Atlanta — January 11, 2022

The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG) has named the two committees to conduct a national search for the next president of Georgia Highlands College (GHC). Dr. Dana Nichols currently serves as interim president.

“GHC’s next leader has a great opportunity to build on its mission to help students in northwest Georgia earn their degrees and learn the skills they need to join the state’s workforce and grow their careers,” Acting Chancellor Teresa MacCartney said. “This is critical work, and I’m grateful to committee members for their time and commitment toward what I know will be a successful search.”

The search and screening of candidates is the responsibility of the campus-based Presidential Search and Screen Committee and will guide the first stage of the search. Members are as follows:

• Jason Hitzeman, search and screen committee chair; professor of Kinesiology and Wellness, School of Health Sciences; Faculty Senate chair
• Randy Green, associate professor, criminal justice and political science, School of Social Sciences and Education
• Lisa Jellum, Ed.D., associate professor, Kinesiology and Wellness; interim dean, School of Health Sciences
• Lucinda Montgomery, assistant professor of Logistics and Supply Chain Management, School of Business and Professional Studies
• Billy Morris, professor of Geology, School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
• Travice Baldwin Obas, professor of communication, School of Humanities
• Ejiroghene Ogaga, assistant professor of biology, School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
• Greg Patton, owner and LPL Financial Advisor, Patton Financial Associates; chair, Georgia Highlands Foundation
• Gregory L. Shropshire, owner and CEO of Higher Progress Consulting, LLC
• Matthew Tebias Perry, president, Student Government Association
• Laura Walton, assistant director of Advising
• Cindy Williams, CEO, Cartersville-Bartow Chamber of Commerce

The duties of the Presidential Search and Screen Committee include the development of a position description, recruiting candidates and conducting interviews. The search firm of Storbeck Search LLC has been engaged to assist the search committee.

At the conclusion of its work, the campus committee will forward the credentials of three to five unranked candidates to the Regents Special Committee for consideration.

The Regents Special Committee will be chaired by Regent Lowery May with members Chairman Harold Reynolds, Regent C. Thomas Hopkins Jr., Regent Cade Joiner and Regent T. Dallas Smith.

The initial meeting of the Presidential Search and Screen Committee will be Jan. 19, at which time the members will be formally charged with their roles and responsibilities in conducting the search.

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