team to discuss higher education priorities.
On December 4, I participated in a Zoom meeting of the Washington Higher Education Secretariat.
On December 3, at the request of Howard University Professor Cristobal Rodriguez, Dr. Angel Royal and I were pleased to speak to doctoral students regarding my professional journey and organizational considerations for community colleges post-pandemic.
On December 2, I participated in Zoom meetings with members of my Executive Leadership Team to receive updates and discuss several of their priorities.
On November 20, I participated in a virtual meeting of the Washington Higher Education Secretariat. Later in the day, I participated in a virtual interview with Dr. George Boggs for his doctoral class at Kansas State University. I ended the day by participating in a virtual meeting with the Biden-Harris Education Transition Team
On November 19, I was invited by Tallahassee Community College (TCC) President Jim Murdaugh to provide a virtual presentation to TCC’s Commission on Race and Equity.
On November 18, I participated in the weekly virtual meeting of The Six.
On November 17, I participated in a virtual meeting of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Strong Advisory Board.
On November 13, I participated in a virtual meeting of the AACC Board of Directors. Later in the day, I met with National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities President Barbara Mistick.
I was pleased to provide an update to members of AACC’s Coalition of Affiliated Council’s on November 16 during its virtual fall meeting.
On November 12, I joined AACC Board Chair Dr. William Serrata in convening a virtual meeting of AACC’s Executive Committee. Later, I participated in a virtual meeting of The Six.
On November 11, I traveled to Washington, DC, to check out AACC’s physical office, which has been closed since earlier this year. AACC staff have been working remotely to serve our members since the pandemic orders were issued.
On November 10, I convened a virtual meeting of my Executive Leadership Team. Later in the day, I participated in the virtual meeting of the Commission on Small
On November 6, AACC Board Chair Dr. William Serrata and I convened a call of the AACC Board of Directors to discuss the status of the 2020 general election. Our external lobbyists, Capitol Hill Partners, provided the report and answered questions.

On November 3, I was pleased to participate as a part of a panel for the WCET Annual Meeting to discuss election implications for higher education and outlook.
On November 2, I participated in several virtual meetings. I met separately with AACC’s Senior Vice President of Workforce and Economic Development Jennifer Worth and Senior Vice President for Government Relations and Policy Analysis David Baime. I also had meetings with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown and AACC Board Chair Dr. William Serrata.
On October 8, I was invited along with Senior Vice President for Workforce and Economic Development Jen Worth to provide an update to the Texas Reskilling and Recovery Network regarding AACC’s work with the National Governors Association.
I was joined by AACC Board Chair William Serrata on October 2 to provide an update on AACC activities to the ACCT Board of Directors.
On October 1, I participated in recording a podcast for AACC’s Community College Voice focused on effective online teaching. Joining me for the podcast were CCSSE Executive Director Linda Garcia, League for Innovation President and CEO Rufus Glasper, and consultant/Senior Advisor to the President and CEO Kay McClenney.
On September 30, I was pleased to join Harvard Business School’s Professor Joe Fuller for his Managing the Future of Work podcast. We discussed the role of community colleges and the workforce. Later in the day, I convened a small group of community college leaders to discuss the upcoming election and community college priorities.
On September 25, I participated in a meeting of the Community College Survey of Student Engagement Advisory Board.
On September 23, I participated in a Zoom meeting with members of the Six.
On September 21, I was pleased to join my spouse, Dr. Aileen Bumphus, along with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College President Mary Graham and her spouse, Wayne, and Hennepin Technical College President Merrill Irving, Jr. and his spouse, Jose, for a webinar entitled, “Supporting the President.”
I participated in a pre-planning call for an upcoming podcast for Harvard Business School’s Managing the Future of Work program on September 17. Later that day, I tuned in to watch the webinar announcement of the 2020 Awards of Excellence program.
On September 15, I joined a phone call of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board to discuss the topics of the new normal and diversity, inclusion, and equity.
On September 14, I had the opportunity to visit via Zoom with California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Oakley, and I received several important updates on the CCCCO’s priorities. Later in the day, I met via Zoom with AACC’s external lobbyists for an update on Stimulus V funding.
On September 11, I participated in a meeting of the Executive Committee of the AACC Board of Directors.
On September 10, I signed in to watch the recognition of AACC’s 2020 Outstanding Alumni. Later in the day, I attended the virtual celebration of Montgomery College President DeRionne Pollard on her 10th Anniversary with the college.
On August 28, I participated in a work group meeting as a part of the Strada Center for Consumer Insights Advisory Board.
On July 30, I participated in a Virtual Apprenticeship Forum hosted by the U.S. Department of Labor.
On July 29, I participated in a phone call with The Six.
On Thursday, July 23, I was delighted to participate in a virtual meeting with officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to discuss ways that our two organizations could work more closely together. Joining me for the call were Senior Vice President for Workforce and Economic Development Jennifer Worth and Chief of Staff Angel M. Royal. We received a briefing from Administrator Joseph Ben-Israel. We have invited a member of the rural development team to speak to our board next week regarding the department’s priorities that have a focus on community colleges. Later in the day, I participated in a virtual meeting regarding the newly announced AACC/NGA project with Board Chair William Serrata, San Jacinto College Chancellor Brenda Hellyer, Dallas College Chancellor Joe May, and Texas Association of Community Colleges President and CEO Jacob Fraire. I was joined on this call by Senior Vice Presidents Jennifer Worth and David Baime, and Chief of Staff Angel M. Royal.
On Wednesday, July 22, I delivered a virtual keynote presentation to the Austin Community College Board of Trustees. The focus of the presentation was an update on community colleges in the COVID-19 era, and good to great boards. Later in the day, I participated in a call with The Six.
On July 20, I participated in a virtual meeting with a representative from IBM, as well as American Workforce Policy Advisory Board Members Sheree Utash and Jay Box, and Senior Vice President for Workforce and Economic Development Jennifer Worth to discuss learning employment records.
On July 9, I participated in a virtual call with College Promise Campaign Executive Director Dr. Martha Kanter.
On July 8, I participated as a speaker in a Black Male Presidents Roundtable via Zoom hosted by Rockland Community College President Dr. Michael Baston. Later in the day, I participated in a Zoom call with The Six.
On July 7, I participated in a Zoom call of The Six.
On July 6, I co-hosted a meeting of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors with ACCT President and CEO J. Noah Brown. The presenter was Dr. Joe May, chancellor of Dallas College. Dr. May shared the inclusive tuition approach that Dallas College has implemented to support the college’s equity and access mission.
On July 1, I was pleased to listen in to a webinar of our community college leaders with U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. The participants were Community College of Baltimore County President and Past AACC Board Chair Dr. Sandra Kurtinitis, Dallas College Chancellor Dr. Joe May, Hillsborough Community College President Dr. Ken Atwater, Ivy Tech Community College President Dr. Sue Ellspermann, and Los Angeles Community College District Chancellor Dr. Francisco Rodriguez.
On June 29, I co-hosted a meeting of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors with ACCT President and CEO J. Noah Brown. On June 30, I participated in a call of The Six. Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner, president and CEO of Phi Theta Kappa, along with two of her student officers: Lavada Burse, PTK International President from Grayson College in Texas, and Elena Wong, PTK International Vice President for Division III from Oakland Community College in Michigan. They discussed several PTK initiatives and how students are adapting in the COVID-19 environment.
On July 2, I participated in a virtual meeting of The Six.
On July 1, I joined a conversation between Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and several members of our association to discuss how community colleges are serving students during COVID-19. Participating in the call was Dallas Colleges Chancellor Joe May, Ivy Tech Community College President Sue Ellspermann, Hillsborough Community College President Ken Atwater, Los Angeles Community College District Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez, and AACC Past Board Chair and Community College of Baltimore County President Sandra Kurtinitis.
On June 30, I participated in a virtual meeting of The Six.
On June 29, I co-hosted a meeting of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown. Members of our two boards had the opportunity to hear from Executive Director of the College Promise Campaign Martha Kanter and Chair of the College Promise Advisory Board Noah Brown on the status of College Promise programs nationally.
On June 26, I participated in a virtual meeting of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board.
On June 25, I participated in a phone call with The Six.
On June 24, I joined the Commissions on Public Relations Advocacy and Advancement and Economic and Workforce Development to provide welcome comments. I also joined leaders of other higher education associations for a roundtable convened by U.S. Congressman Lipinski to discuss our sector’s concerns regarding COVID-19. Later in the day, I was pleased to join several of our member CEOs in a conversation with Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to discuss how our sector is serving students during COVID-19. Participants on the call included AACC Past Board Chair and President of Cuyahoga Community College Alex Johnson, AACC Board Chair and President of El Paso Community College William Serrata, AACC Board Member and President of Northern Virginia Community College Anne Kress, AACC Board Member and President of Laramie County Community College Joe Schaffer, AACC Board Member and President of Central Piedmont Community College Kandi Deitemeyer, and Former AACC Board Chair and President of Jackson College Daniel Phelan.
On June 23, I was pleased to join the Commission on Structured Pathways and provide welcome comments to commissioners via Zoom. Later in the day, I participated in a Zoom meeting of The Six.
On June 22, I co-hosted a meeting of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown. Members of our two boards had the opportunity to hear from faculty members regarding their current teaching experiences in the COVID-19 environment. A special thanks to Christine Arnold-Lourie from College of Southern Maryland, Vanessa Ferguson from Mott Community College, Therese Filicko from Clark State College, and Tracy McCoy from Midlands Technical College for sharing their experiences with us.
On June 19, I coordinated a meeting for Dr. Randi Cosentino, president of the U.S. Naval Community College with some of the regional accreditors to discuss the plans for this new institution. Special thanks for Southern Association of Colleges and Schools – Commission on Colleges President Dr. Belle Wheelan, Higher Learning Commission President Dr. Barbara Gellman-Danley, Middle States Commission on Higher Education President-Elect Dr. Heather Perfetti, and New England Commission of Higher Education Dr. Barbara Brittingham for participating in the call today.
I addressed the AACC Commissions on Research, Data and Accountability and Diversity, Inclusion and Equity on June 17. I also participated in a virtual call of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board.
On June 16, I spoke with a reporter from the New York Times. Later in the day, I was pleased to address the Commission on Institutional Infrastructure and Technology. I also participated in a virtual call of The Six.
On June 15, I co-hosted with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown a virtual convening of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors for the purpose of hearing from the CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, Johnny Taylor. Mr. Taylor spoke about employment trends in the COVID-19 environment.
On June 12, I was interviewed by Diverse Issues in Higher Education.
I had the opportunity to meet the new president of the U.S. Naval Community College, Dr. Randi Cosentino, via Zoom on June 11. In addition, I participated in a call with The Six.
On June 10, I had the opportunity to provide welcome comments to the AACC Commissions on College Readiness and Student Success via Zoom.
On June 9, I was pleased to address the AACC Commission on Small and Rural Colleges via Zoom. Later in the day, I participated in a Zoom call with The Six.
On June 5, I participated in a call of The Six.
On June 3, I hosted a virtual coffee and conversation with AACC Board members and members of the Presidents Academy Executive Committee to discuss the unrest and protests around the country in response to the murder of George Floyd. Later in the day, I participated in virtual meetings of the AACC Board Committees on Audit and Finance and Directors and Membership Services to handle critical board matters.
On June 1, I co-hosted with Association of Community College Trustees President and CEO Noah Brown a Zoom meeting of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors. We heard from NASPA President Dr. Kevin Kruger and Senior Director for the Center for First-generation Student Success Dr. Sarah Whitley to discuss the work of the center and to hear their thoughts on how to serve first-gen students during this COVID-19 era.
On May 28, I participated in a phone call of The Six to discuss the federal policy issues.
On May 27, I was delighted to join Southern Association of Colleges and Schools President Belle Wheelan for a podcast to discuss accreditation in the COVID-19 era and beyond.
On May 22, I convened my leadership team for our bi-weekly meeting. Later in the day, I received an update on our Expanding Community College Apprenticeships project from AACC Senior Vice President for Workforce and Economic Development Jennifer Worth and Executive Director of Apprenticeships Anne Hoeltke.
On May 21, I was pleased to participate in our Community College Voice Podcast series in a conversation with AACC Board Chair Alex Johnson, ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown, and ACCT Chair Dawn Erlandson.
On May 20, I participated in a phone call with The Six.
On May 18, I cohosted a Zoom call with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown for the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors. We were joined by Louisiana Community and Technical College President Monty Sullivan, New Jersey Council of County Colleges President Aaron Fichtner, and Virginia Community College System President Glenn DuBois. These state directors answered the following questions: How has your state been able to deal with the CARES Act Funding and subsequent guidance which was confusing for many at best? What are three key questions and challenges that you are dealing with since March 15 and the COVID-19 pandemic? How has your state addressed CTE programs during this pandemic? And What are key measures you are taking for colleges in your state to reopen offices? Later in the day I participated in a Zoom call with The Six.
On May 14, I received an update on the AACC Pathways project from Drs. Gretchen Schmidt, Kay McClenney and Ms. Sarah Cale. Later in the day I participated in a Zoom call with The Six.
On May 13, I participated in the College Promise Advisory Board Meeting convened by Dr. Martha Kanter and ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown, who serves as the chair of the group. Later in the day, I participated in a Zoom call with The Six.
On May 11, I co-hosted a Zoom call with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown for the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors. We received an excellent presentation from Dr. Nance Roy, president of the JED Foundation on the mental health of students in the COVID-19 environment.
I participated in a call with the Washington Higher Education Secretariat (WHES) on May 8.
On May 7, I participated as a panelist in a webinar, “Will Diversity Suffer after the Budget Crisis from COVID-19,” hosted by Diverse Issues in Higher Education. Later in the day I participated in a call of The Six.
On May 4, I co-hosted a Zoom call of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown. Cuyahoga Community College President and AACC Board Chair Alex Johnson, El Paso Community College President and AACC Chair-Elect William Serrata, Lansing Community College President and AACC Board member Brent Knight, Anne Arundel Community College President Dawn Lindsay, and Northern Virginia Community College President Anne Kress provided insights and strategies that they are putting in place or are considering in preparation to reopen their institutions. Later in the day I participated in a CC Voice podcast on college readiness and dual enrollment. I was joined by Dallas County Community College Chancellor Joe May, AACC Director Tammy Reichelt, and Superintendent Debra Kerr.
On April 30, I had a call with Lumina Foundation CEO Jamie Merisotis to provide updates on AACC’s work.
On April 27, I co-hosted a Zoom call of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown. The topics discussed included related technical instruction and considerations for reopening community colleges. Senior Vice President for Workforce and Economic Development Jen Worth and Lone Star College Chancellor Steve Head provided valuable information to those on the call. Later in the day, I hosted a virtual meeting of the AACC staff and I participated in a call of The Six.
I was pleased to attend a webinar on April 23, led by Director Kevin Christian on engaging diverse students in a swift transition to online teaching and learning. Later in the day, I participated in a phone call of the Six to discuss AACC’s priorities around COVID-19.
On April 22, I was joined by OADN CEO Donna Meyer for a podcast to discuss the state of nursing education.
On April 21, I was joined by AACC Senior Vice President for Workforce and Economic Development Jennifer Worth and Dr. Martha Parham to record a podcast on related technical instruction and the implications for moving these types of programs to an online format.
Also on April 21, I received communication from the U.S. Naval Community College (USNCC) on behalf of the new CEO Dr. Randi Cosentino to facilitate connections to regional accreditors. AACC continues to engage with USNCC as their leaders further develop their strategies for serving enlisted servicemen and women, as well as those individuals on their bases wanting to upskill.
On April 20, I co-convened a Zoom meeting of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown. Participants heard from ACE President and CEO Ted Mitchell regarding the Statement on Principles Acceptance of Credit and the higher education priorities before Congress. They also heard from Organization of Associate Degree Nursing (OADN) CEO Donna Meyer regarding the top issues impacting nursing programs related to COVID-19. Later that day, I recorded a podcast with AACC Senior Vice President for Public Relations Martha Parham on top-of-mind issues in the COVID-19 environment.
On April 17, Dr. Angel Royal and I participated in a Zoom call with AACC Board Chair Alex Johnson to plan for the board’s upcoming virtual meeting.
On April 16, I participated in a Zoom meeting of the National Advisory Board for the College Promise Campaign.
On April 13, I co-convened a Zoom meeting of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown. Participants on the call heard from National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA) CEO Kathleen Santora and Valencia College General Counsel and Past NACUA Chair Bill Mullowney regarding legal issues currently impacting community colleges, as well as the issues that colleges should be concerned about in the future.
I convened a Zoom meeting of members of the AACC Executive Leadership Team on Tuesday, April 7 and Friday, April 10.
On April 6, I co-hosted a meeting of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown to discuss the CARES Act and financial aid implications for community colleges. We were joined for this call by ACE Executive Vice President Terry Hartle, as well as NASFAA President Justin Draeger and Karen McCarthy.
On April 3, I participated in a conference call with Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor John Pallasch, and other members of the Department’s team to discuss our current ECCA program, and related technical instruction.
On April 1 and 2, I participated in calls with the Six.
I was pleased to join AACC Senior Vice Presidents David Baime and Martha Parham, and Associate Vice President Jim Hermes on a webinar to discuss the stimulus package for higher education.
On March 30, I cohosted a meeting of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown to discuss the impact that COVID-19 has on college accreditation. We were joined by SACS President Belle Wheelan and HLC President Barbara Gellman-Danley to discuss pass/no pass grades and other important items.
On February 20, I met with AGB Search Consultant Dr. Rod McDavis to receive an update on his work. (DC)
On February 11, I participated in a phone call with Organization of Associate Degree Nursing President Donna Meyer to receive an update on the status of nursing, and on February 12, I was pleased to speak with Community College Baccalaureate Association (CCBA) President Mike Hansen to receive an update on issues on which CCBA is focused. (DC)
On February 8, at the invitation of Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) President and CEO Noah Brown, Dr. Aileen Bumphus and I attended the ACCT Board of Directors dinner. The next day, I participated in meetings of the AACC Executive Committee and the AACC/ACCT Joint Executive Committees Meetings, which are held in conjunction with the National Legislative Summit. (DC)
On February 3, I was joined by Dr. Angel Royal for a meeting with Strada Education Network CEO Bill Hansen and Executive Vice President Carol D’Amico to discuss our organizations’ priorities. Strada Education Network has been a longtime AACC supporter and corporate partner. (DC)
I attended a meeting of The Six on February 4, and later in the day I participated in a phone call with Assistant Secretary of Labor John Pallasch. (DC)
On January 28, I was pleased to join National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities President and CEO Barbara Mistick for dinner to discuss ways that our organizations might work more closely together. (Washington, DC)
On January 21, I provided a keynote presentation and served as a member of a panel addressing participants in our FLI at WDI meeting. (Amelia Island, FL)

2019

On October 29, I attended the College Promise National Advisory Board Meeting. (DC)
On October 28, I met with National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) President and CEO Dr. Barbara Mistick to welcome her as a colleague to The Six. (DC)
I was pleased to meet with members of the California Student Aid Commission on October 23 in the AACC office. (DC)
On October 21, AACC Senior Vice President Jen Worth and I joined the Swiss Ambassador and Mrs. Pitteloud for dinner at the Embassy of Switzerland to discuss ways that Switzerland could work more closely with AACC to advance apprenticeships and other workforce development initiatives. (DC)
I traveled to San Francisco, California, to provide an update to the ACCT Board of Trustees during its board meeting, and to participate in AACC’s Executive Committee meeting on October 16.
On October 8, I attended the Washington Higher Education Secretariat meeting and participated in a panel discussion with APLU President and CEO Peter McPherson and AASCU President Millie Garcia on the topic of Changes in the College Presidency. (DC)
October 7–9, I was pleased to present to the AACC John E. Roueche Future Leaders and Future Presidents Institutes. (DC)
On October 2, I was pleased to welcome and provide an association update to members of the AACC Corporate Council. (DC)
On September 18, I attended a meeting of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board where we received recommendations for four workgroups. (DC)
On the morning of September 11, I had breakfast with the President of Association of Public and Land Grant Universities, Dr. Peter McPherson, to talk about potential collaborative efforts between our two associations. (DC). I also conducted final interviews for individuals under consideration for positions in the association’s membership services area. (DC)
On September 4, I hosted the third Unfinished Business Meeting for seasoned CEOs, representatives from trustee associations, and state associations. (DC)
I met with representatives from the Omidyar Foundation on August 27 to discuss ways in which our two organizations might partner. (DC)
On August 26, I had an opportunity to meet with Dawn Sweeney, CEO of the National Restaurant Association, to discuss our organizations. CEO Sweeney and I served on the President’s Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion. (DC)
On August 22, I participated in a phone call of the advisory board for the Community College of the Air Force. (Washington, DC)
On August 19, I participated in a webinar for the Alliance for Excellent Education on improving low college persistence rates among students of color. (Washington, DC)
August 6–9, I participated in the AACC new board member orientation, board retreat, and board meeting (DC).
On July 24, I participated in a meeting on the National Advisory Board for America’s College Promise. (DC)
On July 12, I traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, for the annual Presidents Academy Summer Institute.
On June 25, I joined senior officials from the Department of Labor in announcing the recipients of the Scaling Apprenticeship Through Sector-Based Strategies grants. In addition, I provided remarks during a roundtable hosted by Dallas County Community College Chancellor Joe May. (Dallas, TX)
On June 18, I participated in a meeting of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board via conference line. (DC)
On June 17–20, I delivered several presentations to participants in the AACC John E. Roueche Future Leaders Institute and the Future Presidents Institute. (DC)
I attended a meeting of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board’s subcommittee, Modernize Campus Recruitment, on June 13. (DC)
On June 11, I convened a meeting of the association’s Executive Leadership Team. Joining us for the meeting were staff members from the White House Office of Drug Policy and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. (DC)
On June 10, I provided a welcome and facilitated introductions at our annual Advocates in Action program. (DC)
On June 4, I participated in a phone call with members of the Six. (DC)
On May 28, I met with EAB Vice President Tom Sugar to receive an update on the company’s priorities. EAB is an AACC Platinum Circle partner. (DC)
On May 9, I had breakfast with U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Alex Acosta and Johnathan Holifield, executive director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. (DC)
On May 6, I recorded a message commemorating the retirement of one of our long-time members and a former member of the AACC Board of Directors, Dr. Michael Chipps, president of Northeast Community College. (DC)
On April 23, I was pleased to interview two finalists for positions in support of our Expanding Community College Apprenticeships initiative. (DC)
I attended the AACC Annual Convention from April 13-16 in Orlando, Florida.
I attended the retirement celebration of the Association of Governing Boards (AGB) CEO Rick Legon on April 4. (DC)
On April 1, I attended the reception honoring Aspen Prize finalists, and the following day, I attended the event announcing the winners of the 2019 Aspen Prize in Community College Excellence. (DC)
I provided a keynote presentation to participants of the Guilford Technical Community College Leadership Academy on March 27 via the Web. (DC)
AACC staff and I met with representatives from the National Restaurant Association and its educational foundation on March 21.
On March 13, I was pleased to bring greetings to seven delegates from the U.S. Department of Higher Education and Training in South Africa visiting the AACC Office to learn more about U.S. community colleges.
On March 6, I attended the first meeting of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board.
On March 4, I also recorded a video message to congratulate Wayne County Community College District Chancellor Curtis Ivery on the naming of the Dr. Curtis Ivery Central Education Complex. (DC)
On March 4 and 5, I met with representatives from IBM, Lincoln Electric, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman to hear about the great things they are doing in the apprenticeship space. (DC)
On February 26, I traveled to New York for the League for Innovation’s annual conference.
On February 10–13, I attended the National Legislative Summit in Washington, DC.
I met with Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos (center) on February 6. Joining us were Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education Scott Stump, AACC Chief of Staff Dr. Angel Royal, and Principal Deputy Under Secretary Dr. Diane Auer Jones.
On January 28, I traveled to San Diego to participate in the AACC John E. Roueche Future Leadership Institute as well as the WDI.
On January 18, I was pleased to meet with NASPA President and CEO Dr. Kevin Kruger and the Senior Director of the Center for First-Generation Student Success Dr. Sarah Whitley to discuss a partnership that focuses on identifying programs and services for first-generation students offered in community colleges. Joining me for the meeting were AACC Senior Vice President Mary Heiss, Associate Vice President Kent Phillippe, and Chief of Staff Dr. Angel Royal.
On January 8, I met with Dr. Casey Sacks, deputy assistant secretary for community colleges in the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education, at the AACC offices. Joining us were AACC’s Jen Worth, Tammy Reichelt, Mary Heiss, Kevin Christian, and Wayne Wheeler.

2018

On December 5, I provided a keynote presentation on the pathway to the community college presidency to the CoopLew Chief Diversity Officers Conference. (DC)
On December 3, I hosted the first Unfinished Business meeting to discuss ways that community colleges can close the equity gap. (DC)
On November 30, I traveled with Dr. Angel Royal to Raleigh, North Carolina, to meet with officials from the John M. Belk Endowment to provide them with an overview of community colleges along with AACC’s current priorities.
Senior Vice President Mary Heiss, Senior Program Associate Kevin Christian, and I met with representatives from the Human Rights Campaign on November 29 to discuss the potential for collaboration. (DC)
On November 28, Dr. Angel Royal and I met with Dr. JoAnn Canales, chair of the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education, to learn more about the organization. Later that day, I attended a meeting of the College Promise National Advisory Board. (DC)
On November 26, Senior Vice President David Baime and I joined California Community Colleges’ Chancellor Eloy Oakley and members of his team for dinner. It was wonderful to catch up on all of the excellent work taking place in California’s two-year colleges. (DC)
On November 8 and 9, I attended the Organization of Associate Degree Nursing Conference in Philadelphia.
On November 7, I also participated in a phone call of the Six to discuss a unified approach to several pending legislative issues that may potentially impact our sector. (DC)
On November 5, I met with Aspen Institute Vice President Josh Wyner to discuss several initiatives that our organizations are working on. (DC)
On November 2 and 7, I participated in podcast recordings for the Community College Voice, AACC’s podcast. (DC)
I traveled to Baltimore on November 1 to provide a welcome to attendees the AACC Regional Pathways Workshop.
On October 30, I was pleased to join Strada’s Executive Vice President Carol D’Amico for a breakfast meeting to discuss ways our two organizations can work more closely together. (DC)
On October 24–25, I attended the ACCT Annual Congress in New York, NY. While there, I was pleased to participate in a meeting of the AACC Executive Committee, convened by Board Chair Sandra Kurtinitis.
On October 11, I attended and was pleased to make a few comments at a special event hosted by Excelencia in Education focused on building momentum for Latino student success. (DC)
On October 10, I traveled to New Orleans, LA to moderate a panel entitled, “Work-based Learning is Working,” as a part of the ACT Workforce Summit. ACT is a longtime AACC corporate partner.
On October 2, I attended a meeting of the Washington Higher Education Secretariat, the Six, and a meeting with the Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions (C-RAC). (DC)
On September 17, I had the pleasure of meeting with Ellucian CEO Laura Ipsen and Associate Vice President Marcia Daniel in Washington, DC. Ellucian is one of AACC’s longtime corporate partners.
On September 13, I spoke via telephone with North Carolina Community College System President Peter Hans to get a status on Hurricane Florence preparations. Later in the day, I also spoke with Central Piedmont Community College President Kandi Deitemeyer to check on her status related to the impending hurricane. (DC)
From September 9 – 11, I provided several presentations to participants in the AACC John E. Roueche – Future Leaders Institute and the Future Presidents Institute (DC).
On September 7, West Virginia University at Parkersburg President Cristopher Gilmer stopped by the AACC offices. Later in the day, we received a visit from Polk State College President Angela Falconetti (DC)
On September 6, I hosted a meeting with Association of Public and Land-grant Colleges CEO Peter McPherson to discuss a new APLU project being funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Also in attendance for the meeting were Senior Vice Presidents Mary Heiss, Martha Parham, and Program Associate Kevin Christian (DC).
On August 28, I was delighted to meet with Scott Stump, assistant secretary for career, technical and adult education and assistant secretary for planning, evaluation and policy development, and Dr. Michael Wooten, acting assistant secretary and deputy assistant secretary to learn more about the priorities for the U.S. Department of Education. Also in the attendance at the meeting were AACC staff members Dr. Angel Royal, Mary Heiss, Wayne Wheeler, and Kevin Christian. Earlier in the day, I met with ACE President and CEO Dr. Ted Mitchell and other Six members to provide an update on the AACC office relocation. (DC)
On August 15, I was delighted to tape a video for the U.S. Department of Labor in recognition of the upcoming Labor Day Holiday celebration. (DC)
On August 14, I was pleased to meet with representatives from Apple to discuss ways that our two organizations might partner. (DC)
From August 7 to 10, I participated in the Annual AACC Board of Directors’ retreat and the first meeting of the fiscal year. (DC)
On August 2, I attended a recognition event hosted by the Community Disciples of Princeton, in my hometown of Princeton, Kentucky, to celebrate my accomplishments. In addition to family and friends from the local community, I was pleased to be joined by presidents of Hopkinsville and Owensboro Community Colleges and the vice president for Madisonville Community College.
On July 31, I was pleased to meet with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross (Washington, DC).
On July 24, I traveled to Traverse City, Michigan, for the Michigan Community College Association’s (MCCA) Summer Conference where I provided presentations to the Council of Presidents and the MCCA Leadership Academy, and I received a special recognition award at the closing luncheon.
On July 21-24, 2018, I traveled to Dana Point, California, to attend the Presidents Academy Summer Institute.
At the invitation of Ivanka Trump and Secretary Wilbur Ross Jr., on July 18, 2018, I attended a dinner hosted in Washington, DC by US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, Jr. and his wife, Hilary Geary. The event was held in advance of President Trump’s signing of the Executive Order on the President’s National Council for the American Worker.
I was in Detroit, Michigan, June 28-29 for the Urban Summit, hosted by Wayne County Community College District.
On June 14, I participated in our annual Executive Committees Transition phone call between our board’s outgoing and incoming chairs and executive committee members.
Dr. Angel Royal and I traveled to the Community College of Baltimore County – Essex Campus to meet with incoming Board Chair Dr. Sandra Kurtinitis to discuss the upcoming board year. And, later the same day, I provided a welcome to attendees of the AACC Developmental Education Redesign Institute in Baltimore.
On June 13, I spoke with graduate students in the National American University Community College Leadership Program via webinar.
On May 16–17, I attended the Community College Study for Student Engagement’s National Advisory Board Meeting in Austin, TX.
I attended a breakfast meeting with Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association, on May 9 to discuss ways that our two organizations can work together.
On May 7, I attended a breakfast meeting with National League of Nursing CEO Dr. Beverly Malone to discuss several issues related to nursing and nursing program accreditation.
April 28–May 1, I wrapped up my participation at the 98th Annual Convention.
I provided greetings to Education Policy Fellowship Program students from Alabama and Mississippi visiting DC on April 9.
On April 4, I provided greetings at the closing meeting of the Appalachian Regional Commission for its Industry Informed Infrastructure (I3) Project (DC).
On April 3, I attended meetings of the Washington Higher Education Secretariat and The Six. (DC)
On Friday, March 30, I had a breakfast meeting with the National League of Nursing President and CEO Beverly Malone (DC).
On March 28, I participated in a planning call for a session with other members of the College Promise Campaign, which will take place at the AACC Annual Convention (DC).
On March 26, I moderated a presidents’ panel at the 12th Annual Black, Brown and College Bound Conference hosted by Hillsborough Community College (FL).
On March 17, I participated in the NACUBO meeting and provided a speech on the key economic challenges for community colleges (DC)
On March 14, I attended a meeting of the President’s Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion (DC)
On March 13, I provided greetings to the Texas Congressional Delegation (DC)
I greeted an international delegation from Georgia, brought to the AACC office by the State Department’s IVLP program on March 7 (DC)
On March 6, I participated in the monthly meetings of the Washington Higher Education Secretariat and The Six (DC)
On February 12, I participated in a College Promise convening hosted by Civic Nation (DC).
I participated in the National Legislative Summit from February 11–14 (DC).
On February 6 I attended a meeting of the Washington Higher Education Secretariat. Later in the day, I participated in a conference call of the President’s Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion (DC).
From January 30 to February 1, I attended the AACC Workforce Development Institute in New Orleans, Louisiana.
On January 29, I attended a luncheon meeting of The Six to welcome new AASCU President Millie Garcia, and later I traveled to the Rayburn House Office Building to participate in a joint interview with Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (DC).
On January 23, I participated in a panel discussion with Drs. Judy Miner and Sandy Shugart at the 10th Community College Conference on Legal Issues in Orlando, Florida.
On January 19, I was joined by AACC Chief of Staff Angel Royal, Senior Vice President David Baime and Associate Vice President Jim Hermes for a meeting with ACE President Ted Mitchell. (DC)
On January 16, I met with staff from the Australian Embassy to discuss the work that they are doing with apprenticeships. (DC)
On January 10, I participated in a Skype conversation with President of the Saudi Arabia Community Colleges Dr. Waleed Al-Numay to discuss possible collaborative efforts between our two associations. (DC)
I was pleased to welcome NAFSA Executive Director and CEO Dr. Esther Brimmer to the AACC office to discuss ways that our two organizations might work more closely together. (DC)
On January 4, I participated in the first meeting of the Education and Credentialing subcommittee, which is a subcommittee of the President’s Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion.

2017

On December 15, I attended the White House Christmas party, and the retirement celebration for American Association of State Colleges and Universities President and CEO Muriel Howard.
On December 7, in Philadelphia, I provided the closing keynote address to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education Annual Conference.
On December 6, I joined members of the New Jersey Council of Presidents for their meeting in Philadelphia. I was presented with the New Jersey Spirit Award.
On December 4 and 5, I provided presentations to the John E. Roueche Future Leaders Institute participants in Washington, DC.
On November 29, I met with Pierpont Community & Technical College President Dr. Johnny Moore and Vice President Stephen Leach to receive an update on the work that the college is doing (DC).
November 15-17 – AACC held its Fall Meeting.
November 13 was the first meeting of the President’s Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion.
November 12-13, I participated in the AACC-AASA meeting on college readiness in Washington, DC.
November 7 – I attended meetings of the Washington Higher Education Secretariat and The Six (DC)
November 6 – Dr. Angel Royal and I met with Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) President Sue Cunningham and Director of the Community College Center of Advancement Marc Westenburg to discuss ways that CASE can more fully support community colleges (DC)
I met with business and industry leaders from Northrup Grumman, IBM, and Lockheed Martin on October 30. (Washington, DC)
On October 27, members of the AACC Executive Leadership Team and I participated in a breakfast meeting with new SUNY Chancellor Kristina Johnson and members of her team. (Washington, DC)
On October 26, members of the AACC Executive Leadership Team and I welcomed AAC&U President Lynn Pasquerella and Greenfield Community College President Bob Pura to our offices to discuss partnership opportunities. (Washington, DC)
On October 25, I attended the College Promise Board Meeting. (Washington, DC)
I traveled to Baltimore, Maryland, on October 16 to provide a keynote presentation to participants of the NCBAA Carolyn Grubbs Williams Leadership Institute, and the Thomas Lakin Institute for Mentored Leadership.
On October 13, I traveled to Cleveland, Ohio, to provide a keynote presentation to the National Council of Student Development’s Walter G. Bumphus Leadership Institute.
On October 12, I participated in the first conference call of the Executive Committee for the America’s College Promise Campaign.
On October 10, I provided a presentation to the National Alliance for Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships’ conference in Washington, DC.
I spoke at an AACC-hosted congressional briefing on Capitol Hill on October 5.
On September 21, I was pleased to welcome Snead State Community College President Robert Exley and National Junior College Athletic Association CEO/Executive Director Christopher Parker to the AACC offices. (Washington, DC)
I attended a dinner at the residence of the Swiss Ambassador Dr. Martin Dahinden on September 19 to meet with experts on Swiss vocational education. (Washington, DC)
On September 15, Dr. Angel Royal and I traveled to Chicago to meet with City Colleges of Chicago Chancellor Juan Salgado.
On September 7, I met with Ellucian’s Acting President Kevin Boyce and Associate Vice President Marcia Daniel to get an update on the company’s priorities. Ellucian has been a longtime supporter of the Association, and is currently a Platinum Circle Partner in our corporate program. (DC)
I participated in a conference call with members of The Six on August 31 to discuss a unified responsive to supporting colleges and universities impacted by Hurricane Harvey. (DC)
On August 24, I was pleased to co-host a meeting with Excelencia in Education with members of the Washington Higher Education Secretariat to discuss ways that colleges and universities are serving Latino students.
Monday, August 21, I was pleased to host SUNY Senior Vice Chancellor Johanna Duncan-Poitier to the AACC offices for a meeting.
On August 2, I attended the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Advisory Council meeting in Baltimore, Maryland.
On July 26, members of the AACC leadership team and I hosted doctoral students from the University of Mary Hardin Baylor at the association’s office.
From July 22 to 25, I attended the annual Presidents Academy Summer Institute meeting in New York City.
On July 18, I attended a meeting with Rep. Brett Guthrie at the Rayburn Office building.
On July 12, I participated in an interview on Guided Pathways at the Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin.
I presented at AACC’s John E. Roueche Future Leaders Institute and the Future Presidents Institute on June 25 and 26 in Washington, DC.
On June 14, I was pleased to attend a reception on Capitol Hill for the Community College Innovation Challenge finalist teams.
I attended AACC’s Advocates in Action meeting in Washington, DC, June 12-13.
On June 7, I provided a keynote address as a part of the Dubois Lecture Series to Old Dominion University doctoral students. (DC)
On June 1, I delivered a pre-recorded message to the attendees of the Florida Council of Presidents Meeting (St. Augustine, FL)
On May 25, I was pleased to deliver the commencement address at Prince George’s Community College (Largo, MD)
On May 12, I delivered the commencement address to the graduates of Labette Community College (Kansas).
I also joined Board Chair Dan Phelan in attending the CCSSE Advisory Board meeting on May 10-11. CCSSE continues to do an excellent job of chronicling student engagement in the nation’s community colleges (Austin, TX).
On May 5, I was pleased to deliver the commencement address to Hillsborough Community College’s class of 2017. (Tampa, FL)
On May 2, I attended a meeting of the Secretariat and The Six. (Washington, DC)
On April 26, AACC, along with ACCT, was delighted to host Los Angeles Community College District Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez and members of his board to discuss ways that we could work more closely together. (Washington, DC)
I will be at the AACC Annual Convention, April 22-25, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
On March 24, I met with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown to discuss collaboration on several leadership initiatives. (DC)
I was pleased to attend the announcement of the Aspen Prize winner on March 14 in Washington, DC. Of note, Odessa and San Jacinto Colleges, led by two AACC board members were identified as Rising Stars.
On March 13, I attended a meeting of the search committee charged with identifying the next president of the American Council on Education (DC).
On March 9, I traveled to my alma mater, Murray State University, to give a Presidential Lecture on, “We Have a Dream, Are we Living it?” (Murray, KY)
I was pleased on March 8 to welcome to the AACC Office, new president Johnnie Moore, Pierpont Community & Technical College for a visit. (Washington, DC)
On March 7, I attended a meeting of the Washington Higher Education Secretariat, which received a presentation to Civitas CEO Mark Milliron (Washington, DC)
On March 3, the AACC staff and I welcomed doctoral students from the University of Maryland University College to the AACC offices. (Washington, DC)
From February 13–16, I attended the National Legislative Summit. I also met with new presidents Kandi Deitemeyer and Ann Rondeau during their trips to DC.
In DC on Friday, February 10, I addressed the National Alliance of Community and Technical Colleges conference via Skype.
In DC, on February 8, Phi Theta Kappa President and CEO Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner visited the AACC offices to provide me with an update on the new PTK strategic plan.
In DC, on February 6, I attended a meeting of The Business Roundtable regarding the results from their Talent Survey.
In DC, on February 1, at the invitation of Dr. Jill Biden I joined her for a meeting to discuss the new Biden Foundation and how she might continue to support community colleges.
January 25-28, I’m at AACC’s Workforce Development Institute in Newport Beach, California.
On January 23, I met with representatives from Drexel University to discuss partnership opportunities.
On January 13, I attended an education listening session with President-elect Trump’s Transition Team (DC).
On January 12, I was joined by Chief of Staff Angel Royal in convening a meeting of our facilitators to discuss AACC’s leadership activities for the coming year. (DC)
On January 11, AACC hosted staff from APLU to discuss math pathways (DC).
I was pleased to join AACC Senior Vice President David Baime and members of his team on January 10 for a webinar with association members to discuss President-elect Trump’s transition.

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