The Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) announced the selection of new college presidents at four of its colleges. They said these trusted leaders bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to their roles and are expected to drive growth and success at their respective institutions.
“Our system is home to a great deal of talent,” said MCCCD Chancellor Dr. Steven R. Gonzales. “The selection of these four leaders will allow us to fill critical vacancies so that our colleges can continue the positive momentum we have experienced over the past academic year and maintain our focus on providing students with access to affordable, high-quality post secondary education.”
Leadership announcements are listed in alphabetical order by college:
CJ Wurster, Ed.D., interim president of Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC)
Wurster currently serves as the vice president of Academic Affairs of Phoenix College, overseeing 17 academic departments and Academic Support Services, bringing significant experience to the position. Additionally, he has served as district director of Academic Affairs, where he effectively co-led the system-wide work toward launching Maricopa’s first bachelor’s degrees. Wurster was also a longtime member of the Occupational Administrator’s Council and Joint Instructional Deans Council, and he has been very active in the district’s Pathway Mapping and Curriculum Redesign work.
Wurster earned a doctorate in educational leadership and a Master of Administration degree from Northern Arizona University, as well as a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Rochester Institute of Technology.
Richard Daniel, Ph.D., president of Mesa Community College (MCC)
Daniel’s professional experience spans 30 years in the Arizona higher education community, including serving as the president of South Mountain Community College for the past 18 months. Before joining MCCCD, he served as the executive vice president and chief operating officer of Education Forward Arizona, where he worked to identify partnerships and fundraising opportunities for the organization’s growth and impact.
Daniel earned a doctorate of philosophy in educational leadership and policy studies, a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration, and a bachelor's degree in exercise science from Arizona State University.
Jana Schwartz, Ph.D., president of Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC)
Schwartz brings over 20 years of higher education experience and has served as PVCC’s interim president for the past 10 months and as the vice president of Student Affairs for the college. Additionally, she served as the dean of Pathways and Student Success and the dean of Student Affairs at Front Range Community College in Colorado.
Schwartz earned a doctorate of philosophy in Higher Education and Student Affairs Leadership from the University of Northern Colorado, a master's degree in Student Development in Postsecondary Education from the University of Iowa, and a bachelor's degree in psychology from Central College in Iowa.
Veronica Hipolito, M.A., president of South Mountain Community College (SMCC)
Hipolito brings over 20 years of experience in higher education and currently serves as the vice president of Student Affairs at Chandler-Gilbert Community College. She has also previously served as the interim president of Scottsdale Community College and Coconino Community College. She was selected as one of 35 leaders for the 2023-24 class of the Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship.
Hipolito holds a Master of Arts in Community Counseling and a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Northern Arizona University. She is currently completing a Doctorate of Education in Higher Education Leadership at Gwynedd Mercy University.
The selection of these presidential leadership positions was conducted through a reassignment process that applies to those who serve under an MCCCD executive-level contract. Each college leader will assume their new position on July 1.
