In a special board meeting on Wednesday evening, the Mendocino-Lake Community College Board of Trustees unanimously voted to appoint Eileen Cichocki as Interim Superintendent/President. Ms. Cichocki’s new role will officially begin August 3. She was selected after a formal internal application process and her appointment comes as a result of the recent resignation of President Dr. Arturo Reyes who will be moving on to assume the role of Superintendent/President for Rio Hondo College in Southern California beginning August 5.
“Ms. Cichocki has the institutional knowledge to shepherd Mendocino College through the upcoming accreditation process and so much more. Given that Ms. Cichocki has been a part of the Mendocino College family for the past decade and a half, she is a natural fit to bridge this institution during a critical time of transition. Ms. Cichocki is someone that is well respected by her peers, staff, and the greater college community. As a product of the community college system, Ms. Cichocki is always mindful of the single reason we exist, our students”, stated Board of Trustees President, Robert Jason Pinoli.
Ms. Cichocki has over 25 years of experience working in the California Community College system. She has been an employee of Mendocino College for 15 years. Since 2014, she has served as the college’s Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Administrative Services and previously as the Director of Fiscal Services. Prior to coming to Mendocino College, Ms. Cichocki worked for 11 years at Santa Rosa Junior College. Ms. Cichocki holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA), a Bachelor’s Degree (BA) in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in city planning, and an Associate’s Degree (AA) in General Education. Both her MBA and BA were awarded by Sonoma State University, while her AA was conferred by Santa Rosa Junior College. She is a longtime member of both the Association of Chief Business Officials (ACBO) and the Association of California Community College Administrators (ACCCA).
“I am honored to be selected to serve in this interim capacity to provide leadership while the college selects its next Superintendent/President. There are many important initiatives underway at the college such as the accreditation reaffirmation process and implementation of the Chancellor’s Vision for Success, which includes a new Student Centered Funding Formula and Guided Pathways for students. I am excited to partner with the students, faculty, staff, managers, the board of trustees and community members to ensure Mendocino College continues to excel and move forward during this time of transition,” stated Ms. Cichocki.
The Mendocino College Ukiah campus is located at 1000 Hensley Creek Road Ukiah, CA 95482.
www.mendocino.edu