Presidential Search

The Board of Trustees has announced that the search is underway to identify the next President of College of Eastern Idaho.  

The three (3) finalists for the presidency of CEI have been selected. Forums will be held on June 17th-19th from 10am - 11:30am in Building 6 in rooms 150/152. Please see the 'Finalists' tab below for more information.

Presidential Search Timeline

Presidential Search Timeline

April 4, 2024ACCT facilitates a series of open public forums to solicit input for the development of a Draft Presidential Profile.
Early April 2024Presidential Search Committee training and orientation; Committee receives, reviews, and edits the draft Presidential Profile. The Board of Trustees to review, discuss, edit, and finalize the Presidential Profile.
Early April 2024Position is open and advertised. The Presidential Profile is posted on cei.edu and acctsearches.org. ACCT conducts targeted local, state-wide, and national one-to-one recruitment.
April 30, 2024Target Date for Receipt of Applications. Position open until filled.
May 2024Presidential Search Committee Meeting: discussion and selection of confidential semifinalist candidates.
Late May 2024Presidential Search Committee Meeting: Confidential interviews with semifinalists. The Presidential Search Committee deliberates and selects finalists to forward to the Board of Trustees for further consideration.
June 2024Finalists interview with the Board of Trustees, tour campuses, participate in open public forums, meet with direct reports.
Late June 2024Board of Trustees announces the next President of College of Eastern Idaho.
Summer 2024Start date for next President or as agreed upon by the President-elect and the Board.

* Timeline is subject to change

Finalists

Finalists

The College of Eastern Idaho (CEI) Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the selection of three (3) finalists for the presidency of CEI. We would like to thank the entire College community for its continued interest and support in the process to identify our next President. Special thanks goes to the members of the Presidential Search Committee for their exceptional insight, dedication, and effort.

Public forums will take place the week of June 17, 2024, and each candidate will participate in a 90-minute forum. We invite and encourage everyone to participate in the open forums.

Forums will be made accessible to all faculty, administrators, staff, students, and the general public. There will be a brief introduction of each candidate, followed by a question-and-answer session. Forums will be conducted in-person in the Health Care Education Building (Building 6), in rooms 150/152, on the College of Eastern Idaho Campus. All who attend will be asked to complete a feedback form and the completed forms will be given to the Board of Trustees for their review.

Dr. Josh Baker
Dr. Josh Baker has served as the president of Mountwest Community and Technical College (Huntington, WV) since 2021. He has led enrollment growth by focusing on community, industry, and student needs. An increased emphasis on student success, and increased scholarships awarded, has improved retention and graduation. Legislative success included funding for dual credit, apprenticeship to degree pathways, and federally directed spending for projects including a cyber center and expanding credentialing in skilled trades and rural service areas. Dr. Baker previously served as the Vice President of Instruction at Pikes Peak Community College (Colorado Spring, CO). Pikes Peak is a robust college serving approximately 20,000 credit students at four campuses. During this tenure the college made significant progress with retention and graduation rates, and updated and acquired physical spaces that enhanced the workforce development, and student focus. Prior roles include Campus and Academic Dean at Bates Technical College (Tacoma, WA), chief officer at Center Grove Early College for Vincennes University (Greenwood, IN), and Faculty at Highline Community College (Des Moines, WA). Dr. Baker is a Presidential Fellow Alumni with The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. His PhD is in Community College Leadership from Oregon State University and his dissertation is on Actions of Community College Presidents that Increase Organizational Trust. His masters and bachelor’s degrees are from Brigham Young University. Dr. Baker is a proud community college alum. Dr. Baker’s board experience includes Huntington Chamber of Commerce, Huntington Area Development Council, Advantage Valley Development, Colorado Springs Red Cross, The National Council of Instructional Administrators, and Reach Services for Youth in Tacoma, WA. He also serves on the Commission on Workforce Development for the American Association of Community Colleges. Dr. Baker and his wife Toni have three children and enjoy an active lifestyle, including hiking our amazing national parks.
Dr. Lori Barber
Dr. Lori Barber is Vice President of Academic & Student Affairs (VPA&SA) at College of Eastern Idaho (CEI), a role she has served in for five years. She has held several administrative roles at CEI prior to her tenure as VPA&SA. She started at CEI as Director of General Education and then became the inaugural Dean of General Education in 2018. She built the General Education transfer AA and AS degrees from the ground up, which now comprise two-thirds of CEI enrollments. Barber’s innovative strategies have been instrumental in steering the direction of institutional growth and building the framework on which CEI’s current academic and student affairs structure has been built. Under Dr. Barber’s leadership, CEI has experienced an unprecedented 244% growth in credit enrollments since 2017. As an innovative leader, she recently led her team to the successful establishment of CEI's first two Bachelors of Applied Science degrees. Dr. Barber serves on numerous boards and committees at the local, state, and national level. She has served on the Idaho Workforce Development Council since 2019, having been appointed by the Governor. As a member of that council, she has helped operationalize the LAUNCH initiative, which provides up to $8,000 to Idaho high school seniors to go on to college. Also, at the state level, Dr. Barber is a member of the Council on Academic Affairs and Programming (CAAP), composed of Provosts and State Board of Education Office Staff. Through CAAP, she works closely with members of the State Board of Education to collaborate on state level programming and policy. Locally, Dr. Barber is a member of the Museum of Idaho Board of Directors and the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center Board of Directors, as well as being a past member of The Art Museum of Idaho Board of Directors. Barber serves on the Department of Energy National Advisory Board of BETO Bridges, a bioenergy research and education program which connects secondary schools nationwide to bioenergy curriculum and resources. Barber has been an invited keynote speaker and presenter at local, state, and national conferences. In her higher education experience, Barber was an assistant lecturer at Idaho State University, having created and taught several courses of her own design, including Food History and Food & Culture. She taught classes from freshman to senior levels, as well as an honor’s course. She instructed in numerous modalities, including online, face-to-face, and distance education. Dr. Barber holds a Doctorate of Educational Leadership and Innovation from Arizona State University. Her Master’s Degree is in Interdisciplinary Studies in History and Anthropology from Idaho State University where she researched the history and anthropology of food. She has been involved in education at the K-12 and post-secondary realms for over twenty-five years. Barber lived for three years in Southern France (2008-2011) with her family. During her time in France, she gained international education experience, serving in many capacities at a secondary International Baccalaureate School in Luynes, France, where she participated in accreditation, teaching, capacity building, and fundraising. Dr. Barber profoundly believes in the community college mission and recognizes the power of education to create hope and transform lives. Barber endeavors to identify and remove barriers to create abundant opportunities for students. She has been married for 35 years and has two grown sons. In her spare time, she teaches yoga, hikes in the Idaho wilderness, writes, and walks many miles with her two sweet dogs.
Dr. J. Mark Browning
An unwavering champion of connecting students and the doors of opportunities found in higher education, Dr. Mark Browning is honored to be considered as a finalist for the presidency at the College of Eastern Idaho. He currently serves as the 8th President at Blue Mountain Community College (BMCC) in Pendleton Oregon. Browning was a late comer to higher education as he started his own trek towards a bachelor’s degree at Idaho State University (ISU) at the age of 39. Thanks to several staff and faculty, a fire for learning was lit and a world of new career possibilities was revealed. Just a few years after earning that Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications, Browning left a 23-year career in broadcast news & journalism to become the Chief Communications and Legislative Officer for the Idaho State Board of Education. He spent five years working to tell the stories and further the effort to serve students and communities. The exposure to all eight (8) of the Idaho public post-secondary education institutions gave Mark a unique insight to the innerworkings of higher education. Mark found himself with an opportunity to work directly with a single college when he accepted the position of Vice President for Communications and Government Relations at North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene. Higher Education became quite real; interacting with students and community helped to deeply forge a bond and passion for community college education. Service to students and community continued as the Vice President for College Relations at the College of Western Idaho in the Treasure Valley. In 2021, Dr. Browning was named the 8th President at Blue Mountain Community College (BMCC) in northeastern Oregon. BMCC serves more than 4,000 students over an area that spans some 18,000 square miles through a main campus in Pendleton and four (4) regional and workforce centers. Under his leadership, BMCC has seen three (3) consecutive years of enrollment growth after a decade of decline. Browning has led several initiatives which have resulted in new and innovative community and industry partnerships which are providing workforce solutions for regional industry and students. In addition to his background in communications, Browning holds a doctorate degree from Idaho State University in Education with an emphasis in higher education leadership, a master’s degree from the University of Idaho in Public Administration. He is also a graduate of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Future President’s Institute which focuses on helping dynamic, visionary leaders prepare to lead students, staff and faculty in their efforts to meet the challenges of a new and shifting economic landscape. Mark and his wife Kym have three grown sons, and the world’s cutest three grandkids. Mark and Kym are empty-nesters and spend their free time traveling, exploring the mountains through camping, fly fishing, hiking and enjoying the beauty of our great outdoors.

Open Forum Schedule:

Monday, June 17th, 2024:

  • Dr. Josh Baker
  • 10:00 AM – 11:30AM
  • College of Eastern Idaho Campus
  • Health Care Education Building (Building 6)
  • Rooms 150/152

Tuesday, June 18th, 2024:

  • Dr. Lori Barber
  • 10:00 AM – 11:30AM
  • College of Eastern Idaho Campus
  • Health Care Education Building (Building 6)
  • Rooms 150/152

Wednesday, June 19th, 2024:

  • Dr. Mark Browning
  • 10:00 AM – 11:30AM
  • College of Eastern Idaho Campus
  • Health Care Education Building (Building 6)
  • Rooms 150/152

We are looking forward to a successful completion of the presidential search process. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to reach out to our ACCT Search Consultants:

  • Stephen Head, Ph.D., ACCT Search Consultant, shead51@hotmail.com, (832) 754-5973 (mobile)
  • Julie Golder, J.D., Vice President of Search Services, jgolder@acct.org or (202) 384-5816 (mobile)
Presidential Profile

Presidential Profile | College of Eastern Idaho

04/04/24

The Board of Trustees invites nominations and applications for the position of President of College of Eastern Idaho (CEI), located in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

The College was originally founded in 1969 as Eastern Idaho Vocational Technical School, and in May 2017, the citizens of Bonneville County voted to create the College of Eastern Idaho. The founding president of CEI, Dr. Rick Aman, is retiring after six successful years. CEI currently enrolls over 21,000 students each year in both academic transfer, workforce training & development, and two bachelor’s programs.

The College is seeking a leader who can continue the tradition of innovation and vision and who possesses an unwavering commitment to student success and works collaboratively with the Board of Trustees, all CEI employees, students, and the community to strategically develop and expand CEI and meet the educational needs of the community.

The President of the College of Eastern Idaho is the Chief Executive Officer of the College and maintains a direct reporting relationship to the five-member, elected Board of Trustees for the College of Eastern Idaho Community College Taxing District.

Overview

The President is responsible for administering and supervising College programs and operations, including budgets, personnel, and facilities. The President champions College of Eastern Idaho with all stakeholders, including the City of Idaho Falls, Idaho elected officials, local and regional businesses, area K-12 districts, higher education institutions throughout Idaho, and the citizens of Idaho. The President represents the College and Trustees to the community and directs the development of quality educational programs within the eastern Idaho Interstate-15 corridor, highlighting energy, innovation, and healthcare industries. This involves providing highly responsive education and training for in-demand careers directly related to employability or transfer to a university.

Representative Duties:

  • Assumes full management responsibility for the College, including budgets, personnel, and activities of all College programs, divisions, departments, and services.
  • Participates with Trustees in the formulation of College policy for Board consideration; develops administrative regulations and procedures, goals, and objectives for the College consistent with College policy.
  • Possess a strong understanding of higher education recruitment, retention, and enrollment management processes, best practices, and trends for skills-based employment in support of the regional workforce.
  • Assigns, assesses, and monitors workload, administrative and support systems, and internal reporting relationships.
  • Manages and participates in the development and administration of the assigned College budget; approves the forecast of funds needed for staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies; approves expenditures, and implements budgetary adjustments as appropriate and necessary.
  • Directs a continuous program of examination and data collection through the "connected campus" to improve College programs to meet the educational needs of the community.
  • Oversees the hiring and dismissal of College faculty and staff, assists in developing performance standards, and is responsible for the evaluation of all academic and classified employees of the College.
  • Provides and encourages professional development and training for College employees to promote professional growth, improved efficiency, and the quality of operations.
  • Delivers leadership for institutional planning, including the development of the College mission, vision, and core theme statement. Utilizes College futuristic strategies, facilities plan, strategic plan, and budget.
  • Consults with Trustees and College administrators to analyze long-term facility needs and makes recommendations to Trustees on additions, changes in the College five-year plan, and on maintenance and remodeling of the plant and facilities.
  • Provides overall leadership for the College's accreditation process. Ensures the ongoing maintenance and oversight of the accreditation process within the NWCCU region.
  • Provides leadership in resource development through active participation in the fundraising efforts of the College and the College foundation, as well as an active role in grants development. Works collegially with other Idaho and regional colleges, universities, and Idaho State Board of Education leaders to develop strategies to enhance resources through state allocations, tuition, and property tax revenues.
  • Represents the College to the community and region, promoting positive relationships and providing open communication with all constituency groups. Builds strong partnerships with local schools, businesses, industries, and government. Develops positive public relations for the College and the region at the state and national levels by attending meetings, serving on committees, and engaging in other activities.
  • Engages and works with industry throughout eastern Idaho to ensure that College program offerings are relevant and adaptable to meet current and future workforce demands.
  • Serves as an advocate for College interests to the Idaho Governor's office, local, state, and federal elected officials.
  • Attends and participates in professional conferences, workshops, and local, state, regional, and national activities on behalf of the College.
  • Demonstrates commitment to offering degrees, programs, certifications, and skills that are relevant to the current needs of business and industry. Participates on boards or task forces such as the President Leadership Council, Idaho Regional Optical Network, Leadership in Nuclear Energy, Mountain States Leadership, Chamber, Rotary, and regional economic development entities.
  • Acts as the primary authority, under emergency situations, to protect the safety and health of students and staff under College procedures. Represents College circumstances to news media if needed.
  • Promotes and supports student-centered activities, including advocating for student needs.

Opportunities and Challenges:

  • To honor the history and culture of the College and its critical role in the region.
  • To strengthen the College as a core and evolving asset to the community to further the social, cultural, and economic development of the eastern Idaho region.
  • To understand the needs created by extensive growth by assessing and prioritizing new facilities, technology, processes, and procedures while continuing to innovate workforce and academic programs.
  • To advance student success through enrollment, retention, and completion for all students, including the traditionally underserved.
  • To strengthen CEI’s success in developing partnerships with local and regional businesses and industries to respond to the needs of the workforce and skilled trades.
  • To help lead the College in fundraising and developing strong relationships with donors, alumni, and the community. Continue to create and manage external relations of all kinds, including the Board of Trustees, policymakers, local businesses, and community members that are vital to the success of the College.

Ideal Characteristics and Skill Sets:

  • Knowledgeable and passionate about the mission and the unique qualities and characteristics of a community college.
  • Serves as a visible ambassador to the College for a large and diverse region.
  • An exceptional financial steward with extensive experience managing large and complex budgets.
  • A successful track record of enhancing and broadening institution-wide marketing and branding.
  • Supports strong and dedicated faculty, staff, and administrators.
  • Willingness to make a long-term commitment to the College and community.
  • Champions all constituencies with an awareness of socio-economic differences in the community, with specific attention to under-represented students.
  • A personable, compassionate, and empathetic leader who listens to students, employees, and the community.
  • Engages and understands the importance of involvement in student organizations, including clubs.
  • Experience serving under-represented and diverse populations, such as Hispanic communities and Tribal nations, among students, employees, and community partners.

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Master’s Degree required. Doctorate from a regionally accredited college or university is highly preferred.
  • Three years of demonstrated, successful, senior-level administrative leadership experience, strongly preferred at a community college.
  • Demonstrated cultural competency, sensitivity to, and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, ethnic backgrounds of community college students and employees.
  • Teaching experience preferred; ideally at a community college.
  • The successful leader will exemplify characteristics of integrity, responsibility, and compassion and serve college stakeholders to inspire the delivery of strategic goals and better the lives of our students through education.

Contact