Our Team
Our consultants are highly experienced and successful community college leaders.
Alfred Fernandez, Ph.D.
Founder, CCSS
- Founder of Community College Search Services (CCSS)
- Chancellor Retired, Coast Community College District
- Former President, Dean of Instruction, Dean of Continuing Education, Admissions Officer and Geology professor
- Previously served as a member of the Executive Committee for AACC and Board of Trustees for the College Board
- Many presentations for ACCCA and League of Innovation for future presidents
- Harry Buttimer Distinguished Administrator Award, Association of California Community College Administrators
Joan E. Smith, Ed.D.
Managing Administrator
- Chancellor Emeritus, Yosemite Community College District
- President, Columbia College
- Executive Vice President of Student Learning, Ventura College
- Dean of Business, Industry and Technology, Art, and Off-Campus Programs, Ventura College
- Dean of Student Services, Oxnard College
- Created and established the Yosemite Community College District Leadership Academy
- Led efforts to establish the MJC Baccalaureate Program in Respiratory Therapy
- Honorary Member, Alpha Beta Gamma International Business Honor Society, 2002 & 2008
- Distinguished Services Award (Management Classification), Ventura College, 2004
Robin Calote, Ed.D.
Search Consultant
- President Emeritus, Ventura College
- Vice President, Instruction, San Bernardino Valley College
- Dean, Learning Resources, San Bernardino Valley College
- Created the Ventura College Promise Program and the Ventura College Corporate Promise Program
- Pacific Coast Business Times, Top 50 Women in Business Recipient, April 2008
- Distinguished Service Award (Management Classification), Ventura College, 2006
- San Bernardino Valley College Administrator of the Year, 1998 and 2003
Stan A. Carrizosa, M.A.
Search Consultant
- Superintendent/President Retired, Sequoias Community College District (7 years)
- Member, Statewide Accreditation Task Force (State Chancellor appointee)
- Vice Chair, California Community College Athletics Association Board of Directors
- Member of the Executive Board of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium
- Member of statewide assistance team for the Institutional Effectiveness Partnership Initiative
- Visiting Team Chair and member of ACCJC accreditation review teams
- Superintendent for both small and large K-12 districts — Dinuba Unified (7 years) and Visalia Unified (10 years)
- Faculty member, School of Education, California State University, Fresno
Willard Lewallen, Ph.D.
Search Consultant
- Superintendent/President Emeritus, Hartnell Community College District
- Former President, Vice President, Dean, and Faculty Member
- Commissioner, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC)
- STEM Center Building at Hartnell College named the "Willard Lewallen STEM Center"
- Paul Holmes Facilities Leadership Achievement Award, Community College Facility Coalition
- Distinctive Service Award, Purdue University
- League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Presidential Service Award
- Distinguished Alumnus, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Eva Conrad, Ph.D.
Partner
- President Emeritus, Moorpark College
- First Amendment Award, Journalism Association of Community Colleges, 2008
- Chair, California Community College Commission on Athletics
- President's Award, Academic Senate, Moorpark College, 2005
- Executive Vice President, Moorpark College
- Leadership Award for Administrative Excellence, ACCCA, 2002
- Vice President of Instruction, San Bernardino Valley College
- Visiting Scholar, UCLA
Reference Checkers
- Joe Curley
- Dawn Megli
- Alisa Moore
Our CCSS consultants are recognized as strong, innovative leaders who assist districts by providing executive searches, leadership training, mentoring and executive coaching.
