Cochise Newsroom

Cochise College has selected three finalists in its extensive nationwide search for the college’s next president and CEO, marking a significant moment in its leadership transition. The Governing Board invites the community to participate in an important selection process by attending public forums scheduled for early December.

The forums will provide an opportunity for students, faculty, staff and the public to meet and engage with each finalist. These events will be held at both the Douglas Campus and Sierra Vista Campus.

For those unable to attend the forums in person, the Sierra Vista Campus forum will have a Zoom option available, and the sessions will also be recorded. 

The finalists are:

Dr. James Perey, Tuesday, December 3. Sierra Vista Campus Zoom link.

Douglas Campus: Administration Building, Room 101 at 10:15 a.m.

Sierra Vista Campus: Student Union, Community Room at 2:30 p.m.

Dr. James Perey serves as the executive vice president for academics at Cochise College. He is an experienced educator with over 27 years of leadership and teaching experience across K-12 and higher education. At Cochise College, Dr. Perey is the chief academic officer overseeing academic, career and technical education and workforce development programs, guiding strategic priorities and goals on student success. He provides leadership and innovation for various credit and non-credit programs.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Dr. Perey is dedicated to service and community engagement. He is the chair-elect of the Sky Islands Regional Partnership (formerly the Sierra Vista Chamber of Commerce). He also represents Cochise County on the Southern Arizona Sports, Tourism, and Film Authority board and serves on other local and state boards. As an alumnus of the project CENTRL leadership program, Harvard Institute for Management and Leadership in Education, and Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship, Dr. Perey brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his roles.

An Arizona native and U.S. Army veteran, he holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from the University of Arizona, a master’s degree in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University, and a doctoral degree in organizational leadership from Grand Canyon University. Dr. Perey resides in Sierra Vista with his wife, Jessica, and their daughters, Hayden and Brooke.

 

Dr. Ian Roark, Wednesday, December 4. Sierra Vista Campus Zoom link.

Douglas Campus: Administration Building, Room 101 at 10:15 a.m.

Sierra Vista Campus: Student Union, Community Room at 2:30 p.m.

Dr. Ian Roark currently serves as vice chancellor of workforce development and innovation at Pima Community College, bringing 24 years of experience in education. His career spans roles as a secondary-level music and social studies teacher, assistant principal, central administrator, community college dean, vice president, and vice chancellor.

At Pima College, Dr. Roark is the primary contact for workforce and economic development initiatives, collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to address business and industry needs. He leads efforts to align the college with regional and state economic priorities, driving innovation through initiatives such as micro-pathways, apprenticeships, and baccalaureate degree programs. His work emphasizes collective impact partnerships, community college innovation, the future of work, early college programs, and business and industry engagement, emphasizing learner access, success and upward mobility.

Dr. Roark has played a key role in shaping Pima College’s strategic direction, including serving on the Educational Master Plan and Strategic Planning committees. Under his leadership, the Workforce Business Development was reformed to be a comprehensive workforce and economic development engagement team; increased enrollment in the Workforce Development & Continuing Education; and reversed all revenue-generating programs from an era of annual deficits to sustainability and net contribution to the college. He also spearheaded initiatives for the college like the Prior Learning Assessment regimen, Business & Industry Advisory Committee reformation, comprehensive CTE curriculum framework for all CTE/Workforce programs, Pima FastTrack and other New Models for New Majority Learners, the college-wide Innovation Framework, and the comprehensive alignment of programs to meet industry needs under the Centers of Excellence and strategic plan goals.

Dr. Roark earned his bachelor’s degree from Angelo State University, a master’s degree from the University of Texas, and a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

He has been married to Landi, an exemplary public school teacher, for 26 years. They have two children: a son who is 17 and a daughter who is 21 and is attending Arizona State University. Together, they enjoy road trips, movies and backyard cookouts. Dr. Roark’s favorite activities outside work include hiking, camping, writing and playing music.

 

Dr. Justin Hoggard Thursday, December 5. Sierra Vista Campus Zoom link.

Douglas Campus: Administration Building, Room 101 at 10:15 a.m.

Sierra Vista Campus: Student Union, Community Room at 2:30 p.m.

Dr. Justin Hoggard became Coastal Bend College’s (CBC) seventh president in November 2019. Before he became president at CBC, he was the chief academic officer (CAO) and dean of instruction at Three Rivers College (TRC) in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. He held teaching and numerous administrative roles at TRC over his nearly 20-year career serving higher learning institutions primarily in rural areas. As CAO, Dr. Hoggard was responsible for academic programming and workforce development at the Poplar Bluff campus as well as at TRC’s locations in Dexter, Kennett, and Sikeston, Missouri.

Dr. Hoggard has become an active member of the community as he serves on several economic development projects, including the Bee Area Partnership, the Bee Development Authority, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Board of Directors for the Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend area. He also serves as the President of the National Junior Athletic Association Region XIV athletic conference. He has been a peer reviewer at the Higher Learning Commission and, most recently, for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Dr. Hoggard holds a bachelor’s degree in education, a master’s degree in history, a specialist in Community College Teaching, and a doctoral degree in educational leadership. Most recently, he completed an Executive Leadership certificate from Cornell University.

Dr. Hoggard and his wife, Lori, a social worker, have been married for over 30 years. They have three children: Dylan, a recent graduate of Iowa Law; Zachary, a financial advisor; and Lilly, a CBC graduate currently enrolled at Texas A&M University–Kingsville.

The community is invited to attend the forums in person or watch online via Zoom. The college encourages the public to provide feedback through a survey provided during the forums for each candidate or by emailing cochise.pressearch@cochise.edu. All feedback must be submitted no later than 8 a.m. on Friday, December 6, and will be shared with the Governing Board Members as they consider each candidate for the position.

 

For additional information visit www.cochise.edu/president-search.