On this episode of Leading Community Colleges in California, host Larry Galizio is joined by Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens (26th Assembly District) whose leadership journey began as a community college student, then as an elected trustee, and now as a leader in the state legislature. He often shares that the opportunity to attend community college shaped his path in life. Prior to joining the Assembly, Ahrens served as a Trustee on the Foothill-De Anza Community College District Board, where he led efforts to build affordable housing for faculty, staff, and students, and collaborated with Santa Clara County to establish a first-in-the-state medical clinic at De Anza College.

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A native of Silicon Valley, Ahrens is deeply committed to addressing the challenges faced by his constituents in one of the most dynamic yet demanding regions of California. His journey into public service was shaped by his own challenges, including growing up in a house with substance abuse issues and facing homelessness and housing insecurity as a college student. These experiences fueled his passion for public service and inspired his career advocating for affordable housing and education equity. He has championed policies to expand access and affordability in higher education, focusing on supporting community college students and ensuring pathways for economic mobility.

A first-generation college graduate, Ahrens earned an associate degree from De Anza College, a bachelor’s degree from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), and a master’s degree in public administration from San José State University. He resides in Sunnyvale and is proud to represent the vibrant communities of Santa Clara County in the State Assembly.

On this episode of Leading Community Colleges in California, host Larry Galizio is joined by Jon Fansmith, senior vice president for government relations and national engagement at the American Council on Education (ACE). A nationally recognized voice in the media and a trusted expert among policymakers, he offers critical insights into the shifting federal landscape affecting colleges and universities. In this conversation, Jon shares his national vantage point on pressing federal issues that California’s community college leaders should be watching closely, including the changing public narrative around the value of postsecondary education, implications for funding and access, and how leaders can shape federal policy. With California’s community colleges serving over 2.2 million students—one-fifth of the nation’s total—Jon also reflects on how this unique scale and diversity can be leveraged on the national stage.

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Jon Fansmith, along with colleagues Mushtaq Gunja, and Sarah Spreitzer, from the American Council on Education, host dotEDU, a podcast on the policy aspects of issues that impact campuses, students, and higher education leaders. They're joined by guest experts to explore topics such as student aid policy, the Department of Education regulatory agenda, diversity in admissions, the value of higher education, and much more.

In this episode of Leading Community Colleges in California, Larry Galizio, Ph.D., is joined by Kristin Clark, Ed.D., retired chancellor; West Hills Community College District and consultant to the League; Jill Stearns, Ph.D., superintendent/president, San Luis Obispo Community College District; and Jennifer Zellet, superintendent/president, Antelope Valley Community College District. Today’s community college CEOs have remarkably complex jobs requiring them to stay ahead of trends. In this podcast, these three CEOs address evolving professional development needs, sharing insights on leadership, navigating complexity, and building competencies to succeed in the rapidly changing higher education landscape. 

Hear from these three dynamic leaders as they make the case for ongoing professional learning for all California community college CEOs. 

Join the conversation in person at this year’s CEO Leadership Academy, July 24-26, 2025, at the Mission Inn, Riverside. Register here>>

In this episode of Leading Community Colleges in California, Larry Galizio, Ph.D., visits with Chabot-Las Positas Community College District Chancellor Ron Gerhard and Yuba College President Tawny Dotson.

In April 2025, the State Auditor released an audit report on California's Fifty Percent Law, which limits funding flexibility and restricts colleges from fully investing in critical student support services. The auditor's findings determined that the 50 Percent Law limits districts’ ability to fund services outside of the classroom that may better support student success. 

The Community College League of California released a report calling for reform of the Fifty Percent Law in March 2025. Read the League's report, Modernizing California Community College Funding: Reforming the Fifty Percent Law to Support Student Success.

On this episode of Leading Community Colleges in California, host Larry Galizio welcomes Ryan Stewart, Ed. L.D., in an insightful conversation about opportunities to seek Medicaid funding to support student health services. Community colleges play a significant role in delivering health services, according to a recent report by Stewart and Sara Goldrick-Rab, Ph.D., Increasing Student Support and Success By Boosting Medicaid Engagement, However, while many California community colleges seek Medicaid reimbursement, only a fraction of community colleges nationwide bill for any of the eligible services they offer. Dr. Stewart explains how the report and accompanying dashboard can serve as a guide for community colleges to identify funds for student health services. 

Visit communitycollegemedicaid.org for the report and dashboard.

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Ryan Stewart, CEO and founder of Mile 2 Consulting, has served as a teacher, New Mexico Secretary of Education, school district administrator, non-profit executive, adjunct professor, and instructional coach.

He earned his doctorate in education leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and his B.A. in economics from Stanford University.

On Episode 28, Mac Powell, President & CEO of the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, joins host Larry Galizio, Ph.D., to explore the vital role of accreditation in safeguarding educational integrity. Discover how systematic review and objectivity uphold consistency, even amid looming challenges from potential federal policy changes, ensuring the quality and trust essential to the future of community and junior college education.

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About our guest:
Mac Powell joined the ACCJC team in July 2022. Dr. Powell served as Senior Vice President of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and supported the agency’s 163 institutions and 1.3 million students for five years. His career in higher education also includes serving as president of three universities, including John F. Kennedy University, where he led the institution’s successful efforts to become a service-learning institution and a federally recognized and funded Hispanic Serving Institution. Dr. Powell has contributed to the strategic direction of higher education through his service as Chair of the American Council of Education’s Commission on Educational Attainment and Innovation, as a Commissioner on the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Commission, as a graduate of the WASC Assessment Leadership Academy, and as Chair of the Council of Applied Master’s Programs in Psychology. 

In Episode 27, host Larry Galizio, Ph.D., visits with Pamila Fisher, co-founder of the Asilomar Leadership Skills Seminar, as the program enters its fourth decade. Dr. Fisher shares a brief history of the seminar's history and growth, and the focus on women's leadership issues as they have changed since 1984.

Applications for the 2025 Asilomar Leadership Skills Seminar are accepted through January 2025.

Dr. Pamila Fisher founded this seminar in 1984 and since served as its director, successfully mentoring many women into positions of leadership. Dr. Fisher is chancellor emeritus of the Yosemite Community College District and has held statewide and national community college leadership roles. She was facilitator for AACC’s Future Leadership Institutes for 10 years and consults widely for individual colleges, districts, and systems in areas related to leadership, diversity, and cultural proficiency, communications, and team building. Dr. Fisher also conducts presidential searches and board retreats as an associate of the Association of Community College Trustees. 

In Episode 26, host Larry Galizio, Ph.D., visits with Rebekah Kalleen, executive director of the Community College Facility Coalition. On November 5, 2024, Californians will have the chance to vote on Proposition 2, the Public Education Facilities Bond Measure. This initiative seeks to issue $10 billion in bonds, with $8.5 billion earmarked for upgrading elementary and secondary educational facilities and $1.5 billion dedicated to community college improvements. Proposition 2 will modernize local schools and community colleges, enhancing science, engineering, career technical, and vocational education classrooms, labs, and learning technologies. This investment will provide students with advanced job training, technical knowledge, and specialized skills, better preparing them for high-paying careers.

Visit the League's Prop 2 page for a community college-specific toolkit. Visit the  YesonProp2 site for more in-depth information and to sign up for email updates.

In Episode 25, Larry Galizio, Ph.D. visits with Trustee Jonathan Abboud from Santa Barbara City College, and Trustee Sonia Lopez from Compton Community College District about what it means to be a Millennial Trustee. They both explore what made them decide to run for Trustee as a young professional and the value age diversity has brought to community college boards as the community of millennial trustees has grown statewide.

In Episode 24, Larry Galizio, Ph.D. visits with Evergreen Valley College Dean of Nursing and Allied Health, S. Lu Crary, and EVC nursing student, Alma Arevalo. They discuss the importance of access to and diversity in nursing academic programs, the expanding and acute need for nurses in California health care, and the impact that SB 895 (Sen. Richard Roth) could have to students and communities. SB 895 presents a pilot opportunity for California's community colleges to offer bachelor's degrees in nursing, providing an affordable and immediate pathway for nursing education.

Learn more about SB 895, legislation to pilot BSNs at California community colleges.
Visit Evergreen Valley College's site for Nursing and Allied Health