Kimberlee Messina, president of Spokane Falls Community College in Washington, was selected by City College of San Francisco officials to be the school's new chancellor on Friday.
The vote was unanimous, aside from President Anita Martinez, who was absent, Vice President Luis Zamora said.
“Dr. Messina’s personal and professional journey reflects a commitment to social justice, civic engagement, and expanding access to opportunity — values that deeply align with the mission of City College of San Francisco,” Martinez said in a statement.
The college had announced Carlos Cortez, former head of the San Diego Community College District, as the college's new chancellor, but then did not vote him in.
Mary Bravewoman, president of the college faculty union, American Federation of Teachers Local 2121, said she's looking forward to building a relationship and rapport with the incoming chancellor and seeing what innovative ideas she has for moving the college forward so it will be here for another 90 years.
"We're glad the board has finally made a decision, and I would be remiss if I didn't say that I feel that the hiring process was mishandled, and it's unfortunate that Cortez was put on such a roller coaster ride, as well as the entire college community," Bravewoman said.
She added that she believes the San Francisco Chronicle and the board of trustees owe Cortez an apology. A college official, most likely a board member, leaked that Cortez had been selected in a closed session meeting to the Chronicle. (Note: The Ingleside Light welcomes leaks! Here's how.)
City College of San Francisco Trustees at the Friday meeting.
Messina's contract will be formally voted on at the college board's June 26 meeting.
Messina has more than 28 years of leadership and instructional experience with community colleges.
“City College of San Francisco has a rich tradition of innovation and student success, grounded in diversity, equity and inclusion," Messina, who declined to be interviewed by The Light, said in a statement. "I am honored to join the CCSF community and to work alongside students, faculty, staff, trustees and the broader public to eliminate equity gaps, strengthen student pathways, and lead transformational change. I look forward to returning home to the Bay Area and co-creating a bold and inclusive vision for the future of City College.”
Messina holds a bachelor’s degree from CSU Sacramento, a master’s degree from CSU Sacramento and a Doctor of Education degree from the University of California, Davis. She participates in statewide organizations and policy groups in Washington and served on the Board of the Association of California Community College Administrators and the Advisory Committee for the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Institutional Effectiveness Partnership Initiative, according to an announcement.
Messina started her career as a Spanish professor at Santa Rosa Junior College, where she later became a two-term academic senate president and an instructional dean of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. In 2011, Messina joined Foothill College, part of the Foothill-De Anza College District, as the vice president of instruction and institutional research. She served as the school's interim president during the 2015-2016 academic year.
Messina has leaned into leadership positions. In 2013, she was a finalist for president of Napa Valley College. In 2017, Messina was a finalist for president of Diablo Valley Community College. Two years later, she was hired as president of Spokane Falls Community College.
In 2023, Messina was a finalist for president of Santa Rosa Junior College. (City College eliminated its president position after a minor corruption scandal several years ago.)
Kimberlee Messina
Faculty Relations
Tyra Benoit, former dean of arts, humanities, social and behavioral sciences and communication studies at Santa Rosa Junior College, worked alongside Messina during her first foray into administrative leadership.
Benoit said at the time, the college was going through a period of budget cuts that created a school-wide lack of confidence in the academic leadership.
“One of the things administrators deal with is how to live within their budgets,” Benoit said. “There was a need for reorganization at the time; things had to change. One of the things Kimberlee did effectively was develop the alliances she needed to with very different faculty.”
Benoit explained that when budget cuts impacted Messina’s own departments, she was able to communicate with people in a way that everyone understood the tough decisions she was forced to implement.
“Nothing’s worse for an administrator than to have your academic senate or your departments not have confidence in you to make those decisions,” Benoit said. "You have to find that balance between making the tough decisions and being able to counsel those people and do it humanely."
City College interim Chancellor Mitch Bailey spoke with The Light and reflected on his brief tenure, offering advice to whoever would next take his place: any new leader should prepare themselves for not being able to do the things they want to do for a very long time, citing roadblocks such as accreditation, budget constraints and new building construction.
“I regret not having been able to spend all day, every day, in meetings with members from all different constituent groups talking about student success,” Bailey said.
Despite being a finalist for the job and having his application fast-tracked to be in the running for the permanent position, Bailey fell out of favor with the faculty union for failing to expedite enrollment growth before the Hold Harmless provisions expired. “Clearly, this ship needs a captain who will move this boat while there’s a wind at our back,” the union stated in a newsletter.
“When you’re the chancellor, and you look at an org chart, your box is the smallest, and it's made of glass. People can see you from all angles, and they will have thoughts about whatever it is you’re doing; it’s a very fragile spot to be in,” Bailey said.
The board is moving forward with a candidate that is neither Cortez or Bailey. City College awaits the accreditation board's determination after trustees faced warnings to “stay in their lane” and allow the chancellor to enact policies without board interference.
Messina is expected to begin her tenure with City College on July 1.
Disclosure: Alex Mullaney is a City College faculty member.
Correction: Foothill College is part of the Foothill-De Anza College District, not San Mateo.
Alex Mullaney founded The Ingleside Light in 2008 during the peak of San Francisco's great tradition of neighborhood newspapers. He is the publisher and editor.
John R. Adkins is a San Francisco-based journalist and storyteller living in Ingleside. He is editor-in-chief of City College's The Guardsman and reports on higher education, politics and the arts.
