Two additional finalists were named this week to the open president’s position at Lone Star College-Montgomery.
In additional to finalist Dr. Julie Leidig, who had been selected earlier, the selection committee named Dr. Christal Albrecht and Dr. Austin Lane as finalists. Both went through the interview processes this week and attended candidate forums at the college.
The chancellor is expected to make an announcement on a finalist in the next few weeks.
Dr. Julie Leidig is currently the vice president for instruction at LSC-Montgomery, a position she has held since 2004. Prior to that, she worked for eight years at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Division of Community and Technical Colleges as director of instructional programs, assistant director of instructional programs and program director. She served as evening supervisor, Robbins Academy and faculty member at Austin Community College. She was at the University of Texas at Austin for six years as assistant to the director of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD); workplace literacy instructor/curriculum coordinator; and was training coordinator, division of housing and food service.
Dr. Leidig received a B.A. in political science from Syracuse University, a M.Ed. in adult education and human resource development and a M.A. in foreign education, and a Ph.D. in community college leadership, all from the University of Texas at Austin.
Dr. Christal Albrecht has served as the president of Pima Community College Desert Vista Campus, Tucson, Ariz. since January 2008. At Lone Star College-CyFair, she served as founding vice president for student learning from 2001 to 2007 and associate dean for college planning from 2000 to 2001. She was the associate dean for program development and evaluation at LSC-North Harris from 1998-2000 and the director of instructional programs at LSC-North Harris Carver Center from 1997-1998. She worked for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board from 1994-1997 as assistant director, workforce education course manual and program director: community and technical colleges division.
She taught as assistant professor at SUNY Jefferson Community College and The University of Texas Medical Branch, School of Allied Health Science; adjunct faculty at LSC-Kingwood and LSC-Tomball; and the Michael DeBakey High School for Health Professions, Shenandoah, Texas.
Dr. Albrecht holds an A.A.S., science laboratory technology, from SUNY Jefferson Community College, N.Y.; a B.S. in medical technology from Syracuse University, Utica College, N.Y.; a M.A. in medical technology and lab science from Norwich University, Vermont College; and an Ed.D. in allied health education and administration from the University of Houston.
Dr. Austin Lane has been vice president for student affairs at Tyler Junior College, Texas since November 2005. He served at the University of Texas at Arlington in a variety of capacities from 1996 to 2005 including: dean of students, assistant dean of students and director of student judicial affairs; and counseling specialist. He also serves as an on-site reviewer for SACS.
He has been a lecturer in the school of education, the University of Texas at Arlington and adjunct faculty in psychology at Tarrant County College-Southeast Campus.
Dr. Lane received a B.A. in psychology from Langston University, Okla.; a M.A. in human relations from the University of Oklahoma, Norman, Okla.; a Ph.D. in psychology from Walden University, Minneapolis, Minn.; and an Ed.D. in higher education administration from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
The search had been extended last month when one of the original finalists for this position – Dr. Audre Levy – was hired as the president of LSC-CyFair and another finalist had withdrawn his name from consideration.
The LSC-Montgomery presidential search advisory committee included: Chair, Dr. Donetta Goodall, vice chancellor, academic affairs and student success; faculty, Dr. Craig Livingston, professor history, faculty senate president, and Carol Girocco, professor associate degree nursing; student representative, Cecile Allemand, Phi Theta Kappa; PSSA, Christina Thibodaux, office coordinator; community representative, Karen Hoylman, president, South Montgomery County Woodlands Chamber of Commerce; system office, Dr. Lawrence Brandyburg, interim director, LSC-University Center; and staff, Janice Peyton, director libraries. Search liaison is Helen Clougherty, special assistant to the chancellor/board liaison.
The position at LSC-Montgomery was vacated in August when Dr. Tom Butler accepted a position as president of Victoria College in Victoria, Texas. Dr. Penny Westerfeld, a 30-year employee of LSCS, has been serving as interim president as the search was ongoing.
Lone Star College System consists of five colleges including LSC-CyFair, LSC-Kingwood, LSC-Montgomery, LSC-North Harris, and LSC-Tomball, six centers, LSC-University Center, Lone Star Corporate College, and LSC-Online. LSCS recently acquired a 1.2 million-square-foot facility in northwest Harris County to serve multiple purposes, including a new university center, an instructional satellite campus, a Corporate College conference and training facility, and system administration and support space. With more than 51,000 students in credit classes last fall, LSCS is the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area and third largest community college system in Texas. To learn more visit LoneStar.edu.
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