Meet the Chancellor’s Office Team

I am proud to have an outstanding office team, including Carina Warne, Jan Phemester, and Candice Bell. This team is critical in keeping the District running smoothly. They keep the District Office, the Chancellor, and the Board of Trustees on track, organized, and in the loop.
Carina, as the Senior Executive Assistant to the Chancellor, is the face of the Chancellor’s Office, and a veritable schedule wizard, keeping our calendars in check. She is also the first point of contact for many who have business with the District. As a leader, she also supports various large District projects and initiatives and ensures others in the District office have the support they need to complete projects.
Jan, Staff Assistant, is our special projects pro. She responds to District inquiries from the public, handles unique tasks, helps with event planning, and more.
Candice, our Executive Assistant and Board Clerk, is the link between the administration and the Trustees and helps to keep our District Participatory Governance Committee (DPGC) on track. She supports developing the Board agenda, tracks multiple requests and decisions from the Trustees, and prepares minutes. She single-handedly meets the many needs of our Trustees and maintains communication and relations with our Board.
I am grateful to have such a caring and collaborative team around me. If you have the pleasure of interacting with Carina, Jan, or Candice, you will know why I can always say, “I have the best team I never hired!”
Unveiling the Mystery of Chancellor’s Cabinet

Earlier this year, as an incoming Interim Chancellor, one of my first tasks was to define Cabinet and its purpose.
Chancellor’s Cabinet Defined
The SMCCCD Chancellor’s Cabinet is a consultative, collaborative, and information-sharing group supporting decision-making in the best interests of students. Cabinet implements matters prioritized by the Board of Trustees and those crucial to SMCCCD’s mission, strategic goals, and business/campus operations. Cabinet members consult with, communicate to, and receive feedback from each other about all Board agenda items and presentations before the Chancellor approves publication in the board agenda.
Cabinet members are the leaders who report directly to the Chancellor. The positions on Cabinet are the College Presidents, the Executive Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services, the Vice Chancellor of Educational Services and Planning, the Chief Diversity Officer, and the Executive Director of Community and Government Relations.
Purpose of Cabinet
The purpose of Chancellor’s Cabinet is to ensure the leadership of our District and campuses work seamlessly as a cohesive team to identify best practices, instill mutual trust across the District and in our communities, achieve individual campus and District goals, assist the Chancellor to speak with one voice about all District needs and concerns, and to provide transparency to students, our employees, the community, and the Board of Trustees.
The Chancellor’s Cabinet team is accountable to the Board, the District, the community, and the campuses for ensuring we function efficiently and effectively and show up as a united and cohesive team. Working together to achieve excellence in leadership, transparency, and communication is our goal.
We have had a great run working closely together since I started and have accomplished a lot. I am humbled by the team’s support of my leadership. Cheers to an excellent team!
Student Housing: Building Goodwill with Our Neighbors

Since 2020, the San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD) has dedicated resources to compete for State funding to build desperately needed student housing. In late 2022, the District submitted a project grant application to secure State funding to construct Districtwide student housing at College of San Mateo. The District’s application ranked 5th out of 21 fiercely competitive community college district applications. The top 6 applicants were awarded funding from the State of California as approved in the 2023-2024 budget, including SMCCCD. In addition, we learned that the project site and scope were locked and unchangeable at the time of awarding.
In early September, we initiated community outreach to share information about this project and solicit feedback by mailing 350 letters to neighboring San Mateo and Hillsborough residences. The first of two community forums was held on Monday, September 18. At that meeting, many attendees opposed the planned building site at College of San Mateo Parking Lot W due to the proximity to their homes.
Despite being told by the State that the location was locked after application submission and hearing the feedback from those in attendance at the forum, I directed District staff to re-open discussions with the California Community College Chancellor’s Office to determine if the student housing site could be moved to another parking lot on campus that is centrally located and farther away from neighbors’ homes.
Discussions began with the CCC Chancellor’s Office the next day, and an update was provided at the second community forum on September 19 about the efforts to change the location. Surveys were also offered at that meeting to learn more about the community’s concerns and questions. We announced a third forum would be held in mid-October to provide an update to the community.
We held that third and final forum where we had the pleasure of informing our neighbors that we listened to their concerns. With preliminary approval from the CCC Chancellor’s Office, we announced that we would move the housing location to Lot B, which the Board subsequently approved at their last meeting.
We found a solution that works for us and the neighbors through respectful listening and engagement. One attendee at all three forums said, “that was masterfully done” after the final forum. We expect to begin construction in spring 2025 and open the student housing in spring 2027, providing approximately 310 student beds at affordable rents well below market rate.
The Chancellor’s Classroom – Upcoming Study Session
The Chancellor’s Classroom is a section of this blog to help educate our community about the work of District operations and the Chancellor’s office. Today, I want to share some thoughts about the upcoming Study Session on November 8, 2023. Please reach out if you have any questions.

New Approach to Class Sizes and Cancellations
I have taken an unprecedented approach to the upcoming Study Session, in an effort to practice collaborative thought partnership. First, my team published the study session report early (as promised), and disseminated it to our constituent leaders and invited written responses. Second, I have invited constituent representatives to the table at the Study Session to interact in the Board discussion. Third, I have asked for a work group and challenged the group to come up with a recommendation for an agreed upon class cancellation policy. I have encouraged thought partnership and asked the group to consider alternatives to our current “minimum class size” approach. What if we connect class cancellation to a percentage of class maximum? What is the best approach for us?
I’m striving to make it our regular practice to work together, and to bring recommendations to the Board that represent collaborative solutions that support the best educational experience possible for our students. Imagine it!
Self-study homework: Please read the District’s report in the November 8 Board Agenda coming out today and let us know if you have questions!
Travel and Procard Accounting Procedures

The District recognizes that there is an occasional need for international travel to advance the work of the District. For example, staff members employed within the International Students and the Study Abroad programs engage in international travel as part of their regularly assigned duties. In general, international travel must be approved in advance by the Chancellor pending review of the purpose of travel and an assessment of whether the travel directly correlates to their primary work duties. As such, I am reviewing both the domestic and international travel administrative procedures to ensure our process is reflective of our values as a community college District. I am particularly sensitive to holding ourselves accountable as responsible fiscal stewards in this current climate of public scrutiny and will likely place some greater limitations on international travel moving forward.
In addition, and related to travel, if you have a Procard or are an approver of someone who holds a Procard, you are accountable for compliance with our established Procard accounting procedures. As a reminder, please review our policies and procedures below, and take advantage of some holiday grace to ensure compliance.
- Board Policy 8.15 Purchasing
- Procurement Card User’s Guide and Requirements
- Procurement Card Application and Agreement
- Procurement Cardholder Annual Agreement & Acknowledgement
As of January, 2024, we will ask that supervisors strictly enforce compliance of Procard and travel procedures. For example, suspension of Procard privileges is a consequence for employees who are out of compliance. We will be asking supervisors to consider suspending card privileges especially for those who consistently fail to provide timely and/or correct accounting.
The Board Corner

“The Board Corner” is a regular feature of this blog to help you stay informed about discussions and decisions that frequently impact our work. Below, you’ll find summaries of past Board of Trustees meetings, study sessions, and retreats in an effort to improve transparency around Board discussions and decisions. All Board meetings, except retreats, are recorded and posted to the Board Meeting Videos webpage.
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Regular Meeting: Wednesday, October 25, 2023
Actions
- 9.1 Approval of Personnel Items (ACTION: Approved)
- 10.1 Acceptance of Grant Funds from the California Community College’s Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) Rising Scholars Network Juvenile Justice Grant (ACTION: Approved)
- 10.2 Curricular Additions, Deletions and Modifications – Community, Continuing, and Corporate Education (CCCE) (ACTION: Approved)
- Curricular Additions, Deletions and Modifications – Cañada College, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College (ACTION: Approved)
- 10.4 Approval of Contract with ASH Enterprises for Replacement and Installation of Star Projector at College of San Mateo Planetarium (ACTION: Approved)
- 10.5 Ratification of July and August 2023 District Warrants (ACTION: Approved)
- 10.6 Approval of Contract Award for the Skyline College Buildings 3/7 Exhaust Fans and Building 7 HVAC Equipment Procurement (ACTION: Approved)
- 10.7 Approval of Recommendation to Negotiate Contract for District-Wide Food Services with Pacific Dining Food Service Management (ACTION: Approved)
- 11.1 Adoption of Board Goals (ACTION: Approved as amended)
- 11.2 Resolution No. 23-18: San Mateo County Community College District Board of Trustees Support Zero Textbook Costs (ACTION: Approved)
- 11.3 Reappointment of Member to the District’s Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee (ACTION: Approved)
- 11.4 Reappointment of Member to the District’s Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee (ACTION: Approved)
- 11.5 Appointment of Board Member to the Educational Housing Corporation Board (ACTION: Approved; Board appointed Trustee Guingona)
- 11.6 Appointment of Board Member to the Educational Housing Corporation Board (ACTION: Approved; Board appointed Grace Beltran)
- 11.7 Approval to Change Location of Districtwide Student Housing at CSM (ACTION: Approved as amended)
- 11.8 Approval of Lease Agreement for the College of San Mateo Education Facility in Half Moon Bay with Professional Peninsula Properties, LLC (ACTION: Approved)
Discussion
- 12.1 First Read of Partial Board Policy Updates
- 12.2 SMCCCD Fall 2023 Enrollment Report
- 12.3 Request for Study Session on Funding for District-wide Capital Improvement and Repair/Renovation Projects
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Special Meeting: Wednesday, October 4, 2023
Actions
- 3.1 Approval of Personnel Items (ACTION: Approved as amended)
- 4.1 Approval of Increases to District Contribution Rates Towards Health Plan Premiums for Non-Represented Exempt Employees (Administrators, Academic Supervisors, and Classified Exempt Supervisors) (ACTION: Approved)
- 5.1 Review and Approval of Board of Trustees Handbook (ACTION: Approved as amended)
- 5.2 Adoption of CCLC Board Policy Numbering System (ACTION: Approved)
Discussion
- 6.1 Board Policy Updates
- 6.2 Review and Discussion of Board Goals
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Regular Meeting: Wednesday, September 13, 2023
Actions
- 10.1 Approval of Personnel Items. (ACTION: Approved)
- 11.1 Approval to Execute Cell Site Use Permit with Verizon Wireless – Cañada College (ACTION: Approved)
- 11.2 Approval of College Midterm Reports to the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) (ACTION: Approved)
- 11.3 Acceptance of Grant from Peninsula Clean Energy to Support “Sustainability Collaborative Center” at San Mateo County Community College District (ACTION: Approved)
- 11.4 Approval to Reject Bid for College of San Mateo Building 12 Elevator Maintenance and Repair Project (ACTION: Approved)
- 11.5 Disposition of District Records for Skyline College (ACTION: Approved)
- 12.1 Public Hearing on the 2023-24 Final Budget (No approval needed for this item)
- 12.2 Adoption of the District 2023-24 Final Budget (ACTION: Approved)
- 12.3 Selection of Chancellor Search Consultant, Composition of Search Committee, Adoption of Draft Timeline, Consideration and Adoption of Revised Chancellor Selection Procedures
- Selection of Chancellor Search Consultant (ACTION: Approved – RH Perry)
- Composition of Search Committee (ACTION: Approved as amended to include 2 students)
- Adoption of Draft Timeline (ACTION: Approved)
- Consideration and Adoption of Revised Chancellor Selection Procedures (ACTION: Approved)
- 12.4 Formation of an Ad Hoc Committee to Address Innovations in Enrollment Management and Outreach (ACTION: Approved)
- 12.5 Appointment to San Mateo County School Board Association (SMCSBA) (ACTION: Approved – Trustee Wayne Lee appointed)
- 12.6 New Operating Agreement Between the District and San Mateo Community Colleges Foundation (ACTION: Approved)
Discussion
- 13.1 Update on Year One of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Cañada College and San Francisco State University, California State University East Bay, and Sequoia Union High School District, and Ravenswood City School District