The Board of Trustees for the Ventura County Community College District named Larry Kennedy as Chair Tuesday, and Bernardo Perez as Vice Chair. They continue to serve alongside Trustees Stephen Blum, Arturo Hernández, Dianne McKay, and Student Trustee, Ilse Maymes.

A U.S. Navy veteran, Kennedy was elected to the Ventura County Community College District Board of Trustees in 2012. He previously held roles as Professor in the Business Department at Oxnard College, Director of the Oxnard College Job and Career Center, and as Regional Manager and Job Service Manager with the State of California Employment Development Department. He is currently owner of Kennedy Consulting Services, a consulting firm that trains workforce professionals to improve services through staff and board workshops.

Bernardo Perez joined the Board of Trustees in 2010, having previously represented his community on the Moorpark City Council, including serving as mayor of the City of Moorpark. Perez currently holds positions with the Workforce Investment Board, the Moorpark Foundation for the Arts, and the Simi Valley Hospital Foundation, and is the Project Manager for the Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation in Ventura.

“There is much that the District has to look forward to,” Kennedy said. “I am excited about our partnerships with a variety of community organizations, including the Ventura County Office of Education. We’re geared up to serve the students of Ventura County, with added courses and opportunities. We’re here and we’re ready.”

At Tuesday’s meeting, VCCCD Chancellor Bernard Luskin and the Trustees thanked outgoing Chair Dianne McKay, and noted the increasing local and state leadership roles held by board members. Active in the California Community College League, Kennedy serves as co-chair for the new Veteran’s Caucus, while outgoing chair McKay is leading CEO professional development initiatives. Blum is the Trustee Representative on the statewide accreditation task force, in addition to a variety of other roles.

The Ventura County Community College District is a member of the 72 district, 113-campus California Community College system. The VCCCD serves more than 50,000 students annually. The District’s three colleges- Moorpark, Oxnard, and Ventura- offer programs in general education for degrees and certificates, transfer to four-year colleges and universities, career technical education, and provide opportunities to engage in co-curricular campus activities. For more information, please visit www.vcccd.edu.