Kern CCD Trustee Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg Named to CCC Board of Governors
Bakersfield, CA-Kern Community College District Trustee Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg has been appointed to serve on the Board of Governors for the California Community Colleges, the highest governing body in California’s community college system. With this appointment, Gomez-Heitzeberg becomes the only Board of Governors representative from the Southern San Joaquin Central Valley.
As one of 17 Board of Governors representatives, which are appointed by the office of Governor Gavin Newsom, Gomez-Heitzeberg will be working with systemwide Chancellor Sonya Christian to provide guidance and strategic direction to districts and community colleges in California serving 1.9 million students. She brings more than 30 years of experience in serving the disinvested rural student populations of Kern County in various roles, including as a tenured faculty at Porterville College, as an interim President and Vice President of Instruction at Bakersfield College, as well as a Director of Bakersfield College’s Delano Campus and the Associate Vice Chancellor for Kern CCD Child Development Centers.
Upon her retirement from BC’s administration, Gomez-Heitzeberg was first elected to serve on the Kern CCD Board of Trustees in November 2018. During her tenure at Kern CCD, Gomez-Heitzeberg has represented the district nationwide on the Association of Community College Trustees Board of Directors and is the Pacific Regional Chair. ACCT represents 6,500 elected and appointed trustees from more than 1,200 community colleges across the United States. She is a founding member of the California Community Colleges Women’s Caucus, which advocates for women administrators, educators, staff, and students from across the statewide community college system and serves on the board for the Latino Caucus, CALCTTA.
Gomez-Heitzeberg is appreciative of the opportunity to serve and work alongside colleagues to implement the Governor’s Roadmap to Success for California Community Colleges and the California Community College’s Vision 2030 action plan which focuses on improving student outcomes while focusing on four strategic areas guiding field practice, removing barriers, fostering policy reform, and supporting college implementation.
“I have been a lifelong advocate for education and have witnessed firsthand the transformational power of community colleges. My experiences in the classroom, as an administrator, and as a trustee have strengthened my advocacy.” said Trustee Gomez-Heitzeberg. “I appreciate the opportunity to represent the Central Valley and look forward to working with my colleagues to bring Vision 2030 to implementation across the State.”
The Kern Community College District is pleased with the appointment and to see the Central Valley represented at the Board of Governors level. In response to Gomez-Heitzeberg’s appointment, Kern CCD Board of Trustees President John Corkins said the following:
“The Southern San Joaquin Valley had been lacking representation on the Board of Governors for a long time. Trustee Gomez-Heitzeberg has a deep understanding of what our students here in the Central Valley need to be successful. Through her appointment to this important governing body, she will be a tireless advocate for Central Valley students and a voice for higher education in the Valley up in Sacramento.”
Interim Chancellor Tom Burke noted, “ I have had the privilege of working with Trustee Gomez-Heitzeberg in a variety of roles over the last 25 years. Her extensive experience working to provide higher education opportunities for students in the San Joaquin Valley will serve the Valley well as she joins the Board of Governors as the only representative from the Southern Central Valley.”
The Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges was established in 1967 to provide statewide leadership to California's 73 community college districts, which operate 116 community colleges. The Board has 18 voting members as specified in statute. Twelve members are appointed by the Governor, require Senate approval for six-year terms, and must include two current or former local board members. Five members are appointed by the Governor to two-year terms and include two students, two faculty members, and one classified member. The Lieutenant Governor also serves as a member of the Board.