Kathleen Plinske makes candidate list to serve as Valencia College president

  • Kathleen Plinske PHOTO/VALENCIA COLLEGE
    Kathleen Plinske PHOTO/VALENCIA COLLEGE

The president of Valencia College’s Osceola, Poinciana and Lake Nona campuses made the list of candidates for the school’s top administrator.

Kathleen Plinske, who also serves as executive vice president and provost, was one of seven candidates chosen by the Valencia College Presidential Search Committee, which recommended an unranked slate of semi-finalist candidates for president to the college’s District Board of Trustees.

The board unanimously approved the committee’s recommendations in its regular meeting.  

“I am pleased with the quality of the semi-finalist candidates, all of whom have broad leadership experience at state colleges or community colleges,” said Tracey Stockwell, who chairs the search committee and the Valencia College District Board of Trustees. “The search committee, as well as the college community, look forward to learning more about their unique backgrounds and perspectives.”

The other six candidates who will be invited for interviews are:

• Shah Ardalan, president of Lone Star College - University Park, Houston, Texas

• Donald Green, president of Georgia Highlands College, Rome, Ga.

• Charles Lepper, vice president of student affairs and enrollment management at Salt Lake Community College, Salt Lake City, Utah

• Margo Martin, vice president for academic affairs at College of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas, Nev.

• Lee Ann Nutt, president pf Lone Star College – Tomball, Tomball, Texas

• Anton Reece, president and CEO at West Kentucky Community and Technical College, Paducah, Ken.

Virtual interviews will be conducted by the search committee from Nov. 4-9. Materials submitted by the candidates can be reviewed here: https://valenciacollege.edu/employees/employment-at-valencia/presidential-search/semi-finalist-candidates.php

Following interviews of the semi-finalists, as well as town hall events with faculty, staff and students, search committee members will recommend a list of finalists to the Board of Trustees. The finalists will then participate in virtual interviews and in-person visits. The campus community and the public will have the opportunity to provide feedback on each of the finalists.

Valencia’s Board of Trustees will vote on the selection of the president at a special meeting on Dec. 18.