Final candidates announced for Dean of Instruction

Final candidates announced for Dean of Instruction
Final candidates announced for Dean of Instruction
April 09, 2019

Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC), one of the 10 colleges of the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD), will be holding public forums April 17 for the three finalists competing for the position of Dean of Instruction. The forums are free, open to students, faculty, staff, and community members and will be held in the Plaza Gallery on the EMCC campus, located at 3000 N. Dysart Road, in Avondale.

Each of the forums will provide an opportunity to individually feature the final candidates, allowing for a brief introduction, the candidate’s own presentation of qualifications, and a question-and-answer session with attendees.

Candidate biographies are included below.

The Dean of Instruction supports faculty in liberal arts programs, including the divisions of Arts and Composition, Behavioral Sciences and Cultural Studies, and Modern Languages. This position also supports Instructional Services, the Performing Arts Center, and the Buckeye Education Center. This position also promotes student success in a student-centered environment as a member of the college’s administrative leadership team. This position provides leadership and collaborates with administrators, faculty, staff, and industry partners to create learning experiences and growth opportunities designed for the diverse communities EMCC serves.

The job was posted Jan. 22, 2019, and closed Feb. 23, 2019, and included a national search through various employment mediums.


Dr. Carolyn Miller has more than 20 years of supervisory experience, including 10 years supervising staff and projects in higher education. In her current role as Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, she is responsible for ensuring the CTL team supports the strategic direction of the college and the district at large in its goal of student success. She provides oversight of instructional development, delivery, technology, and educational support of online learning for the campus, including instructional design, multimedia, and other aspects of instructional technology. She oversees the tracking of learning outcomes and formative feedback for all programs offered through the CTL.
 
Dr. Miller's background also includes grant reviewer for the Federal Department of Education; teaching and facilitating STEAM/technology courses at the community college level; developing and presenting faculty professional development workshops; and specialized training in a learning-centered campus environment. She is also a sought-after speaker, having presented at conferences at both the local and national level.
 
Dr. Miller received her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Phoenix, a Master's in Education, Counseling and Human Relations from Northern Arizona University, a Bachelor's in Education from Arizona State University, and an Associate of Arts from Estrella Mountain Community College.


Dr. Stephen Fomeche is a career educator, with more than 25 years of K12 and higher education experience in the U.S. and abroad. His post-secondary teaching and leadership started at Cambridge International College where he served as the Faculty representative and the lead faculty for English, Marketing, and Business Communication. In the U.S., Dr. Fomeche taught ESL for eight years at Pima Community College (PCC). In his last year at PCC, he did an internship for his doctoral program, shadowing the vice president in routine responsibilities and participating in the districtwide weekly meetings of the vice presidents. This helped in refining and reshaping Dr. Fomeche’s leadership style built from his corporate experience serving as the CEO of LECDA-USA, a nonprofit organization.

Dr. Fomeche joined MCCCD in 2013 as the Instructional Coordinator for English, Creative Writing, Reading, ESL, and English Humanities Departments. He currently serves in an expanded role as the Director of Community Partnership Programs at Rio Salado College, with a greater focus on supervising the Dual Enrollment Program. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Modern Letters and a Master’s in English from the University of Yaoundé. He earned a Doctoral degree in Educational Leadership, with Specialization in Community College and Higher Education from NAU.