FORT WORTH, Texas (May 20, 2016) – Following a national search, Tarrant County College Board of Trustees Thursday announced the selection of two finalists for chancellor, the top administrative leadership post at the College, the 12th largest institution of higher education in the United States.
Finalists are Eugene V. Giovannini, Ed.D., founding president of Maricopa Corporate College in Scottsdale, Ariz., and Barbara Kavalier, Ph.D., district president at Navarro College in Corsicana.
Two public forums for students, faculty, staff and the community will be held Thursday, June 2, in the Energy Auditorium at TCC’s Trinity River Campus from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. TCC faculty and executive leadership also will meet with the candidates.
Trinity River Campus is located at 300 Trinity Campus Circle in downtown Fort Worth.
The board is expected to name the sole finalist for chancellor at a special board meeting on June 9. Following a 21-day period, as specified by Texas Education Code, the appointment as chancellor will be official.
Giovannini has served the Maricopa County Community College District in Arizona since 2002, including 11 years as president of Gateway Community College in Phoenix. He began his community college career in 1983 at Virginia’s Eastern Shore Community College as an instructor for two years before becoming chair of Office Technologies at Broome Community College in New York.
In 2014, Giovannini was appointed to the board of the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship. He earned his doctorate in Community College Education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and his Bachelor of Science in Business Education and Master of Education from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.
Kavalier has more than 30 years of community college experience, including two community college presidencies and senior level experience in academic and student affairs at large urban and smaller colleges. She served more than 20 years with the Dallas County Community College District, three years as associate vice president at Tacoma Community College in Washington, three years at San Diego Mesa College as vice president of student services and three years as president of San Jose City College in California.
She earned her doctorate in Educational Administration with specialization in Community College Leadership from The University of Texas in Austin. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in English from Texas Christian University and earned her Master of Science in Business and Human Relations from Amberton University. Additionally, she earned her Associate of Arts and Science degree from DCCCD Mountain View College, where she later became an adjunct professor.
Kavalier’s experience also includes serving as the self-study director for Mountain View College before she was recruited to serve as president of San Jose College to focus on resolving accreditation issues. She has authored two books on community colleges.
TCC General Counsel and Vice Chancellor Angela Robinson has been serving as acting chancellor since TCC Chancellor Erma Johnson Hadley passed away in early October 2015.
