Ski |
Linnie S. Carter, Ph.D., APR |
Armenta E. Hinton, M.S., PGC |
Jennifer T. Padlan, M.B.A, M.H.R.M. |
Chrissy Davis Jones, Ed.D. |
Robert H. Messner, M.S. |
Al Griswold, Ed.D. |
Victor Rodgers, M.B.A., M.B.C |
John J. "Ski" Sygielski, MBA, Ed.D., became the seventh president and CEO of HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, in July 2011. His previous appointments include president of Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham, Oregon, and president of then-Lord Fairfax Community College (now named Laurel Ridge Community College) in Middletown, Virginia. He began his professional career as a teacher in a K-12 Catholic school in Chicago followed by a stint as a corporate trainer for two Fortune 500 companies. He transitioned to a community college career at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, where he began his community college administration and college teaching career.
Ski is a current member and past chairman of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Board of Directors and served on the AACC’s 21st Century Commission on the Future of Community Colleges. Ski served a two-year term in 2019-21 as chair of the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges Board of Directors. He also serves on several local, regional and national higher education advisory committees.
Ski currently serves on the boards of the Broad Street (Farmers) Market, Recycle Bicycle of Harrisburg, Harrisburg Regional Chamber and Pennsylvania's Workforce Investment Board.
A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Dr. Ski is the only member of his working-class family to graduate from college earning bachelor, two master and doctorate degrees, including an honorary associate degree from a community college. A biking enthusiast, he and his husband, Steve Perrault, live in Harrisburg with Bart, their Basenji dog.
Dr. Linnie S. Carter, APR is the vice president of college advancement at HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College, and executive director of the HACC Foundation. She joined the HACC team in March 2012. Dr. Carter serves all five of HACC’s campuses. She oversees the HACC Foundation and admissions, advertising, alumni affairs, branding, community engagement, fundraising, grants, graphic design, marketing, photography, public relations, publications, scholarships, special events, sponsorships, videography and website development.
Dr. Carter’s previous appointments include vice president of institutional advancement at Halifax Community College in Weldon, N.C.; vice president of college advancement at then-Lord Fairfax Community College (now named Laurel Ridge Community College) in Virginia and director of institutional advancement at John Tyler Community College, also in Virginia. She served as executive director of the foundations at each of these institutions. In addition, Dr. Carter was an assistant professor of public relations at North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, N.C. and adjunct faculty member at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Richmond. She previously was public relations manager and community affairs coordinator of the Richmond (Va.) Metropolitan Authority.
Dr. Carter earned a Ph.D. in community college leadership from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va. She earned a master's degree in mass communications (media management) and a bachelor's degree in mass communications (public relations), both from VCU. She earned the prestigious Accredited in Public Relations (APR) designation from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).
Her many professional and community memberships include the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., National Council for Marketing and Public Relations and PRSA. Dr. Carter is the recipient of numerous awards and honors and is involved in several College and community service organizations. She has been happily married to her husband for more than 26 years and is a proud and loving bonus mom and grandmom, daughter, sister, aunt, godmother and mentor.
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Al Griswold, ED.D., joined HACC in September 2021 as the Vice President of Academic Affairs. In this role, Dr. Griswold possesses and brings extensive executive leadership experience necessary for the chief academic officer at HACC. In addition, Dr. Griswold has worked in higher education for more than twenty-five years, including both community and technical colleges. His experience includes leading single and multi-campus academic and student affairs, capital development, program assessment, restructuring, strategic planning, and accreditation initiatives. Dr. Griswolds’ previous appointments include interim-Senior Vice President, Executive Vice President, Associate Vice President, Executive Dean, and Associate Dean. He served these roles at four different colleges (Lamar Institute of Technology, Bates Technical, Seattle Central, and Green River College). In addition to his administrative functions, Dr. Griswold has served as adjunct faculty at different community colleges.
Dr. Griswold has put student success and building staff and faculty improvement opportunities at the center of his personal and institutional efforts throughout his career. He understands the importance of the student’s experiences as a first-generation college student. As a result, Dr. Griswold utilizes a self-reflective approach to serving students, colleagues, and the institution; what are we doing to build opportunities and bridges for citizens and the community to succeed? In addition, he recognizes the uniqueness of the community college student experience, as many of the students’ are recycling through their identity as recently laid-off, seeking skills to promote or attempting to clarify their identity through education. Dr. Griswold, doctoral research focused on transformational learning and career development, which he incorporates into practice as a professional.
Dr. Griswold brings intentional and sustained activism to addressing systematic and structural issues. Griswold is an inclusive administrator committed to diverse communities and educational and economic equality by cooperatively partnering with all stakeholders to establish a safe and equitable learning ecosystem that promotes student inclusion, engagement, and success. Mr. Griswold has extensive assessment and accreditation experience, serving as an evaluator and accreditation liaison officer for the Northwest Commission on College and Universities. In addition, Griswold served as president for both the Washington State Workforce Education Council and Instruction Commission. His professional and community relationships include Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
Dr. Griswold (ED.D.) earned his doctorate in higher education with an emphasis in Organizational leadership from Northeastern University in Massachusetts. In addition, he finished a Master’s degree in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix, a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Oregon State University, and an Associate degree from College of the Desert in California. Dr. Griswold is married to Shelli, of which they have been together for 17 years. He’s the proud father of three adult children. In addition, he’s the proud grandfather of five grandchildren. All three of Mr. Griswold’s children are community college graduates.
Armenta E. Hinton, Ph.D. joined HACC in February 2020 as the vice president of inclusion diversity, and belonging. In this role Dr. Hinton brings a high level of executive leadership to guide our commitment to promoting a culture of collegiality, inclusiveness, respect, and cultural competence. Previously she was the director of diversity and inclusion and Title IX coordinator at Elizabethtown College and served at Allegheny College in Pennsylvania as associate dean and co-chair and assistant professor of Black Studies. Dr. Hinton was also associate director of the center for diversity and social justice at Susquehanna University.
Dr. Hinton is an active scholar, practitioner and presenter in the areas of inclusion, diversity, equity and Title IX. Her research focuses on diversity, access and equity in education and higher education leadership. She is the co-editor of “Persistence and Memory,” a collection of essays on diversity with reflections written by Derald Wing Sue. Also, she contributed a chapter to a book, “Preserving HBCU’s Million Dollar Legacy.” Dr. Hinton is a member of National Association for Diversity Officers in Higher Education.
As a recipient of The World Affairs Council of Harrisburg's Torch of Global Enlightenment Award for her contributions to inclusion and diversity, Dr. Hinton continues to make valuable contributions to diversity and inclusion in the region, as well as internationally, as she worked for many years in Germany and England. She received a bachelor’s degree in music history and piano from Alabama State University, a historically Black college and university, and studied at Roosevelt University’s Chicago Musical College. She received her post-graduate certificate in psychotherapy from Birmingham City University (England) and her doctorate in leadership and change from Antioch University in Ohio.
Jennifer T. Padlan, M.B.A, M.H.R.M. joined HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, as vice president of Human Resources and Organizational Development in January 2023. Ms. Padlan is a proven human resources executive with strategic and innovative leadership experience that spans multiple industries including higher education, federal contracting, insurance and healthcare. Her HR functional expertise includes employment, recruitment, employee relations, retirement, immigration, compensation, benefits, payroll, training, safety, performance management, policy development, and legal compliance.
Prior to joining HACC, Ms. Padlan served on the President’s Cabinet at Allegheny College as the Director of Human Resources and Payroll. In this role, she was a trusted advisor and thought partner to the Board of Trustees and senior leadership team in developing and implementing transformational employee-focused initiatives. Her experience includes leading efforts to promote creative yet sustainable programs and practices to support the employee population that were aligned with the institution’s strategic goals. In addition, Ms. Padlan held a variety of roles at The Erie Insurance Group, including interim vice president for compensation, HR information systems, and payroll. She also has served at Hamot Medical Center and Lockheed Martin Corporation in varying program management positions, including compensation, diversity, and equal employment opportunity.
Ms. Padlan’s experience also includes adjunct faculty positions at The Pennsylvania State University and Mercyhurst University. Ms. Padlan earned a B.S. in industrial/organizational psychology with a concentration in business from The Pennsylvania State University, and she has earned a dual MBA and Masters of human resource management from the University of Phoenix. She is Six Sigma certified and has received professional certifications from many organizations, including the Society of Human Resource Management, HR Certification Institute, the Human Capital Institute, World at Work, and the Equal Employment Advisory Council
Dr. Chrissy Davis Jones, joined HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College, as the vice president of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management in April 2021. Dr. Davis Jones has worked in higher education, specifically community and technical colleges for over 20 years with 16 of those years focused on developing, restructuring, and implementing student success-related programs. Dr. Davis Jones’ previous appointments include dean of student support services and student conduct officer, as well as interim vice president of student affairs and title IX coordinator at Spokane Falls Community College in Spokane, WA. In addition to her administrative roles, Dr. Davis Jones has served as adjunct faculty at different institutions.
Throughout her career, Dr. Davis Jones has brought a student-centered approach to her work and the work of the institutions she serves. She understands that the student experience is best served when academics, student support services, and co-curricular are considered holistically, which are also the focal points of Dr. Davis Jones’ research, teaching, and presentations. Her ability to engage authentically with all constituents has contributed greatly to her success as a team-oriented leader who is energetic and passionate about access and success for all students, and she is a firm believer in getting involved to do the work!
Dr. Davis Jones is an active member of the National Association of Student Affairs Professionals in Higher Education (NASPA) serving in different positions, the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) in various leadership capacities, reviewer and editorial board member for the Journal of Women and Gender in Higher Education, and served as a peer accreditation evaluator for the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) for nine years. Most recently, she was selected as a Fellow for the Aspen Institute Rising Presidents Fellowship.
Dr. Davis Jones earned a doctorate degree in education (Ed.D.) with an emphasis in higher education administration from the University of North Texas in Denton, TX. She earned a master’s degree in social work at the University of Denver in Denver, CO, and her bachelor’s degree in social work with a minor in African American history at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, WY.
Robert (Bob) Messner, M.S., joined HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College, as the chief information officer in June 2013 to lead the Office of Information Services and Technologies (OIST). OIST is comprised of four departments: Enterprise Applications, Computing & Media Support, Systems & Network Infrastructure, and Academic Technologies.
Bob holds a master's degree in information systems technologies from Wilmington University, where he graduated summa cum laude. He earned a bachelor's degree in information resource management from Wilmington College (now Wilmington University) and an associate degree in computer information systems from Chesapeake Community College, Wye Mills, MD. Bob also holds industry certifications from Microsoft as a systems engineer (MCSE), systems administrator (MCSA) and AccessData as a forensic examiner.
During his previous 14-year tenure at Delaware Technical and Community College in Dover, DE., Bob served as the manager of educational systems, department chair for computer information systems and chief technology officer. Through his leadership, the college achieved multiple top 10 national rankings among peer institutions for innovations with technology.
Bob was a member of Delaware Tech's Strategic Planning Council and the State of Delaware's Information Resource Management Advisory Council. Bob also worked as a technology consultant for Salem County Community College (Carney’s Point, NJ) and Hagerstown Community College (Hagerstown, MD). Bob is an adjunct instructor for Wilmington University, New Castle, DE., where he teaches online advanced technology courses at both the bachelor's and master's degree levels.
Victor Rodgers was named associate provost for workforce development and continuing education at HACC in September 2014 and in January 2021 became the vice president of workforce development and continuing education. In this position, Victor oversees all departments under workforce development to include healthcare, adult education, industry skills and services, public service center, and continuing education and corporate training.
Previously, he was the assistant director for continuing education and workforce development at Guam Community College (GCC). Active in both the community and workforce development, he instituted the WorkKeys program island-wide, and created several innovative training programs and partnerships, including a nationally recognized program for Guam National Guardsmen returning from Afghanistan. He was selected as the 2013 Guam SBA Veterans Champion, and hosted a weekly radio talk show devoted to the islands veterans and their issues.
Prior to GCC, Victor held the position of direct services director of the Mid-East Commission, where he was responsible for managing workforce investment programs in Beaufort County, NC, and Older Worker retraining programs in an additional 23 counties. Committed to the community, Victor was the first African American chairman of the Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce and the Beaufort County United Way. He has also served on foundation boards for hospitals, colleges as well as boards for various community and professional organizations.
Victor, a U.S. Navy veteran, also served as a manager and HR specialist focused on training and professional development activities earning a prestigious award for excellence in human resource programming.
A native of New York who grew up in North Carolina, Victor earned a master’s degree in business administration and a master's in business communications and holds a bachelor of science in human resources management.
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Tim Sandoe joined HACC on April 25, 2016, as the College's chief financial officer. He serves as the vice president of finance, whose primary responsibility is the oversight and integrity of the College's financial information. He provides leadership to the administrative functions of accounting services, budgeting, procurement and contracts as well as facilities management.
After graduating from East Stroudsburg University, Tim enjoyed a 34-year career in banking, retiring after 31 years and achieving the title of senior vice president with Fulton Financial Corporation in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. At Fulton he managed small business banking, retail credit and deposit products and was also the retail risk management director.
Over the years Tim served HACC in a number of volunteer positions from campus advisory boards to becoming a member of the Board of Trustees and eventually the Board chair. He now applies his extensive finance background and HACC experience to the role of HACC's CFO.