Skip to Main Content

BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND ADMINISTRATION

Board of Trustees

Merced College Logo

JOE G. GUTIERREZ

President

ERNIE OCHOA

Vice President

KORY BENSON

Clerk

MARIO MENDOZA

Member

CARMEN RAMIREZ

Member

SUE CHAPPELL

Member

ALANA MERCADO

Member

Administration

CHRIS VITELLI, ED.D.

Superintendent/President
B.S., University of Florida
M.Ed., Harvard University
Ed.D., Arizona State University

JOSEPH ALLISON, CPA

Assistant Superintendent/Vice President, Administrative Services
A.A., Merced College
B.S., California State University, Fresno

MICHAEL McCANDLESS, ED.D.

Assistant Superintendent/Vice President, Student Services
B.A., University of California, Santa Barbara
M.A., California State University, Stanislaus
Ed.D., California State University, Stanislaus

DEE SIGISMOND, PH.D.

Assistant Superintendent/Vice President, Instruction
B.S., Eastern Washington University
Ph.D., University of Nevada, Reno

KELLY AVILA

Vice President, Human Resources
B.A., California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
M.A., California Lutheran University

ARLIS BORTNER

Vice President, Technology and Institutional Effectiveness
B.S., DeVry University
M.B.A., Western Governors University

JILL CUNNINGHAM

Vice President, External Relations
B.A., American University, Washington

NATHAN DEVINE

Vice President, Enterprise and Academic Partnerships
B.S., M.B.A., University of La Verne

GEORGE STILL, PH.D.

Associate Vice President, Instruction
B.A., M.A., Campbell University
Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

GREG SOTO

Associate Vice President, Student Services
A.A., Merced College
B.A., Sonoma State University
M.A., St. Mary's College of California

KARA LI

Chief Technology Officer
B.A., Georgia State University

JOSEPH CARRANZA, ED.D.

Dean of Instruction, Business and Economics, Education, and Noncredit
B.A., California State University, Stanislaus
M.A., California State University, Stanislaus
Ed.D., California State University, Stanislaus

WANDA SCHINDLER

Acting Associate Dean, Nursing
A.A., A.S., Merced College
B.S.N., M.S.N., Ed., University of Phoenix

ERNESTO HERNANDEZ

Acting Dean, Student Services
B.A., University of California, Merced
M.Ed., University of California, Riverside

MARIE BRULEY, ED.D

Dean of Instruction, Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics
B.S. California State University, Stanislaus
M.A., California State University, Sacramento
Ed.D., California State University, Stanislaus

ROBERT CASEY

Associate Dean, Athletics and Sport Sciences
B.S., Huron University
M.A., Colorado Technical University

CAROLYN CUSICK, PH.D.

Dean of Instruction, Arts and Social Sciences
B.A., Saint Louis University
M.A., Lewis University
Ph.D., Vanderbilt University

ANNETTE MACHA

Acting Dean, Enterprise and Academic Partnerships
B.S., San Jose State University
M.B.A., California State University, Stanislaus

TRAVIS HICKS

Dean of Instruction, Humanities and Liberal Arts
B.A., University of St. Thomas
M.A., Loyola Marymount University

CODY JACOBSEN

Dean of Instruction, Agriculture and Industrial Technology
B.S., California State University, Fresno
M.S., National University

JESSICA MORAN, PH.D.

Dean of Instruction, Los Banos Campus
B.A., University of California, Berkeley
M.B.A., California State University, Stanislaus
M.A., Brandman University
Ph.D., Texas Tech University

JOE SERENA

Dean of Instruction, Allied Health and Public Safety
A.A., Merced College
B.S., American InterContinental University
M.A., California State University, Stanislaus

ESTELINA MUNOZ

Dean, Student Equity & Success
A.A., Merced College
B.A., California State University, Stanislaus
M.S., California State University, Fresno

KODY STIMPSON

Dean of Innovation and Institutional Effectiveness
B.A., M.S., Utah State University

Directors/Managers

COLLIN ABRAHAM

Director, Farm Operations
B.S., California State University, Fresno

RAUL ALVAREZ

Manager, Operations
A.A., Merced College

LEIGH BERNACCHI

Director, AG Innovation
B.A., Willamette University
M.S., University of Utah
Ph.D., Texas A&M University

JAGADEESH REDDY BHIMIREDDY

Director, Information Security
B.S., Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University
M.S., California State University, Dominguez Hills

MIKAYLA CAREY

Manager, Business and Leadership Training Programs
B.A., Wheaton College
M.B.A, Western Governors University

JULIE CLARK, ED.D.

Director, Enrollment Management and Institutional Effectiveness
B.A., M.A., California State University, Fresno
Ed.D., California State University, Stanislaus

BRIAN DEMOSS

Director, Enterprise Application Services
A.S., Clinton Community College
B.S., Southwest State University

JASKARAN DHESI, ED.D.

Director, MESA Program
B.A., MPA., Ed.D., California State University, Stanislaus

TOMASIA DRUMMOND

Director, Student Success
A.A., Modesto Junior College
B.A., Chapman University
M.S., University of La Verne

DAWNNET MCEWEN

Acting Bursar
B.S., California State University, Stanislaus

LOUIS FOY

Assistant Director, Equity and Support Centers
B.A., Biola University
M.A., New Mexico Highlands University

KIM FREITAS

Associate Director, Business and Fiscal Services
B.S., University of Phoenix

AUTUMN GARDIA

Director, Special Projects and Grants
B.A., M.B.A., California State University, Stanislaus

CARISSA HANSFORD

Manager, Sexual Violence Prevention Program
B.A., University of California, Davis

ARACELI TILLEY

Acting Director, Career and Transfer Center
A.A., Merced College
B.A., University of California, Merced
M.A., California State University, Stanislaus

FELICIA JONES

Manager, Student Services at Los Banos
A.A., Merced College
B.S., California State University, Stanislaus

LYDIA PADRON

Director, Child Development Center
A.A., Merced College
B.A., M.A., California State University, Stanislaus

JASON JUDKINS

Director, Financial Aid
A.A., Southwestern Community College
B.S., Alliant University
M.B.A., California State University, San Bernardino

DONDI LAWRENCE

Director, Rising Scholars
B.S., California State University, Fresno
M.A.E., California State University, Stanislaus
M.P.A., California State University, Fresno

JAMES LEONARD

Director, Communications & External Relations
B.A., California State University, Stanislaus

BETHANY LONG

Director, Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (DHSI) Grant
A.A., Modesto Junior College
B.A., M.S., California State University, Fresno

JEANETTE MARTIN

Director of Admissions, Records and Follow-Up Services
A.A., Humphrey's College and Merced College
B.A., M.B.A., Southern New Hampshire University

ALFREDO MENDOZA

Director, Grants Development
B.A., California State University, Stanislaus
M.P.A., California State University, Stanislaus

MARCUS METCALF

Senior Director, Capital Projects and Facilities
B.S., California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
M.A., Northern Arizona University

SARA MILLER

Director of Payroll
B.A., California State University, Fresno

MARIA KARLA NARVAEZ-FLORES

Manager, Adult Education and Noncredit Program
B.S., Autonomous University of Aguascalientes (UAA)
M.B.A., California State University, Stanislaus

JANET PILKINGTON

Director, Purchasing & Risk Management
A.A., North Shore Community College
B.S., Salem State University

WILLIAM RESENDES

Director of Technology Infrastructure and Architecture
B.S., Capella University

MICHELLE SYMES-THIARA

Senior Director, Human Resources
B.A., M.A., California State University, Fresno

FRANCISCO TOSTADO

Director, EOP&S, Care, Nextup, and CalWorks
B.A., California State University, Sacramento
M.A., San Jose State University

JENNIFER TROST

Director, Contract Education and Community Service
B.S., Professional Credential, California State University, Chico

ANDRE URQUIDEZ

Director, Business and Fiscal Services
B.S., California State University, Sacramento

LISA VEENSTRA

Director, Maintenance and Transportation
Graduate, Golden Valley High School