College of the Desert names semi-finalists for Superintendent/President
PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – College of the Desert is down to four semi-finalists who advanced to the final stage in the search for the school's next Superintendent/President.
COD officials said they received 73 qualified applications from across the country following an extensive recruitment process conducted by AGB Search, LLC – a national firm specializing in leadership searches for higher education institutions.
The four semi-finalists selected to advance are:
● Dr. Monica Chahal, Interim President, Clovis Community College
● Val Martinez Garcia, Acting Superintendent/President, College of the Desert
● Dr. Kimberlee S. Messina, President, Spokane Falls Community College
● Dr. Don Moya-Miller, Vice President/Assistant Superintendent, Rio Hondo College
“The COD Superintendent/Presidential Search has attracted an exceptional group of candidates, each demonstrating a strong commitment to student success, community engagement, and academic excellence,” said Dr. Joel Kinnamon, Chair of the COD Board of Trustees. “We are proud to introduce the finalists to the College of the Desert community and invite the public to take part in open forums where they can hear directly from each candidate, ask questions, and share in the important conversation about the future of the college.”
A public forum will take place in person on Thursday, May 1, 2025, at the Pollock Theatre on the Palm Desert Campus. The event will also be live-streamed via YouTube to ensure broad access. The time of the public forum will be announced at a later date.
Members of the community interested in submitting questions for the in-person forum can submit their questions at https://forms.office.com/r/iYWTxxdKB3.
The Board of Trustees will conduct final interviews with the candidates in person on Friday, May 2, 2025. These interviews will be closed to the public. The Board is expected to announce the next Superintendent/President during an upcoming meeting.
For more information and updates, please visit www.collegeofthedesert.edu/president.
