UPDATE: 4 Napa Valley College President Finalists Launch Pitches

UPDATE: Monday, April 22, 2013

Four finalists for superintendent/president of Napa Valley College are meeting today with the school's Board of Trustees for interviews.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, the candidates will conduct open public presentations at the college starting at 11:30 a.m. (see below for schedule).

The finalists are: Dr. Tod Burnett, Dr. Kimberlee Messina, Dr. Mary Kay Rudolph and Dr. Ronald Kraft.

The Board of Trustees is expected to announce its selection in early May.

ORIGINAL STORY: Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Four finalists for superintendent/president of Napa Valley College will be interviewed at public forums next week.

Dr. Tod Burnett, Dr. Kimberlee Messina, Dr. Mary Kay Rudolph and Dr. Ronald Kraft are set for a series of public forums running from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23.

A one-hour break will occur from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

The forums/interviews will be in the Main Theater of the Performing Arts Center on the Napa Valley College campus at 2277 Napa-Vallejo Hwy.

The finalists were chosen during a a national search launched in January by the college's Board of Trustees.

The college community worked with the Board of Trustees and a consultant in the fall of 2012 to identify the required and desirable qualifications for their next chief executive officer.

In the spirit of participatory governance and collaboration, the selection committee was comprised of board members, faculty, administrators, classified staff, students, and community members. 

The April 23 interviews are part of the second round of the selection process.

Following are the bios on the candidates: 

11:30 a.m.: Dr. Tod A. Burnett

Dr. Tod A. Burnett is currently serving as the President of Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, California.  Dr. Burnett has a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Southern California and a doctorate in organizational leadership from Pepperdine University.

In addition to serving in his current role for the past five years, Dr. Burnett previously served as: Vice Chancellor for California Community Colleges; Deputy Appointments Secretary for the Office of the Governor, State of California; Director of State and Local Government Relations for United States Environmental Protection Agency; Commissioner for the Los Angeles Board of Public Works; and a part-time applied psychology instructor at Saddleback College and part-time management instructor for the University of Phoenix.

Dr. Burnett also has business and finance work experience in the private sector.  He serves on several non-profit boards at the state and local levels. 

1:30 p.m.: Dr. Kimberlee S. Messina

Dr. Kimberlee S. Messina is currently serving as the Vice President of Instruction and Institutional Research at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, California.  Dr. Messina has a master’s degree in Spanish from California State University, Sacramento and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of California, Davis.  

In addition to serving in her current role for the past two years, Dr. Messina previously served as: Instructional Dean of STEM and Director of Study Abroad Programs at Santa Rosa Junior College; Interim Instructional Dean at Santa Rosa Junior College; full-time, tenured Spanish faculty member at Santa Rosa Junior College; full-time and part-time Spanish lecturer at University of California, Davis; and part-time Spanish lecturer at California State University, Sacramento.  Dr. Messina served two years as Academic Senate President at Santa Rose Junior College.

Dr. Messina also has human resources work experience in the private sector.   

2:30 p.m:. Dr. Mary Kay Rudolph

Dr. Mary Kay Rudolph is currently serving as the Vice President of Academic Affairs/Assistant Superintendent at Santa Rosa Junior College. Dr. Rudolph has a master’s degree in psychology from California State University, Sacramento and a doctorate in education and counseling psychology from the University of San Francisco.  She is also a licensed psychologist. 

In addition to serving in her current role for the past eight years, Dr. Rudolph previously served as: Dean of Technology Division, Corrections Program Coordinator, and tenured faculty member at Sacramento City College; Vice President of Learning for Northcentral Technical College in Wausau, Wisconsin; guest lecturer for Vantaa Polytechnic in Vantaa, Finland; visiting professor for Viterbo University in LaCrosse, Wisconsin;  and facilitator/instructor for YMCA Diversity Camp in Wausau, Wisconsin.  Dr. Rudolph has served one and one-half years as president of the California Community Colleges Chief Instructional Officers (CCCCIO) Association. 

Dr. Rudolph also served as a political action organizer and Deputy Probation Officer.  Her presentation is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.

3:30 p.m.: Dr. Ronald D. Kraft

Dr. Ronald D. Kraft is currently serving as the Interim Superintendent/President for the Napa Valley Community College District.  Dr. Kraft has a master’s degree in vocational (career technical) education from San Diego State University and a doctorate in higher education administration from Capella University.

In addition to serving in his current role for the past eight months, Dr. Kraft previously served as: President/CEO of Southern California University of Health Sciences in Whittier, California; President/CEO of Washington State Community and Technical College Alliance for Corporate Education in Bellevue, Washington; Special Assistant to the President/Vice President, Institutional Advancement at Lord Fairfax Community College in Middletown, Virginia; Director of Community Outreach Programs, Division Chair, and full-time and part-time business professor at Southwestern Community College in Chula Vista, California; Governing Board Member/President and part-time business professor at the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District in El Cajon, California; and full-time public school teacher at Grossmont Union High School District in San Diego County, California.

Dr. Kraft has served as an educational consultant and principal/executive consultant.  He has also served on several foundation boards.

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