Call for Nominations

Pacesetter of the Year

The Pacesetter Award recognizes a chief executive officer at a two-year community or technical college or district office who has demonstrated leadership, support and/or ability in the area of college communications and marketing. Emphasis is placed on accomplishments within the past year. The Pacesetter Award is presented annually in each of NCMPR’s seven districts, and district winners are then considered for the national award.

Eligibility

• The chief executive officer or chief campus leader of any NCMPR-member institution is eligible for consideration. A candidate must have been employed at an NCMPR-member institution within the past 12 months.
  
  
• A previous recipient of the district Pacesetter of the Year Award may be nominated again, provided that the individual did not receive the district award the previous five years has never received the national Pacesetter Award. A new nomination packet must be completed.
  
  
• An individual may be selected as the national Pacesetter of the Year only once.
  
  
• Members of the board of directors may nominate their president or CEO for the award. However, they may not participate in the selection process.

Nomination Procedures

• Those nominating individuals for the Pacesetter Award must be a member of NCMPR or affiliated with a member college. A member college may submit only one nomination each year.
  
  
• A nomination form must be completed online.

PACESETTER AWARD NOMINATION 

Get a Travel Stipend If Your Nominee Wins!

If your nominee wins your district's Pacesetter award, you'll receive a partial conference stipend to attend the 2026 national conference in Washington, D.C.

Nominations are now open for the 2025 Awards of Excellence! Submit by August 1.

Questions?

District 1:
Jonathan Fonseca, District 1 Director
Cape Cod Community College, MA
(774) 330-4651 |[javascript protected email address]

District 2:
Erica Marye, District 2 Director
Kentucky Community & Technical College System
(859) 256-3286 | [javascript protected email address]

District 3: 
Victoria Monterio, District 3 Director
Cuyahoga Community College, OH
(216) 987-4826 | [javascript protected email address] 

District 4:
Andrew Valdez, District 4 Director
Alamo Colleges District, TX
(210) 485-0062 | [javascript protected email address]

District 5:
Kathy Rumpza, District 5 Interim Director
Minneapolis College
(612) 659-6222 | [javascript protected email address]

District 6:
Mandy Heil, District 6 Director
Arizona Western College
(928) 314-9594 | [javascript protected email address]

District 7:
Marisa Pierce, District 7 Director
Skagit Valley College, WA
(360) 416-7957 | [javascript protected email address]