Napa Valley College President Search

Dr. Tawny Dotson is an experienced, student-centered leader who has served as President of Yuba College since July 2020. In this role, Dr. Dotson is responsible for all aspects of YC's operations, including strategic planning, fiscal management, student services, and instruction. Dotson has served students at post-secondary institutions in Oklahoma, Washington, and California. Her career in education includes serving as a guest lecturer and adjunct faculty member in Marketing, Photography, Communication Studies, and College Success, as well as director, special assistant to the president, chief of staff, and vice president-level positions, before her role at YC. 

She is a graduate of the Aspen Institute Rising Presidents Fellowship, the Aspen Institute's Presidents Fellowship, and the University of California Davis’s Wheelhouse Institute. She serves as co-chair on the League for the California Community College's CEO Funding Policies Task Force and as vice chair of the California Community College Athletics Association Board. She was selected to join the American Association of Community Colleges' Small and Rural Colleges Commission in 2024 and to serve as the chair of the California Rural CEO Caucus in 2026. Dotson's career has been focused on service, and she began that commitment as an active-duty Air Force Officer, retiring in 2025 after serving in the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard.

Dr. Gayle Pitman is a community college leader with more than 25 years of experience advancing student success, equity, and institutional effectiveness in California’s community colleges. She serves as Vice President of Institutional Equity, Effectiveness, and Success at Hartnell College, where she leads strategic planning, accreditation, institutional research, and equity initiatives.

Dr. Pitman began her career as a part-time faculty member, later earning a full-time position and serving in faculty leadership roles before moving into administration. She leads complex, cross-functional initiatives that align people, priorities, and resources in service of equity and student success. Her work focuses on improving access, persistence, and completion while strengthening pathways to transfer and living-wage careers, particularly for first-generation students, multilingual learners, and working adults. She brings a collaborative, steady approach grounded in trust, authenticity, innovation, and sustained change.

Her leadership is informed by a background in clinical psychology, with experience in correctional settings, community mental health, and college counseling. She holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology and a bachelor’s degree in Clinical Psychology and Women’s Studies from Tufts University.

Dr. Pitman is a participant in the Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship and is committed to community-centered leadership. She engages regional partners to align pathways with workforce priorities and strengthen transfer to four-year universities, advancing opportunity and economic mobility.An accomplished author of children’s books celebrating LGBTQ+ history and culture, she centers inclusion, representation, and belonging in her leadership, grounded in the belief that every student deserves to be seen, supported, and empowered to succeed.

Dr. María L. Villagómez is a student- and community-centered executive with more than 30 years of experience in education, committed to the transformative power of community colleges as engines of equity, opportunity, and economic mobility. A proud alumna of Napa Valley College, first-generation college graduate, and daughter of Mexican immigrant farmworkers, she brings lived experience and strategic vision to advancing student success and excellence.

She serves as Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Academic Affairs at Santa Barbara City College, an Aspen Prize–winning single-college district, where she oversees a complex academic enterprise and approximately $50 million in resources. Known for strong fiscal stewardship, she has led data-informed enrollment and instructional efficiency initiatives that increased productivity, generating over $2 million in savings while preserving access and quality. Her leadership has helped secure more than $5 million in grants, implement a cost-neutral organizational redesign, and lead the development and approval of a baccalaureate degree in Health Information Management.

At Napa Valley College, she served as an award-winning Senior Dean, Dean of Instruction and Academic Support, division and department chair, program coordinator, award-winning tenured professor for more than 16 years, and administrative senate, academic senate, and union leader. Her accomplishments include launching a $400K technology lending program to close the digital divide, leading the college’s transition to online teaching and learning after the pandemic, expanding dual enrollment, optimizing facilities, and leading academic pathways.

An Aspen Rising Presidents Fellow, Dr. Villagómez is recognized for aligning vision with measurable outcomes and for her deep commitment to community engagement and student success.

Dear Colleagues and Prospective Candidates, 

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, it is my distinct pleasure to invite highly qualified and visionary educational leaders to consider applying for the position of Superintendent/President of Napa Valley College. 

Napa Valley College is a proud, student-centered community college located in the heart of California’s world-renowned Napa Valley. Serving Napa County and surrounding communities, the College plays a vital role in advancing educational opportunity, workforce preparation, and lifelong learning in one of the state’s most unique and dynamic regions. 

The College serves approximately 6,800 students annually, in credit, noncredit, and community education programs. Napa Valley College reflects the rich diversity of its region, with a strong representation of Hispanic/Latine students (43%) and working adults balancing education, family, and employment. With the designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and recent STEM grant recipient, the College is deeply committed to equity, access, and student success, ensuring that all students—regardless of background—have the opportunity to achieve their educational and career goals. 

Napa Valley College is nationally recognized for its viticulture, enology, and wine industry programs, which are firmly rooted in the agricultural heritage of the Napa Valley. These signature programs exemplify the College’s long-standing partnership with local industry and its ability to align academic excellence with regional workforce needs. In addition to its agricultural strengths, the College offers a comprehensive range of transfer, career technical, and basic skills programs designed to support both university pathways and high-demand careers. 

Why Napa Valley College, Why Now 

Napa Valley College stands at an important moment of opportunity. With a strong foundation, deep community trust, and distinctive academic strengths, the College is well positioned to advance student success, workforce relevance, and institutional effectiveness in a rapidly changing higher education environment. 

The next Superintendent/President will have the opportunity to lead a respected college with nationally recognized programs, strong regional partnerships, and a clear commitment to equity and access—while helping shape the College’s future through strategic leadership, collaboration, and innovation. 

For an experienced leader seeking both impact and place, Napa Valley College offers a rare opportunity to serve a mission-driven institution in one of California’s most unique and notable locales and to make a lasting difference for students and community alike. 

Thank you for your interest in Napa Valley College and for your commitment to public higher education. We look forward to welcoming a leader who will help guide the College into its next chapter of service and success. 

For consideration for first round interviews all application materials must be completed and submitted directly to the district through their online application portal at SchoolJobs.com no later than the end of business on Friday, March 13, 2026. 

Under the professionalism of confidentiality, please direct all inquiries/questions to our search consultant, Stan A. Carrizosa Sr. of Community College Search Services at stan.carrizosa@ccss.solutions. 

  

Warm regards, 

Jennifer Baker 
President, Board of Trustees 
Napa Valley College 
Napa, California