Minnesota State has named four finalists in the search for the next president of Normandale Community College. The candidates are Charles Lepper, Luca Lewis, Jana Schwartz, and Pakou Yang.
The candidates were recommended by a search advisory committee that was comprised of students, faculty, staff, and community leaders, and was chaired by Sharon Pierce, president of Minneapolis College. The candidates are scheduled to conduct campus visits the week of March 23. The campus visits provide an opportunity for students, faculty, staff, and members of the community to meet each of the candidates and offer feedback. Details of the candidates’ campus visits and the process for providing feedback are available at https://www.normandale.edu/why-normandale/about/presidential-search-profile.html.
Charles Lepper served as president and CEO of Grand Rapids Community College in Michigan between 2023 and 2025. Previous roles include the vice president for student affairs and enrollment management at Salt Lake City Community College in Utah from 2015 to 2023, and in various roles at Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana, including assistant vice provost for student development services from 2009 to 2013, institutional liaison to the Higher Learning Commission from 2009 to 2011, director of faculty development and student life initiatives between 2007 and 2009, and associate dean of student affairs from 2004 to 2007. He also has experience serving in housing and residence life roles at Slippery Rock University, Pennsylvania, Indiana University, and Western Michigan University. His teaching experience includes positions at the University of Utah, Indiana State University, Ivy Tech Community College, Indiana University, Western Michigan University, and Grand Valley State University, Michigan. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Ball State University, Indiana, a master’s from Grand Valley State University, and a doctorate from Indiana State University. He is scheduled to visit Normandale Community College on Wednesday, March 25.
Luca Lewis serves as interim president of Ventura College in California, a position he has held since September 2025. Prior to that, he served Ventura College as vice president of student affairs in 2025. From 2022 to 2025, he was the associate vice chancellor of education and student services at West Hills Community College District, California. Between 2015 and 2022, he served as vice president for student services at Whatcom Community College in Washington. Additional prior roles include dean for student success and retention at Edmonds Community College, Washington, from 2012 to 2015, director of high school programs for Bellevue College, Washington, between 2010 and 2012, and interim student affairs specialist at the University of Washington from 2006 to 2007. He has also served as adjunct faculty or instructor at several colleges. He holds a bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degree from the University of Idaho. He is scheduled to visit Normandale Community College on Tuesday, March 24.
Jana Schwartz currently serves as the president of Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC) in Arizona, a position she has held since July 2024. She also served as the interim president at PVCC from August 2023 to July 2024. Prior to that, she was the vice president of student affairs at PVCC between 2019 and 2023. She was the dean of pathways and student succes and the Title III program director for Front Range Community College (FRCC) in Colorado from 2018 to 2019 and the dean of student affairs at FRCC between 2012 and 2018. Additional professional experience includes director of the Center for Human Enrichment at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) from 2008 to 2012, graduate assistant for the Stryker Institute for Leadership Development at UNC from 2005 to 2006, and program director for the Bradley Learning Community at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 2002 to 2005. She holds a bacher’s degree from Central College, Iowa, and master’s from the University of Iowa, and a doctorate from the University of Northern Colorado. She will visit Normandale Community College on Thursday, March 26.
Pakou Yang currently serves as the interim president of Normandale Community College, a position she has held since June 2025. Prior to that, she served as the provost and vice president of academic and student affairs at Century College from 2021 to 2025. She also held the position of vice president of student affairs and enrollment management at Century between 2018 and 2021. From 2014 to 2018 she was the system director of P-20 and college readiness at the Minnesota State system office and preceeding that she served as an academic dean for the division of behavioral and social science, communication, physical education and health, humanities, and the translation and interpreting program at Century. She was also a full-time unlimited communication instructor at Century from 2003 to 2008. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota Duluth, a master’s from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a doctorate from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. She is scheduled to visit Normandale Community College on Friday, March 27.
The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is expected to consider Chancellor Scott Olson’s recommendation at its April 22, 2026, meeting. The anticipated start date of the new president is July 1, 2026.
About Normandale Community College
Normandale Community College, located in Bloomington, Minn., is the largest two-year college within the Minnesota State system with over 14,000 enrolled students. Normandale offers over 70 degrees and certificates with a mission of cultivating a welcoming community, fostering every student’s talent and building an equitable world. For more information visit https://www.normandale.edu/.
About Minnesota State
Minnesota State includes 26 community and technical colleges and seven state universities serving approximately 270,000 students. It is the third-largest system of two-year colleges and four-year universities in the United States.
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