Call for Nominations

Pacesetter of the Year

The Pacesetter of the Year Award recognizes a chief executive officer at a 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 of the Year Award is presented annually in each of NCMPR’s seven districts, and district winners are then considered for the national award.

SUBMIT A NOMINATION

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 of the Year Award. A new nomination packet must be completed.
  
  
• An individual may be selected as the national Pacesetter of the Year only once.
  
  
• Members of NCMPR's board of directors may submit nominations for their president or CEO. However, any board member who submits a nomination is prohibited from participating in the evaluation or selection of award recipients.

Nomination Procedures

• Those nominating individuals for the Pacesetter of the Year Award must be a member of NCMPR or affiliated with a member college. A member college may submit only one nomination each year.
  
  
• Submit the online nomination form by Aug. 15, 2026.

Get a Travel Stipend If Your Nominee Wins!

If your nominee wins your district's Pacesetter of the Year Award, you'll receive a partial conference stipend to attend the 2027 national conference in Chicago.

Questions?

District 1:
Alicia Renehan, District 1 Director
Anne Arundel Community College, MD
410-777-1636 |[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:
Kati Sagawa, District 7 Director
South Puget Sound Community College, WA
360-596-5304 | [javascript protected email address]