After a lengthy process of reviewing applications and holding interviews, Los Medanos College’s new interim president has officially been chosen. Interim Chancellor Mojdah Mehdizadeh and the LMC selection committee have decided to recommend Dr. Pamela Ralston as LMC’s new interim president once current LMC President Bob Kratochvil retires at the end of this calendar year. 

The announcement for the position of LMC Interim President was first made Sept. 26, with interviews being conducted all day Nov. 2 to see which candidate Mehdizadeh and the LMC selection committee would recommend for the interim position. Ultimately, they landed on Ralston as the person they thought should fill that role.

Ralston has been involved in academics for years and has experience working as the president of a community college before having recently served as president of Santiago Canyon College from June 2021 to July 2022. She also has experience being the Interim Vice President and later permanent Vice President, at the Santa Barbara City College from June 2018 to June 2021.

Her educational background includes a Bachelor of English Language and Literature, which she received after attending the University of Oregon and a PhD in Comparative Literature and Ethnic Studies, which she received after attending the University of Washington.

Ralston was not available for comment as interviews will not be granted until after the final approval for her to become LMC Interim President is made.

Ralston has exhibited the values that all students are important. In a video from Santiago Canyon College made this year, Ralston is featured in the video welcoming students back for their spring semester with her stressing how “each student matters.” 

Final approval for the recommendation of Ralston as LMC’s Interim President will be agreed upon during a Dec 14 Contra Costa Community College District Governing Board meeting. During this, the specificities of the contract, such as the length and compensation level, will be discussed and confirmed, said Public Information Officer Tim Leong.

The agenda will be posted approximately a week before the Dec. 14 meeting and will have the proposed contract for Ralston included within it.

As of now, there are currently plans underway to start a national search during the Spring 2023 semester for the individual that will be chosen for the permanent LMC President role going forward.

For those interested in reading the meeting agenda once it is released, it can be found at https://go.boarddocs.com/ca/ccccd/Board.nsf/Public.