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Burke-Kelly becomes collegeʼs 21st president
Rosalinda Pena / Roundup
There are many changes going on at Pierce College, and one of the biggest has been the addition of the newest president, Dr. Kathleen Burke-Kelly, on Aug. 1.
“I am deeply committed to the role community colleges play in providing access to quality higher education for diverse populations,” she said.
Burke-Kelly has 29 years of experience as a community college educator. She has worked in the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) since 2001, where she was the dean of East Los Angeles College for five years, then served as vice president of academic affairs at Los Angeles Mission College, Los Angeles City College and Los Angeles Trade Technical College.
Before working for the LACCD, she started her community college career at Glendale Community College, first as a professor teaching art history, then went on to become the division chair for visual and performing arts for 10 years. She then left that position to work at East Los Angeles College in 2001.
Dr. Burke-Kelly is a community college graduate herself, having completed her general education requirements at Glendale Community College.
“She was exceptionally well qualified,” said Mona Field, a trustee with the Los Angeles
Community College Board of Trustees. “She has a really strong sense of all the details of running a college.”
Dr. Joy McCaslin, who served as interim president of Pierce last year, also had tips to give Burke-Kelly.
“My advice to her would be to get to know as many college employees and community members as possible. People genuinely want to see the college succeed, and they are ready to help,” McCaslin added.
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