The Fresno City College Presidential Search Committee has advanced four finalists for the position of presidency of the college. to be president of FCC since Dr. Ned Doffoney’s departure from the position last semester.
The finalists are Dr. Kay Adkins, Dr. Cynthia Azari, Dr. Lori Gaskin and Dr. Tina Ludutsky-Taylor, all distinguished women in education in their respective communities (one from State Center Community College District).
The candidates will appear in a public forum to be held on Thursday, November 13 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the FCC Health Science Building Forum Hall, Room 150.
After the public forum, the next step of the search process is for SCCCD Chancellor Thomas Crow and the Board of Trustees to weigh in on the candidates and decide which one best suits the needs of FCC.
According to the information contained in biographies of the candidates sent from Chancellor Crow’s office in an October 24 press release, the four women have vast experiences in the field of education.
Dr. Kay Adkins currently serves as Provost of Columbus State Community College in Ohio. Adkins has held various administrative positions in the Florida and the Illinois community college systems. Dr. Adkins received a doctorate in Educational Administration from Illinois State University. She earned a Master of Science Degree in Education and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education, both from Southern Illinois University
Dr. Cynthia Azari is the Vice Chancellor for Workforce Development and Educational Services at SCCCD. Prior to joining SCCCD, Dr. Azari served as President of Butler Community College in Butler, Pennsylvania. Dr. Azari has an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Seattle University, a Masters in Industrial Relation and a Masters in Education Administration from West Virginia University and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Government, with a minor in History from Houston College.
Formerly the Dean of Instruction at Lake Tahoe Community College, Dr. Lori Gaskin currently serves as Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Services. Dr. Gaskin holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts Degree in Geography from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Nevada, Reno.
Dr. Tina Ludutsky-Taylor serves as special adviser to the Office of Continuing Education and Workforce Development at Santa Fe Community College in New Mexico.
Prior to her appointment at Sante Fe, Dr. Ludutsky-Taylor was the Vice President of Front Range Community College’s Boulder County Campus in Longmont, Colorado. Dr. Ludutsky-Taylor received a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Education Administration and a Master of Arts degree in Guidance and Counseling from the University of New Mexico and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State University of New York College at Cortland.
SCCCD Chancellor Dr. Thomas Crow said FCC’s future president must have “strong leadership qualities; we want [the president] to be very visible on campus and in the community; we want them to certainly be committed to our goal of student success.”
