Quinsigamond Community College Presidential Search Finalists Announced

From QCC: Quinsigamond Community College Board of Trustees Chair Sue Mailman is pleased to announce the four finalists selected by the QCC presidential search committee:

• Peggy F. J. Bradford, J.D., Ed.D., Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs (Interim)/Chief Academic Officer, Westchester Community College, State University of New York, Valhalla, NY
• Sheila Harrity, Ed.D., Superintendent - Director, Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School District, Fitchburg, MA
• Almarie E. Munley, Ph.D., Dean/Director, Associate Professor & Subject Matter Expert, Hampton University and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Newport News, VA
• Luis G. Pedraja, Ph.D., Interim Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, Peralta Community College District - Berkeley City College, College of Alameda, Laney College, and Merritt College, Oakland, CA

Photos and bios of each candidate are attached.

QCC’s presidential search takes place as its current president, Gail E. Carberry, Ed. D. has announced her plans to retire following this academic year. Dr. Carberry leaves QCC after 10 years of service which resulted in the College doubling enrollment and the number of graduates as well as opening new locations in Southbridge, Marlborough, and Downtown Worcester.

The finalists will each spend time on campus meeting with faculty, staff and student representatives, senior college leaders, the Board of Trustees, and the Commissioner of the Board of Higher Education. Please see below for the schedule of Open Forums. The final interview will take place on Monday March 27, 2017 at which time QCC’s Board of Trustees will vote to select the candidate that they will recommend to the Commissioner and MA Board of Higher Education.

All members of the QCC community are invited to meet with the four finalists during a series of Open Forums. The forums will be open to the public and allow time for participants to ask questions of the finalists.

Those who attend the forums will be provided with a URL link to a survey through which members of the QCC community can offer their feedback on the candidates to the Board prior to their selection of QCC’s next president.

Open Forum Schedule (Please note that these meetings are open to the public):

Who : Peggy Bradford, J.D., Ed.D.,

When : March 20, 2017 from 11 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Where : Harrington Learning Center, Room 109 AB, 670 West Boylston Street, Worcester

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Who : Almarie Munley, Ph.D.

When : March 21, 2017 from 11 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Where : Harrington Learning Center, Room 109 AB, 670 West Boylston Street, Worcester

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Who : Sheila Harrity, Ed.D.

When : March 22, 2017 from 11 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Where : Harrington Learning Center, Room 109 AB, 670 West Boylston Street, Worcester

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Who : Luis Pedraja, Ph.D.

When : March 23, 2017 from 11 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Where : Harrington Learning Center, Room 109 AB, 670 West Boylston Street, Worcester

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For more information, please contact Josh Martin, Director of Institutional Communications, at 508.854.7513.

PEGGY BRADFORD, J.D., Ed.D.

Dr. Peggy Bradford serves as the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs (Interim)/Chief Academic Officer of Westchester Community College, SUNY. She has previously held several positions ranging from Vice President of Legal and Human Services(Resources) to Vice President of Academic Affairs. She was a full-time faculty member in Criminal Justice. Dr. Bradford has also served as adjunct faculty, dean and associate dean.

Under her leadership, Westchester Community College, which serves more than 24,000 students credit and non-credit, has undergone an academic transformation with the introduction of four new schools, the realignment of several programs to create new pathways for students, and the implementation of more than 200 new articulation agreements, including agreements with HBCUs. Dr. Bradford, who has oversight of 1,066 employees and a 65 million dollar budget, successfully led the college through its 2016 Middle States visit, worked with faculty and staff to create the first Academic Masterplan, served on the core team to implement multiple measures pathway to allow students to enter college level courses based on high school GPA, and provided resources and collaboration for technology tools for faculty and students (expanded degree works, Currilog, TaskStream, and Live 25), instituted college-wide programmatic assessment, and is a core member of the Achieving the Dream Network. She spearheaded the Strategic Enrollment Management Summit and worked with faculty and staff to garner a 4% increase in graduation rates in only 18 months, with 2016 being the largest graduating class in the college history. Recognized as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), the College has gained national prominence for its regional work in workforce development and middle skills curricula alignment.

Dr. Bradford was appointed to the State of Illinois Remedial Education Board, elected to the Faculty Senate, Chaired Labor and Employment Committee of Kane County Bar Association, selected as a Fulbright Scholar – Ghana, Africa and Oxford round table panelist Oxford England, served on the Ohio Department of Education Regional Advisory Council, Council of Undergraduate Research Social Sciences, and was a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys continuing education committee. Her colleagues elected her to the Maryland Association of Community College Academic Affairs organization as the Vice President and to the State Advisory Committee to Presidents on Performance Based Funding. Dr. Bradford is a peer reviewer and Evaluator for Middle States. In addition, her community outreach with past and present affiliations include Girl Scout Board of Directors, YWCA, United Way, National Association of College and University Attorneys, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Baltimore Regional Workforce Development Board, Excelencia in Education, Rotary, Sistah to Sistah Incorporated (a non-profit focused on increasing participation of underrepresented women in STEAM), and Westchester Women in Leadership Advisory board. She is also a licensed attorney and site consultant for the Lumina Foundation.

Dr. Bradford received her Doctor of Education in Leadership and Policy with a focus on Higher Education Administration – Community College Leadership from Northern Illinois University. Additionally, she holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Iowa, College of Law, a Master of Science Degree and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Administration of Justice from Southern Illinois University, and an Associate of Arts Degree from Shawnee College.

As an exemplary innovator and transformative servant leader, she focuses on student success, teaching and learning, community engagement, industry workforce needs, and strategic planning. Dr. Bradford was nominated by the Math department for Dr. Carol S. Russett American Council on Education Award 2016, received the Administrator of Excellence and Leadership Award from Elgin Community College, Administrator of Excellence Award Baltimore City Community College, Chair Academy, League of Innovation, and Native American Fellowship from Aurora University. Other honors include Urban Empowerment Workforce Development – Year- UP, Mandel Leadership Program, and charter member of Kappa Delta PI (International Honor Society in Education to foster excellence in education). Dr. Bradford is the liaison to the Board of Trustees for academic, workforce, community education programs and student services. She has presented locally, nationally, and internationally. She has published court opinions and articles in NISOD on community college issues.

She is the mother of three adult children and has been married for 31 years. Dr. Bradford has a passion for reading, shopping, traveling, the arts, basketball, and photography.

Dr. Sheila M. Harrity is the Superintendent-Director of Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School District and a former Principal at Worcester Technical High School, where she was named the 2013 Massachusetts Principal of the Year, and 2014 National High School Principal of the Year. In 2013, the school received the National Blue Ribbon School distinction for outstanding student achievement by the U.S. Department of Education and was the only high school in the nation in 2014 to host President Obama as a commencement speaker.

Her leadership at Worcester Technical High School, where almost 65 percent of the students were economically disadvantaged, was transformative. With an emphasis on
a personalized learning environment, Dr. Harrity implemented the Early Career and College STEM Innovation Plan. With over 350 industry and higher education partners, students at the school learned from project-based experiences with real-world applications. Graduates from Worcester Technical High School earned industry recognized certifications and credentials as well as college credits, which allowed students to graduate both college and career ready.

Currently, Dr. Harrity serves as the Superintendent-Director of Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School District. Monty Tech is the second largest regional vocational school in MA, serving over 1,400 students from two cities and sixteen towns. She manages a school district of 218 faculty and staff and a budget of over $26 million. In addition to the day program, she oversees the operation of the Monty Tech Continuing Education program with over 1,300 adults participating in educational courses and training and retraining programs for North Central MA. Dr. Harrity has implemented numerous reforms and improvements during her relatively short tenure at Monty Tech. Among the most prominent is the construction of a 7,500 square foot veterinary clinic that is being built primarily by the high schools students and staff. Moreover, Dr. Harrity solicited over $2.5 million in private sector dollars, grant funds, as well as in-kind donations, in order to support this construction effort.

Dr. Harrity is the Vice Chair of the MA Board of Higher Education, a member of the MA STEM Advisory Council Executive Committee, a board member of Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives, and was a committee member on Governor Baker’s Education Transition Committee.

Dr. Harrity received a B.A. in Social Work from Providence College, a M.Ed. in Moderate Special Needs from Assumption College, a M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education from Worcester State University, and a Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership from Northeastern University. In addition, she received 3 honorary doctoral degrees in recognition of her many contributions to the field of education from Becker College, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Worcester State University.

Almarie E. Munley, Ph.D. is a seasoned higher education administrator and a visionary leader with a keen sense for strategy and forward thinking . She possesses two decades of extensive experience in leading, designing, developing, and implementing educational programs in higher education, corporate, non-profits, and NGO’s and government agencies. Her commitment is to continue supporting community college systems, non-traditional programs, continuing education and workforce development opportunities for learning communities across the region. She is a respected scholar, consultant and educational leader among national, regional and global elected officials.

She has used her extensive networks to advance communities in their development. The programs launched during her years in higher education have significantly impacted the Hampton Roads region, organizations and communities across the US, Latin America and Asia. She has led country-wide projects for government agencies and NGO’s in Guatemala and Peru. She participated on the leadership team in a country- wide project managed by FUNDESA Guatemala “Educating the Indian Girl” (Educando a la Niña Indigena), a literacy program for young Indian girls. She was the project lead for the Youth Development Program of CONAJU Peru - a program to impact the leadership capabilities among young entrepreneurs of the Peru. At Hampton University's University College (HUUC), Dr. Munley is the visionary of the “Resource Hub for On Line Learning and Teaching Innovation” through HU Online; this hub was built with the support of a title III grant that funded the opportunity to increase faculty engagement, student persistence and enrollment in online learning platforms. As a subject matter expert, she is a resource higher education advisor for USAID, World Learning and the Research Triangle Institute, for the five-year USAID funded project for El Salvador Higher Education for Economic Growth Project (Proyecto de USAID de Educación Superior para el Crecimiento Económico). This project seeks to support and grow workforce development centers and programs for the region.

Community partnerships have also been a key to Dr. Munley’s leadership, including guiding the HUUC campus satellite and expansion for the establishment of the Hampton University Center for Hispanic Achievement and Training (HUCHAT) in Newport News, VA. She works with local and regional community leaders, public policy advocates, and lobbyists to grow the reach of higher education attainment among minority groups. Examples of other innovative community partnerships include the establishment of the Center for Latino Leadership (CLAL), which served local and national Latino leaders in support of higher education research and projects. Under her leadership, she reinstated the 2+2 agreements for HUUC, collaborating with Thomas Nelson Community College, and The Newport News Shipyard Apprentice School. In addition, she has built half a dozen non-degree certificate programs to serve the workforce demands of Hampton Roads, while building relationships with local corporations and centers to supply the need and to procure for resources.

Dr. Munley is an invited scholar and lecturer at several renowned universities across the globe, some to include: Hong Kong Polytechnic University, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Universidad Catolica de Portugal, University of St. Joseph-Macau and Universidad Francisco Marroquin-Guatemala. Her publication list includes books, articles, and academic- conference proceedings in support of non-traditional learning and programs, with particular emphasis in cross-cultural leadership, diversity in the workplace and women in a leadership role. Her research is published in the Journal of International Business Studies, Academy of Management Perspectives, and Journal of Soft Skills. Her most recent book is titled Leadership Behaviors and Top Management Teams.

Dr. Munley completed an appointment as a Fulbright Scholar 2010-2011 in Hong Kong at The Chinese University, Faculty of Business Administration, Department of Management, collaborating with faculty on research and also lecturing in Hong Kong, Korea and mainland China on various leadership and organizational topics. Born and raised in Guatemala, she earned her Ph.D. degree in Organizational Leadership at Regent University’s School of Global Leadership and Entrepreneurship; her M.A in Education from Regent University; her B.A in Psychology from the prestigious Universidad Del Valle de Guatemala.

LUIS G. PEDRAJA, Ph.D.
As a child, Dr. Pedraja emigrated from Cuba and grew up in a low-income Miami neighborhood. He became the first in his family to attend college; and he later earned a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. Focusing on Latino perspectives, Dr. Pedraja published books and articles exploring how understanding language and culture can promote intercultural dialogue and tolerance. In addition, he has published on higher education issues and best practices, including governance, assessment, strategic planning, and faculty and program development. He taught philosophy, ethics, and religious studies at the University of Puget Sound and Southern Methodist University, where he served as a division chair and faculty senator. After later becoming a dean and provost, Dr. Pedraja continued mentoring Latino graduate students and served as President of La Comunidad of Hispanic Scholars in his discipline. Dr. Pedraja advocates passionately for increased higher education access for all people, especially marginalized people who have been underserved historically by the American higher education system; and he has been quoted on this topic by media outlets including the Associated Press, Huffington Post, International Business Times, and Univision.

Currently, Dr. Pedraja serves as Interim Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs for California’s 35,000-student Peralta Community College District, where he leads faculty, staff, and administrators to develop innovative programs and ensure student success. From 2011-2016, Dr. Pedraja was Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Antioch University Los Angeles, a non-profit institution serving adult students with bachelor degree completion and professional graduate programs. Dr. Pedraja partnered with the Los Angeles Community College District and led Antioch’s creation of competency-based, hybrid, and online degree programs in applied studies, business, technology and criminal justice; those programs allow students to apply all community college and workforce development credits toward bachelor degrees. Dr. Pedraja also led the establishment of on-site bachelor degree completion programs at community colleges and an early college program at L.A. high schools. These innovative programs provide clear pathways to college for K-12 students in underserved communities, and help adult students achieve new professional goals and career advancement.

From 2004-2011, Dr. Pedraja served as Vice President for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. He advanced universal access to quality higher education by overseeing accreditation of community colleges and universities from New York to Washington, D.C., and in Puerto Rico. Dr. Pedraja also led the first program to grant American accreditation to foreign universities. Since then, universities in South America, Asia, and Europe have retained him for guidance on achieving American higher education standards. At Middle States, Dr. Pedraja also developed higher education policy and advocated strategic solutions to a range of challenges including financial, governance, and political crises. For instance, Dr. Pedraja was instrumental in resolving student protests at the University of Puerto Rico that had debilitated the entire university system for months. At the invitation of the Higher Learning Commission, Dr. Pedraja also successfully led a 2014 evaluation of Arizona’s Pima Community College District, which had been under probation for violations of multiple higher education standards.

Outside academic life, Dr. Pedraja has volunteered extensively with the American Red Cross Disaster Services and local emergency management. He has also served on non-profit boards and co-founded two non-profit organizations, one focused on animal rescue and the other on supporting cancer patients’ families. Dr. Pedraja lives in California with his wife and daughter.

Photos courtesy of QCC, Image via Pixabay