The current superintendent and president for Imperial Valley College has been offered the same job at College of the Desert in the Coachella Valley, it was announced Thursday.
The Desert Community College District Board of Trustees voted 3-2 to offer Martha Garcia the college’s top post following a nationwide search.
“We were pleased to meet three very strong finalists. I want to commend my fellow board members, for this was a difficult decision,” board Chair Aurora Wilson said. “Now, we will move forward and work together for the future success of the college.”
Garcia, who is expected to start her new job on Aug. 20, bested two candidates with strong Coachella Valley ties. Annebelle Nery currently works at College of the Desert, where she is the vice president of instruction and acting vice president of student services.
Monica Flores Pactol grew up in Palm Desert. She is now the vice president of instruction at Folsom Lake College in Northern California.
All three women were featured during a recent series of live forums at the Pollock Theatre on the college’s Palm Desert Campus. Each candidate was featured for 45 minutes, where brief introductions were given, followed by question-and-answer sessions.
Garcia earned a doctorate in education from San Diego State University. She also holds a master’s in educational counseling from National University and a bachelor’s in criminal justice administration from San Diego State University. Garcia, however, started her journey in higher education at the community college level, earning an associate degree from Imperial Valley College in Imperial County.
She has worked in California community colleges since 1999 and held several positions in student and academic services in that time.
In her time at Imperial Valley College, Garcia has “developed many categorically funded programs that focus on serving underrepresented students,” according to a COD statement.
She also has experience in grant writing, and has secured “more than $20 million to support the creation of innovative programs and services” using that skill, the college said.
Former Superintendent and President Joel Kinnamon retired March 31. He cited his desire to focus on family concerns related to his parents.
Jeff Baker, vice president of student services, took up the position of interim superintendent and president until a permanent replacement was found. By taking the interim position, Baker was not eligible for the permanent post, according to college officials.
Kinnamon joined the college in 2012 and has worked within multiple community college systems for more than 30 years. During Kinnamon’s tenure, full-time student enrollment shot up by 50%, according to the college. COD has additionally celebrated its largest graduating class in history in each of the last six years, the college said.
COD has expanded its Coachella Valley footprint since Kinnamon’s tenure began more eight years ago, with the opening and expansion of satellite campuses in Indio, Mecca and Desert Hot Springs.
A new campus is set to open in Palm Springs in the future, and the Indio campus is set to be expanded, officials said.