Everett Community College Reveals 3 Finalists For President Position

This week Everett Community College announced the three people in consideration for replacing outgoing President David Beyer.

Everett Community College’s Board of Trustees has selected three final candidates in the search for the college’s next president.

The board voted unanimously on March 19 to invite Warren Brown, Karin Edwards and Daria J. Willis to EvCC in April to participate in campus interviews and forums. Dates will be announced next week.

“EvCC conducted an extensive nationwide search for the college’s next leader. The three highly qualified finalists are accomplished leaders whose skills and experience best match the college’s future challenges and opportunities,” said EvCC Board Chairman Mike Deller.

The finalists are:

Warren Brown, Ed.D., is president of North Seattle College and the Seattle Colleges District vice chancellor for educational partnerships. He previously served as Seattle Central College’s executive vice president for instruction and student services. Brown earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and a doctor of education degree in higher education – curriculum and instruction from the University of Washington and a master’s degree in communication from Portland State University.

Karin Edwards, Ed.D., is president of the Cascade Campus of Portland Community College. She previously served as the chief student affairs officer at Three Rivers Community College (Norwich, Connecticut). Edwards earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degree in higher education administration from the State University of New York at Albany. She earned a doctor of education degree in educational leadership from Johnson & Wales University.

Daria J. Willis, Ph.D., is the provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Onondaga Community College (Syracuse, New York) within the State University of New York system. She previously served as dean of academic studies at Lee College (Baytown, Texas). Willis earned a doctorate in history from Florida State University. She earned her bachelor’s degree in history education and a master’s degree in history from Florida A&M University.

A 17-member presidential screening committee reviewed applications for the job, interviewed candidates and forwarded recommendations to the EvCC Board of Trustees for consideration.

The Board of Trustees reviewed the committee’s recommendation and all applicants’ materials before selecting the finalists.

EvCC Board Chairman Mike Deller is serving as chair of the presidential search. Chief Diversity and Equity Officer María Peña is the vice chair. Screening committee members included community members, faculty, staff and EvCC students.

Current EvCC president David Beyer announced in September that he plans to retire in June 2019 after 13 years leading the college. EvCC worked with the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Searches to conduct a national search. ACCT will continue to assist EvCC during the hiring process.

EvCC’s next president will lead an institution that educates more than 19,000 students per year at several locations throughout Snohomish County, with most students at the college’s main campus in Everett. In the past decade, EvCC has added more than $150 million in new construction.

For more information about the search process, visit EverettCC.edu/PresidentialSearch.