2009 – Maya Durnovo

Dr. Maya Durnovo is the Dean of Economic and Workforce Development at Houston Community College Northwest. Her career spans more than three decades, all dedicated to the success of the community college student. Dr. Durnovo oversees 12 workforce programs, a successful WorkKeys Service Center and manages four grants, three of which she has personally authored. Her strong grant writing skills have brought over a 1.5 million dollars to HCC, funds that enabled under represented students the opportunity to enroll and graduate from college.

2008 – Jonathan McCullough

Dr. Jonathan McCullough has worked at Northeast Texas Community College since 1992. He began his career at NTCC as a Communities-In-Schools Coordinator and later served as the Director of Student Housing, Director of Student Activities, Counselor, Associate Athletic Director, and the Women’s Softball Coach before moving to the Development Office in 1998.  Since moving to the Development Office he has overseen the NTCC Foundation which has raised more than $38,000 million dollars in the past eight years and increased the Friends of the College by five hundred percent.

In 2005 He was named Vice-President for Advancement.  In addition to all fundraising activities, the Advancement office is responsible for the Whatley Center for the Performing Arts, Recruiting and Marketing, the NTCC Website, and Grants Development and Governmental Relations.

2007 – Katherine Eggleston

Dr. Kathryn “Kay” Eggleston is Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Richland College, where she has served on the senior leadership team since 1998. Dr. Eggleston leads Richland’s institutional effectiveness and performance excellence practices.  Richland College was named a 2005 recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the first and only community college to receive the nation’s highest distinction for performance excellence.

Dr. Eggleston has held several administrative positions in higher education, including Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness and Economic Development at Richland College, Executive Dean of Health and Legal Studies at El Centro College, and Dean of Health Occupations, also at El Centro.  Prior to her administrative appointments, Eggleston served on the faculty of the Associate Degree Nursing Program at El Centro College and as a staff registered nurse.

Dr. Lydia Tena-Perez has served for the last sixteen years as a member of the administrative staff at El Paso Community College in numerous positions at the division and campus levels. She currently serves as Campus Dean and Dean of Instructional Programs for the Northwest Campus where she is responsible for all credit programs offered at the campus as well as campus facilities issues. She is also serving as the Achieving the Dream (AtD) Coordinator for EPCC where she oversees all activities in this initiative and is involved in deliberations and major decisions as a member of the AtD Core Team and the Developmental Education Council.

2005 - Johnette McKown

Dr. Johnette McKown is Executive Vice President at McLennan Community College where she has been employed since 1989. In this role, she serves as chief financial and operations officer and supervises Financial Services, Administrative Services (Technology, Auxiliary Services, and Central Services), Physical Plant, Human Resources, Facilities and Construction, Athletics, and Campus Police. Additionally, she has responsibility for elections, contracts, legal issues, insurance, and special projects for the president.

2004 - Christal M. Albrecht

Dr. Christal M. Albrecht is the Vice President of Student Learning at Cy-Fair College. She joined the founding team at Cy-Fair College in October 2000 as its third employee and was a member of the small start-up team to who planned, developed and implemented the first community college in the 21 st Century. As the founding Vice President, Dr. Albrecht provided leadership for planning the start-up of the comprehensive community college, including leadership for over 30 technical programs, academic transfer courses and programs, the integrated continuing education program, corporate training, resource development, faculty and staff development, and institutional effectiveness.

2003 - Judy Traylor

Dr. Judy G. Traylor is Associate Vice President for Outreach Services at Northeast Texas Community College, where over the past 20 years she has impacted virtually every area of the college, including instruction, administration, strategic planning, student services, public relations, and grant-writing. In addition to holding the title of associate vice president at NTCC, she is an associate psychology faculty member at NTCC, adjunct psychology instructor for Texas A&M—Texarkana, executive director for Communities In Schools of Northeast Texas, director for a state-wide training academy for part-time faculty, and the college coordinator for dual credit.

Carl M. “Cheesie” Nelson

Dr. Carl M. "Cheesie" Nelson, served as President of Texarkana College from August 1975 until his death in July 2001. Dr. Nelson is remembered as a gifted cartoonist, orator, community leader, and sportsman.

Only the fifth President to serve at Texarkana College, Dr. Nelson's administrative acumen provided for the addition of five new academic facilities, expansion of the campus library, a new Student Center, new administration building, and the return of student housing to the campus.

In addition to his service to Texarkana College, Dr. Nelson was an active member of the Texas Association of Community Colleges. He served as TACC Secretary-Treasurer from 1995-97. Dr. Nelson also served on a number of local and regional boards.

A true visionary, Dr. Nelson was admired locally, regionally and nationally as a champion of community college education. He was often called upon by higher education institutions to use his oratorical skills and razor-sharp wit to motivate and inspire students and faculty alike.

It was once said of Dr. Nelson, that "…no other single individual or factor is even remotely as significant to the growth and development of Texarkana College as Cheesie Nelson". He was, during his tenure, the College's most ardent advocate and gave his life to the campus that he held so dear.

In addition to the Nelson Award established by the Texas Association of Community Colleges under the auspices of the Texas Community College Education Initiative, Dr. Nelson was honored posthumously in April of 2002, as the Texarkana College Board of Trustees voted to rededicate the College's administration building as the Dr. Carl M. Nelson Administration Building, in honor of his passion for higher education and in appreciation for his meritorious service to Texarkana College. The Texarkana College Alumni & Friends Association also named Nelson the College's Distinguished Alumnus for his life's work on behalf of Texarkana College and the Texarkana community.