Academic Affairs


Academic and Student Affairs Division

Who We Are

Welcome to the Division of Academic and Student Affairs for the Colorado Community College System, which includes Career and Technical Education, CCCOnline, Equity & Inclusion, Student Affairs, and Workforce Development and Community Partnerships. The division works to fulfill the CCCS mission of providing an accessible, responsive learning environment where our students can achieve their educational, professional and personal goals in an atmosphere that embraces academic excellence, diversity, and innovation.

What We Do

We do this by providing leadership and support to our colleges in the pursuit of excellence in teaching, learning, research, service, and dedication to fostering open, inclusive, and equitable environments where students grow as learners.

In collaboration with the leaders, faculty, staff, and students at the 13 colleges and on more than 40 campuses, the Academic and Student Affairs Division advises and provides vision, leadership, and service in order to:

  • Ensure all Colorado residents have access to high quality educational experiences.
  • Ensure all colleges model equitable policies and practices, so every student is prepared for the challenges and opportunities of life and work in an increasingly diverse state, nation, and world.
  • Promote ongoing student affordability initiatives through Open Educational Resources (OER) and zero-textbook cost courses.
  • Support academic excellence for all student pathways including certificate and degree programs, partnerships with secondary schools, and seamless transfer to four-year institutions.
  • Supports diverse professional and leadership development activities for faculty and staff.
  • Actively encourage and support the faculty and staff in the development of grant initiatives.
  • Successfully respond to accreditation requirements, state performance indicators, and state or national licensure standards for academic programs.

How We Do It

Division staff regularly convene multiple committees including the Adjunct Instructor Taskforce, State Faculty Advisory Council (SFAC), State Faculty Curriculum Committee (SFCC), Workforce Development Committee (WDC), Rural College Consortium, and the VP Council.  In addition, staff collaboratively engage stakeholders within and beyond the system to fulfill the CCCS mission and improve educational opportunities on behalf of the State of Colorado.
We are responsible for coordinating System-wide transfer programs, Career and Technical Education (CTE), and workforce development initiatives. This includes providing leadership for career and college readiness, management of the common course numbering system, concurrent enrollment, system-wide transfer and articulation agreements, supplemental academic instruction, prior learning assessment (PLA), microcredentials, customized training, and career pathways.
We actively work with community partners in developing and integrating efforts for workforce development and work-based learning, as well as expanding apprenticeships and partnerships to develop skills and opportunities for workers and learners throughout Colorado.



    Academic and Student Affairs Division


    Vacant, Vice Chancellor Academic & Student Affairs

    Stacie Amaya, Director of Strategic Initiatives

    Stacie Amaya, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Stacie.Amaya@cccs.edu

    Tammy Vercauteren, Director of the Online Strategic Plan Project

    Tammy Vercauteren, Director of the Online Strategic Plan Project, Tammy.Vercauteren@cccs.edu

     

    Academic Programs and Workforce Development


    Michael Macklin, Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Workforce Development

    Mike MacklinMichael Macklin, Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Workforce Development, Michael.Macklin@cccs.edu
    Michael Macklin serves as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Workforce Development. In his role, he works to coordinate academic affairs and workforce development initiatives across CCCS interfacing with state agencies, philanthropic organizations, colleges, and corporate partners. His current efforts are focused on the intersection of business and education through career connected learning and apprenticeships. Prior to joining CCCS Mr. Macklin spent 10 years at Colorado State University. He started his career in student affairs as a graduate program recruiter and moved to academic affairs in online and professional education as the Director of Professional and Noncredit Programs where he launched Colorado State University’s digital badge program.

    Danen Jobe, Director of Academic Programs and Curriculum

    Danen JobeDanen Jobe, Director of Academic Programs and Curriculum, Danen.Jobe@cccs.edu

    Danen serves as the Director of Academic Programs & Curriculum at the Colorado Community College System (CCCS). He works closely with all system faculty, deans, vice presidents of academic affairs, external partner schools,, colleges entering into articulation agreements with the system, and the Colorado Department of Higher Education, among others. He works on course objectives and contents; accreditation issues, faculty related issues such as evaluation, training, and the annual 2:2 meetings; and system representation on such groups as the Deans Council, VP Council, and the General Education Council.

    Serving in the system since 2007 as a faculty member, department chair, associate dean, and vice president of academic affairs, his goal is to improve lives through career and transferable education.


    Melissa Martin, Director of Workforce Development

    Melissa MartinMelissa Martin, Director of Workforce Development, Melissa.Martin@cccs.edu
    Melissa is the Director of Workforce Development at the Colorado Community College System (CCCS). Working closely with educators, workforce, and industry, she helps build and align workforce development solutions that increase access to talent and open doors to meaningful careers. Melissa applies her twenty years’ combined experience in postsecondary career advising, high school administration, and experiential learning program management to building career pathways and helping scale work-based learning solutions for top jobs in key Colorado industries.


    Kendra Rodriguez, Skill Advance Colorado Program Director

    Kendra Rodriguez
    Kendra Rodriguez, Skill Advance Colorado Program Director, Kendra.Rodriguez@cccs.edu
    Kendra Rodriguez serves as the Program Director for Skill Advance Colorado, overseeing State-funded customized job training grants designed to support Colorado businesses’ in strengthening competitiveness, fostering talent, and improving employment opportunities. She has worked for the Colorado Community College System for over 20 years in various capacities:  conducting workforce development research, coordinating resource development efforts, and managing grants related to immersive learning, college transition strategies for underrepresented adults, career literacy, and individual career and academic planning (ICAP). With a background in adult education and languages, Kendra’s professional experience also includes Spanish and ESL instruction and curriculum development as well as grant and technical writing.

    Ayelet Zur-Nayberg, Director of Adult Student Success

    Ayelet Zur-Nayberg Ayelet Zur-Nayberg, Director of Adult Student Success, Ayelet.Zur-Nayberg@cccs.edu

    Ayelet comes to us after serving for over 10 years at both Front Range Community College (FRCC) and Red Rocks Community College (RRCC).  Ayelet served as an economics faculty member and department chair at FRCC and then as Dean of Academic Affairs at RRCC.   Ayelet also brings with her significant experience at the system level.  She was the FRCC faculty representative on the State Faculty Advisory Council (SFAC), a member of the law enforcement academy curriculum committee, a member of Dean’s Council, a member of the Academic Affairs subcommittee to Colorado Online, and a member of the system committee focused on High Impact Practices (HIPs).  Ayelet is also working on completing her dissertation for the Ed.D. program at CU-Denver.

    Ayelet will be working on the Lumina Grant project focused on reducing equity gaps for adult students of color and will be the Colorado state lead as part of Lumina’s REACH network.  As part of that network, she will work with state leads from California, New York, Texas, North Carolina, and Virginia.

    Career and Technical Education


    Sarah Heath, Associate Vice Chancellor for Career and Technical Education

    Sarah HeathDr. Sarah Heath, Associate Vice Chancellor for Career and Technical Education, Sarah.Heath@cccs.edu
    Sarah Heath has worked in Career and Technical Education her whole career as a high school business and computer science teacher, state program director, a local system administrator, and now as the state director of CTE in Colorado.  In her current position, she supports all secondary and post-secondary CTE programs in the state. Increasing workforce education and preparation is her life’s passion and she serves as the National Past-President of the Association for Career and Technical Education to increase support for Career and Technical Education and general career development in schools across the country.  She also is proud to say she is a “triple Dawg” since all three of her degrees are from the University of Georgia.

    Dana Anderson, CTE Program Director of Business and Marketing
    Dana Anderson
    Dana Anderson, CTE Program Director of Business and Marketing, Dana. Anderson@cccs.edu
    After earning a degree in Business Administration from Indiana University, Dana Anderson spent time in Washington state working in merchandising and purchasing for companies like Macy’s. In 2007, she became the Business and Marketing teacher and DECA advisor at Monarch High School in Louisville, creating inclusive learning for all students. Dana has worked with community and business leaders as the President of the Colorado Marketing Educators Association (CMEA), and in her current role at CCCS. Dana first joined the community colleges as an adjunct professor in Marketing and Management at Front Range, and then came to the system office as the Business and Marketing Program Director in 2016.

    Michele Dennis, CTE Program Director of Family and Consumer Science
    Michele Dennis
    Michele Dennis, CTE Program Director of Family and Consumer Science, Michele.Dennis@cccs.edu

    Michelle Dennis attended CSU-Fort Collins and holds a B.S. in Home Economics and a  B.S. in Consumer Sciences. In her past, Michelle worked as a 4-H Youth/ Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent in Boulder and Weld Counties. Her teaching career started in 2003 at Greeley West High School in Family and Consumer Sciences. In July 2013, she joined CCCS as the Family and Consumer Sciences Program Director. Michelle has three adult children; Cabe (24) and he graduated from NJC and University of Wyoming with a B.S. in Animal Sciences and Agricultural Production, Rachel (22), a May 2020 grad from CSU with a B.S. Human Development and Family Studies, and Jessie (18), a May 2020 high school grad headed to CSU to get her degree in Social Studies Education. Michelle notes that she is officially an empty nester, and looks forward to resuming hobbies in learning to play piano and guitar, creating her own recipes, reading and eventually traveling.

    Emily Fickbohm, CTE Program Dir Agriculture

    Emily FickbohmEmily Fickbohm, CTE Program Dir Agriculture, Emily.Fickbohm@cccs.edu 

    Emily Fickbohm is the Program Director of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Energy.  Emily coordinates efforts in instructor professional development, resource creation, and industry partnerships with the other members of the Colorado Ag Education team at CSU, Colorado FFA Foundation, and the Colorado Ag Teacher Association.  Emily’s strives to support all program in ensuring they are providing quality education within the 3 circle model in agriculture to prepare students for their future. 

    Emily graduated from Colorado State University in 2008 with her Bachelor’s in Equine Science and Agriculture Education. In 2011, Emily graduated from Colorado State University again with her Master’s in Agricultural Extension Education. Emily taught Agriculture Education in the Eastern Plains for 9 years; starting the program in Deer Trail, Co.  In 2018, Emily moved into an administrative role in Bennett School District, including CTE Director. Emily also graduated with her Master’s in Educational Leadership from Western Governor’s University during this time. 

    CarrieAnn Mathis, CTE Program Director for Engineering, Technology, and Media Arts

    CarrieAnn Mathis , CTE Program Director for Engineering, Technology, and Media Arts, CarrieAnn.Mathis@cccs.edu 

     

    Lauren Jones Austin, CTE Program Director for Special Populations, Counseling, Equity and Middle School
    Lauren Jones
    Lauren Jones Austin, CTE Program Director for Special Populations, Counseling, Equity and Middle School, Lauren.Jones@cccs.edu
    Lauren Jones (Austin) is a licensed school counselor, nationally certified counselor, past expeditionary learning instructor and past teen adventure guide. She is in her 10th year as the Career & Technical Education (CTE) Program Director for Special Populations, Counseling and Equity serving statewide  school districts and postsecondary institutions by providing training & resources that help support the programming for implementation and collaborative efforts that parallel Colorado’s education initiatives that support Career Literacy and Meaningful Career Conversations, important acronyms such as: ICAP, PWR, ACE; Graduation Guidelines, Career Pathways, equity and inclusion as well as Middle School CTE programming. Her passion for students and their authentic, meaningful learning can sometimes be contagious. Her advocacy for School Counselors within the CTE family is prominent in the work she does. She’s a mama to chickens, a rabbit, a cat, a fish, new puppy and oodles of garden vegetation. When not working, you can find her on the river, on a cruiser bike, in her backyard or at the Jersey Shore. Lauren recently thru-hiked the entire Colorado Trail (that’s 486 miles from Denver to Durango) this past July-August 2020.

    Marty Goldberg, Director of Concurrent Enrollment Initiatives

    Vacant, CTE Program Director of Skilled Trades

    Seth Ward, CTE Program Director of Skilled Trades, Seth.Ward@cccs.edu

    With many years of experience in several areas of Skilled Trades & Technical Sciences, Seth is a passionate champion of all aspects of Career Technical Education.  An enthusiasm for learning and helping others to learn is apparent in any setting.  In addition to industry credentials, Seth has an A.A.S from a Colorado Community College, a B.C.T.E. teaching degree, and is currently pursuing a Master’s of Ed. with emphasis in CTE.

    As an educational leader, Seth works to support equitable access to high-quality CTE content; removing barriers, increasing capacity, developing new programs and ensuring sustainability of existing programs, and striving to inspire learners and educators alike.

    Jordan Whittington, CTE Program Director Health-Public Safety

    Jordan Whittington, CTE Program Director Health-Public Safety, Jordan.Whittington@cccs.edu 

    Jordan WhittingtonJordan Whittington is an Army Combat Medic turned educator. He holds a B.A in Biology and an MS in Natural Sciences Education. He developed and ran his own Health Science CTE program at the secondary level. During this time, he was nominated as the new HOSA advisor of the year. Jordan is now serving as the Program Director for Health and Public Safety at the Colorado Community College System. He is dedicated to ensuring that all CTE programs and instructors are performing at the highest quality possible. This is a guarantee that Colorado CTE students are fully immersed in an authentic career-driven education.

    CCCOnline

    Tina Parscal, Associate Vice Chancellor for CCCOnline and Academic Affairs

    Tina Parscal, Associate Vice Chancellor for CCCOnline and Academic Affairs, Tina.Parscal@cccs.edu
    Tina ParscalTina Parscal is the Associate Vice Chancellor for CCCOnline and Academic Affairs for the Colorado Community College System (CCCS). She leads Colorado Community Colleges Online (CCCOnline), the online consortium of the 13 CCCS community colleges. In this role, she provides executive leadership for CCCOnline, has oversight for system-wide academic technologies and services, and coordinates collaboration and communication among the colleges, System office, and CCCOnline. Tina also represents CCCS on the State of Colorado’s OER Council.

    Tina has held numerous academic and administrative leadership roles in higher education such as executive director, provost/chief academic officer, dean, and faculty. Tina brings a breadth of experience that supports CCCOnline’s priorities including open educational resources, instructional design and innovation, teaching and learning, accreditation, regulatory affairs, and innovative models for enhancing the student learning experience.


    Eileen Clymo, Business Services Director

    Eileen ClymoEileen Clymo, Business Services Director, eileen.clymo@cccs.edu
    Eileen has worked for the Colorado Community College System since 2007.  She began her career with the system in the Finance Department before transferring to CCCOnline in 2009. Prior to joining the community college system, she worked for several corporations in their Finance and Purchasing Departments. She earned a B.A. from the University of Southern California and an M.B.A. from the University of Colorado at Denver.

    Amy Kahn, Dean of Academic Affairs

    Amy KahnAmy Kahn, Dean of Academic Affairs, amy.kahn@cccs.edu
    Dr. Kahn joined CCCOnline as Dean of Academic Affairs in 2018. She brings over 13 years of senior academic leadership experience as Director of Academic Affairs, Vice Provost, Provost & Chief Academic Officer, and VP of Academic Operations with a background in Associate’s degrees, Career and Technical education and Doctorate programs along with many more years in community service and as a professional management consultant and executive coach in organizational development, diversity and inclusion, and strategic change. She was a Quality Matters™ Master Reviewer and serves as a member of the HLC Peer Corps. Locally, Dr. Kahn served on the Executive Board at Mi Casa Resource Center and on the Cherry Creek Schools Accountability Committee for Campus Middle School and on the Executive Women’s Council with the City of Aurora Chamber of Commerce.  Dr. Kahn has a PhD in Human and Organization Systems and MA in Organizational Development from Fielding Graduate University, MBA in International Finance from Thunderbird School of Global Management, and BA in Foreign from Clark University.

    John Schmahl, Dean of Student Affairs

    John SchmahlJohn Schmahl, Dean of Student Affairs, john.schmahl@cccs.edu
    John joined CCCOnline as Dean of Student Affairs in 1999, and oversees the student support services that we offer and the student discipline process. Prior to coming to CCCOnline, he worked at Jones Education (formerly Mind Extension University) as an Academic Advisor, and served in the Army and Army Reserve.  John holds a Masters in Education degree from The George Washington University and a B.A. from Ripon College.

    Frank Vazquez, Director of Academic Technology

    Frank VazquezFrank Vazquez, Director of Academic Technology, frank.vazquez@cccs.edu
    Frank joined CCCOnline as Director of Academic Technology in 2017.  He oversees the various services provided by Academic Technology and assures that CCCOnline’s  technology needs are met.  He has worked in higher education and with technology since 2001.  He has contributed to eLearning for over 16 years, has been recognized for his work by receiving the 2004 Telecoop Technical Support Person of the Year, 2007 ELCC eLearning Technical Support of the Year and 2010 Desire2EXCEL Innovation Award.  Throughout his career he has filled various roles and has experience with a wide range of technologies.  He has been a LMS system administrator, programmer, Linux administrator, database administrator and IT Director.  He has experience with technologies such as SaaS, programming languages, web technologies, databases, networking and identity providers.