Message to the Campus

Dear KCC faculty and staff,

I hope that you have each had a productive and restful summer. I write today with several important personnel updates.

Corina Lozada Smith, Esq., joins us as Chief Diversity Officer on August 18th. A proud CUNY alumna and Brooklyn native, Corina was most recently General Counsel to Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and comes with a wealth of experience in labor and employment, immigration, housing, and anti-discrimination law, among other areas. Thanks to Shaune Wallace-Bostic for ably stepping in as interim CDO.

We also have significant transitions in our Enrollment Management unit, with Dr. Johana Rivera leaving the college after six years of great work that included ably navigating COVID-era recruitment, growth in enrollments, and achieving the threshold that allowed Kingsborough to become a federally-designated Hispanic Serving Institution. Johana will be Vice President of Enrollment and Retention Management at York College; I know that you join me in wishing her well in her new role.

I want to welcome Dr. Deon Bergeron, coming to us most recently from the University of New Orleans where he was Associate Vice President for Enrollment Services. He will step in as interim Vice President for Enrollment Management, subject to approval by the CUNY Board of Trustees. The EM staff is doing an excellent job of increasing enrollment for this coming fall while also managing a complex (and quick) transition to a new platform for recruitment and admissions. I am confident that their great work will continue through this transition. Deon’s first day at KCC is Monday, August 18th and Johana’s final day at KCC is August 19th.

Ms. Gila Rohr, who has served as Director of Human Resources on an interim basis since 2023, has now become permanent in the position. Congratulations to Gila and the great staff of our HR unit on this appointment.

Congratulations to Dr. Sharon Warren Cook on being appointed to the position of Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost on a permanent basis, also subject to Trustee approval. Thanks to Search Committee Chair Jason Leggett and members Anne del Principe, Daniel Kane, Tyronne Johnson and Beth Douglas for conducting the national search to fill the position. I am so pleased to continue working with Sharon in this critical role.

As part of these transitions, I have two more organizational shifts to announce. The offices of the College Registrar and Academic Scheduling will move from our Enrollment Management unit into the Office of Academic Affairs; this will help to cement a great partnership between the Registrar and Academic Affairs. Lastly, as part of our effort to more fully integrate our exceptionally strong workforce unit into our college’s programs, operations and culture, the Continuing Education and Workforce Development unit will also now report to Provost Warren Cook as part of the Office of Academic Affairs.

Thank you and, again, congratulations to all mentioned above. I look forward to seeing you on campus in a few weeks as we gear up for a successful fall at KCC!

Regards,

Suri Duitch
President
Kingsborough Community College