Napa Valley College is getting a new top boss. Trustees announced today that they have selected Dr. Gayle Pitman to serve as the college’s next superintendent-president, following a final round of public presentations and campus meetings with two finalists this week. The board is expected to finalize the hire when it votes on her employment contract at its regular meeting on May 21.
The choice caps a community-focused selection process that included open forums and feedback surveys. Board Trustee Jennifer Baker described Pitman as bringing “a proven record of leadership” and decades of higher education experience that line up with Napa Valley College’s current needs, according to the Napa Valley Register.
Pitman's record at Hartnell
Dr. Pitman currently serves as vice president of institutional equity, effectiveness and success at Hartnell College in Salinas. In that role, she has led equity-focused student success efforts and data-driven planning work. Hartnell has highlighted her recent selection as an Aspen Rising Presidents Fellow and describes her leadership as centered on closing outcome gaps and building institutional capacity, according to Hartnell College.
Finalists and campus input
The other finalist for the job was Dr. María L. Villagómez, now assistant superintendent and vice president of academic affairs at Santa Barbara City College. She previously held leadership roles at Napa Valley College, according to SBCC.
Local coverage noted that both Pitman and Villagómez fielded questions at a special community forum, with members of the public invited to submit feedback surveys after the presentations. That reporting also said the board is scheduled to formally approve Pitman’s contract at its May 21 meeting, if trustees move forward as signaled, according to the Napa Valley Register.
How the vacancy opened
Pitman’s selection follows the recent departure of former superintendent-president Dr. Torence Powell, who left Napa after being appointed chancellor of the Los Rios Community College District earlier this year. Los Rios announced Powell’s appointment in January and said he will begin his term as chancellor on July 1, which set the stage for Napa Valley College’s national search for new leadership, according to the Los Rios Community College District.
What comes next
If trustees ratify Pitman’s contract on May 21, Napa Valley College is expected to release details about the leadership transition and the timing of her start. Supporters and college officials have framed the hire as an investment in equity and student outcomes at a time when the campus is managing tight budgets and program changes. Materials from her current institution describe Pitman’s focus on institutional equity and data-driven interventions as central to her approach, according to Hartnell College.
