Contact: Chris
Chesrown
Media Relations Manager
480-731-8503
January 4, 2001
Dr. Mary Vanis, 18-year Veteran with the Maricopa Community Colleges, to Head Business and Workforce Development
New Business and Workforce Development Director has strong abilities to develop partnerships
Greater Phoenix, AZ – Dr. Mary Vanis, an 18-year veteran with the Maricopa Community Colleges, has been named the new director of business and workforce development for the district. Dr. Vanis will begin her new duties on January 8, 2001.
“We are extremely pleased that Dr. Vanis accepted the appointment of director of business and workforce development. She has successfully led the planning and development of the new Red Mountain Campus of Mesa Community College. She has built strong and trusting relationships with business and local community leaders that have resulted in joint projects and collaborative partnerships. In her 18-year tenure with Maricopa, she has demonstrated an active involvement in community and local issues important to the community colleges in providing a well-trained workforce. Dr. Vanis was clearly the top candidate after a national search,” said Chancellor Fred Gaskin.
For the past three years, Dr. Vanis has been the campus dean at the new Red Mountain Campus of Mesa Community College. In this leadership position, she has collaborated with other college and district administrators, faculty, staff, students and community leaders to ensure the excellence of educational programs and support services at the Red Mountain Campus. She has extensive experience in conducting comprehensive assessments and environmental scans to determine the educational needs of the community including business and industry.
“I am excited about the opportunities in continuing to build the strong coalitions with business and industry started by the former Director of Business and Workforce Development Bertha Landrum. She is to be commended for her outstanding work in this area. I am indeed honored to be selected as the new director,” Dr. Vanis said.
Experience ….
Dr. Vanis joined Mesa Community College in 1990 and served for two and one-half years as the executive assistant to the president before becoming the dean of student and community services. She has served as the campus dean for the Red Mountain Campus since 1997.
Previously she was the associate dean of instruction for business and industry training services at Rio Salado Community College as well as an associate dean of instruction at Rio’s Westridge Mall Center site. Before joining the Maricopa Community Colleges, she was an administrator in adult basic education with Pima County in Arizona and Southeast Community College in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Expertise in developing successful partnerships and curriculum
Two important threads run through all of Dr. Vanis’s career positions: her ability and skill in developing community partnerships and liaisons to assure strong linkages to targeted populations and the planning and implementing of instructional and occupational programs to meet the needs of targeted populations.
As Dr. Vanis noted, “I love community building. I enjoy conducting assessments and environmental scans so I can discover what training is wanted and needed to support the aspirations of others.”
The new director of business and workforce development earned her Bachelor’s degree in the social sciences and a Master’s degree in adult and continuing education from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Her Doctor of Education degree is from Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff.
Mary Vanis has tribal affiliation with the Choctaw nation. In Arizona, she has served on the board of directors for the Phoenix Indian Center and the Affiliation of Arizona Indian Centers.
She has served on the board of directors for the East Valley Partnership. In addition, Dr. Vanis has been very active in the Mesa United Way, was the chairperson for the1999 – 2000 campaign and continues to serve on its board. She is a member of the American Association for Higher Education, American Association for Adult and Continuing Education, American Association of Women in Community Colleges, Arizona Adult Education Association and the Mesa East Rotary Club.
Dr. Vanis is married to Dr. Homero Lopez, president of Estrella Mountain Community College.
The Maricopa County Community College District is composed of 10 community colleges, several satellite campuses, skill centers and business/industry, technical and customized training institutes. For more information: 480-731-8000 or www.maricopa.edu.
--MCCCD--
- disclaimer
-
We welcome feedback
March 13, 2002