Dr. Christal Albrecht will serve as Interim President at Coconino Community College while a search for a permanent president is underway. Courtesy photo.
FLAGSTAFF — The District Governing Board for Coconino Community College has selected Dr. Christal M. Albrecht to serve as Interim President while the search for a permanent president is underway.
Dr. Albrecht and her husband are in the process of establishing a temporary residence in Flagstaff and will be on campus in the next two weeks. Dr. Albrecht is recently retired after serving seven years as the president of Alvin Community College in Alvin, Texas.
“The Board found her experience, educational philosophy and enthusiasm met our exceptionally high expectations set by the legacy of Dr. Colleen Smith,” said Board Chair Dr. Nat White, adding that the selection was made after the Board reviewed the qualifications of four highly experienced candidates suggested by the Association of Community College Trustees, the college’s search consultant.
“I am honored to be selected as the interim president at Coconino Community College,” Dr. Albrecht said. “I can’t wait to get started. Although I will be with the college only a few months, my goals are to exceed the Board’s expectations and to ensure a smooth transition for the next president. Go Comets!”
Before joining Alvin Community College, Dr. Albrecht was a campus president at Florida State College and a campus president at Pima Community College. She received her Doctorate in Allied Health Education and Administration from the University of Houston, a Master’s in Medical Technology and Laboratory Science from Norwich University, and a Bachelor’s in Medical Technology from Utica College-Syracuse University. She is also a proud community college graduate, having completed an Associate degree from SUNY Jefferson Community College in northern New York state.
Dr. Albrecht is a current board member and past president of the National Council for Workforce Education and a former board member of the American Association of Community Colleges. She and her husband Dr. Joseph Terry Sawma have four children and nine grandchildren.
Dr. White said that the search process for CCC’s next president is progressing. Applications are currently being accepted, and in Late August, the Board will select seven to nine semifinalists. By mid-September, the Board will narrow the candidates down to three or four finalists.
During the first week of October, the finalists will visit the campus and meet with the college community and community at large. The plan is to announce the next president of CCC in early November.
“Please know our highest priority is to select the very best president with the help of the college and members of the communities CCC serves,” White said. “If the Board senses the selection process needs more time to accomplish this, then we will make that happen.”
For more information about the CCC presidential search, visit www.coconino.edu/president-search
About Coconino Community College
CCC has served residents across 18,000 square miles of Coconino County since 1991. The College has the goal of improving the lives of our residents through workforce development and higher education.
CCC provides affordable tuition and offers certificate programs and two-year associate degrees in academic and career fields. CCC also has programs that ease student transition to any of the three state universities, including the award-winning CCC2NAU.
CCC reaches out to the more rural portions of the County and Tribal Lands. Instructional sites offer classes through online, in-person and Zoom video conferencing classes to meet the needs of students in rural and remote areas. On average, 20 percent of CCC’s students are Native American learners.