Presidential Search

Announcement of Final Candidate Schedule

Thank you for awaiting the announcements of our Presidential Candidate Finalists’ names and specifics regarding the schedules to meet with various stakeholders. Following is the Finalists’ schedule with room locations. The preference is that we fill the rooms with as many people who can attend in person.

In addition, everyone attending will have the opportunity to complete a survey regarding each finalist. The Board of Trustees will use this information in making a final decision on the successful candidate. The surveys are anonymous and will go to our search consultant, Pauly Group, for preparation for the Board’s review. The surveys will be unedited, and all comments will be included in the final report.

Finalists Information and Schedule

Dr. Tamara Daniel – Monday, March 31st

View Resume

Biography

Dr. Tamara Daniel is a first-generation college graduate who understands firsthand the power of education to transform lives. With over 25 years of leadership experience in the community college sector, she has dedicated her career to expanding access to education, strengthening workforce development, and fostering institutional growth through collaborative leadership and strategic innovation. She is deeply committed to advancing academic excellence by promoting high-quality instruction, student-centered learning, and data-driven decision-making that supports student success and institutional effectiveness. She believes in cultivating a collaborative institutional culture where individuals are valued, voices are heard, and collective contributions drive meaningful progress.

She currently serves as Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at Arkansas State University-Mountain Home (ASUMH). Her experience spans diverse institutions, from large urban community colleges with multiple campuses to midrange and rural colleges. She has served as Vice President for the College, Associate Dean of Academics, Executive Director of International Studies, Department Chair of Mathematics, and full-time tenured professor, equipping her with the adaptability to meet diverse institutional needs while embracing the unique culture of each institution. She holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Mathematics from The University of Mississippi, as well as a B.A. in Psychology.

Dr. Daniel is deeply committed to expanding access to education and creating seamless pathways for student success. She has strengthened K-12 partnerships to enhance dual enrollment and early college programs, ensuring high school students are prepared for both academic transfer and workforce opportunities. She has also led efforts to align academic offerings with regional workforce needs, developed prison education programs in business and advanced manufacturing, and expanded access through on-campus and online learning initiatives that support all students. Her leadership has secured over $15 million in external funding to support these efforts, providing resources for scholarships, student success programs, technology infrastructure, faculty development, startup funding for new academic programs, and Open Educational Resource initiatives. Through her work, she continues to break down barriers to education and create opportunities that empower students to achieve their academic and career goals.

As a servant-leader committed to institutional excellence, Dr. Daniel has a deep passion for student success, innovation, and institutional growth. Her ability to foster collaboration, drive strategic initiatives, and build strong community and industry partnerships has positioned her as an impactful leader in higher education. She remains dedicated to creating inclusive and accessible learning environments that support both students and the broader communities they serve. With a strong foundation in academic leadership, workforce development, and student- centered innovation, she continues to champion the mission of community colleges as engines of opportunity, economic mobility, and lifelong learning.

Dr. Todd Brand – Tuesday, April 1st

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Biography

Samuel “Todd” Brand has spent twenty-five years working in the field of higher education. Originally from Mendenhall, Mississippi, Dr. Brand is currently serving as Interim President and CEO of Big Sandy Community & Technical College in Prestonsburg, Kentucky. He is responsible for the overall administration of the college and its four campuses.

Prior to his service at Big Sandy CTC, Dr. Brand served for five years as Chief Academic Officer at Ashland Community & Technical College in Ashland, Kentucky, supervising all academic programs on three campuses. During his time in Ashland, the college was recognized by the Aspen Institute as one of the Top 150 Community Colleges in the U.S.

Dr. Brand also served in various positions at Meridian Community College in Meridian, Mississippi, including Division Chair of Fine Arts and Communication, Arts & Letters Series Director, communications faculty, and assistant men’s basketball coach. While at MCC, he also completed a Ph.D. program in community college leadership at Mississippi State University.

Dr. Brand began his career in media. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communication and a Master of Science degree in Communication from Mississippi College, he worked extensively in both television and radio. This included stints as on- air talent for both ESPN Radio and 16 WAPT TV in Jackson, MS.

From television and radio, Dr. Brand moved into the field of education, teaching and coaching in the K-12 system. At Brandon High School in Brandon, Mississippi, he helped lead the Bulldogs to a top 10 ranking, and he quickly moved to the community college level. Prior to working at Meridian Community College, he spent two years at East Central Community College in Decatur, Mississippi, where he served as communications faculty and as an assistant men’s basketball coach.

Dr. Brand has been the recipient of numerous awards during his career, including the PTK Distinguished Administrator Award, the Mississippi Humanities Professor of the Year Award at MCC, the Mississippi Alliance for Arts Education’s Distinguished Arts Service Award, and the Mississippi College Department of Communication’s Alumnus of the Year Award. Additionally, he has completed the Mississippi Community College Leadership Academy, the Institute for Educational Leadership’s Education Policy Fellowship Program, and the American Association of Community College’s Future President’s Institute.

Dr. Brand currently resides in Russell, Kentucky with his wife, Amy, and their youngest son Asher. Their oldest son Eli is enrolled in the nurse anesthesia program at Old Dominion University, and their middle son Noah is a freshman at the University of Southern Mississippi. The Brands attend Russell First Baptist Church in Russell, Kentucky. Dr. Brand is active in the community, as he serves as a boys basketball coach at Russell Middle School, as a member of the Marv Meredith Youth Basketball Board in Russell, as a past member of the Russell-Flatwoods Little League Board, and he is a member of the Paramount Players; an acting troupe housed at the historic Paramount Arts Center in Ashland.

Dr. Marc Malone – Wednesday, April 2nd

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Biography

Dr. Marc Malone has over 14 years of experience advancing education, student success, and workforce development within the Kansas Community College system. He is the current Vice President for Instructional Services and Chief Academic Officer at Garden City Community College (GCCC) in Garden City, KS, where he leads all instruction, workforce development, and institutional continuous improvement activities including accreditation.

Dr. Malone started in Kansas teaching full-time in English Composition, Literature, Creative Writing, and Speech at Cloud County Community College. Later he served as Department Chair and afterward Associate Vice President for Planning and Assessment and the school’s Accreditation Liaison Officer for the Higher Learning Commission.

After transitioning to Garden City Community College in 2019, Dr. Malone has worked in technical education, transfer education, and business and industry partnerships. Since 2019, Dr. Malone has led the work to add eight new technical program pathways identified by industry partners and local economic development agencies. These partnerships have brought new industry investment to southwest Kansas, including a large food processor with a total economic impact of approximately $500 million. Dr. Malone has also focused on the transfer student experience, implementing dual-advising partnerships and serving on the Kansas Board of Regents Transfer and Articulation Council (TAAC). As a result of this work, GCCC students continue to have the highest average number of successful transfer credits out of all Kansas community colleges.

Dr. Malone has also worked to oversee significant grant activities, bringing additional financial investment to community colleges. These include a Title III Hispanic-Serving Institution STEM grant, congressionally-directed spending, and multiple Rural Business Development Grants, including the grant that built Cloud County Community College’s solar energy farm for its Renewable Energy Technology program.

Dr. Malone holds a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration from the University of Kansas, a Master of Arts in English Literature from Iowa State University, and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and French from Illinois College. He was a participant in the Kansas Community College Leadership Institute in 2016 and has served on the Kansas Council of Instructional Administrators since 2019. Dr. Malone received the Instructor of the Year award from Cloud County Community College in 2014, the Board of Trustees award for Outstanding Student Service in 2018, the Phi Theta Kappa Horizon Award for Advisors in 2019. At GCCC he was nominated by faculty and staff as the representative for “Unwavering Integrity” on the Busters Values wall.

Dr. Gregory Nichols, Thursday, April 3rd

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Biography

Dr. Gregory A. Nichols is President and CEO of Salina Area Technical College. As a lifelong learner, he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Oklahoma, Master of Science from Emporia State University, and Doctor of Business Administration from Oklahoma Wesleyan University. He holds a post-graduate certificate in district-level leadership and teaching and superintendent licenses. Dr. Nichols began his career as a math teacher in Ness City, then moved to El Dorado to continue his teaching career. He began teaching in higher education at Butler Community College as an adjunct instructor. He then accepted a position at Cowley College as a math instructor earning the 2010 Outstanding Teacher Award and was later promoted to Associate Dean of Instruction. Dr. Nichols served as Vice President for Academic Affairs at Colby Community College, where he helped to move Colby Community College from probation status to fully accredited with the Higher Learning Commission - HLC. While at Colby, the college grew the online college 400 percent in three years.

Dr. Nichols became the second president at Salina Tech July 1, 2016. During his tenure, Salina Tech initiated various new programs including Early Childhood Education, Dental Hygiene, Nursing, Police Science, and Fire Science. Additional new programs added in 2024 include Industrial Maintenance and Automation and Pharmacy Technician. The college also expanded its relationships with area USDs to provide affordable general and technical education to area high school students. In addition, SATC partnered with the Kansas Army National Guard to promote synchronized training for soldiers. The college experienced significant growth since gaining HLC accreditation in November 2016, adding nearly 76 percent higher FTE over the past 8 years, 30 full-time employees, and growing the foundation assets 9 times the 2016 figures. Salina Tech is finalizing the $6 million Industrial Maintenance and Automation building, its largest expansion project since becoming independent.

Dr. Nichols is married to Melissa, who teaches math at Abilene HS, and they have four children: Samantha and husband Matt, Isaac and wife Jennifer, Gabriel, and Joelle and one grandchild Gentry.

Finalists will have the same schedule as follows:

Time	Group	Physical Location
7:30 - 7:55	Meet and Greet w/ Screening Committee	Hubbard Welcome Center Foyer
8:00 - 8:25	Travel to Andover Campus
8:30 - 9:45	Tour of Andover
10:00 - 10:45	Open Forum w/ Faculty and Staff	5000 Building - Kanza Room
10:45 - 11:15	Travel to El Dorado
11:30 - 12:30	Lunch w/ VPs	Welcome Center - Dankert Trustee Board Room
12:30 - 1:45	Tour of El Dorado Campus
2:00 - 2:45	Deans Council	Hubbard Welcome Center - 20-006/20-007
3:00 - 3:45	Open Forum w/ Faculty and Staff	Hubbard Welcome Center Clifford/Stone Community Room
4:00 - 5:00	Community / Business Partners	Hubbard Welcome Center 20-008/20-009
5:30	Board Dinner and Formal Interview	Hubbard Welcome Center - Dankert Trustee Board Room