Eastern Iowa Community Colleges (EICC) has named three finalists in the search for the college’s next Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs.
Faculty, staff, students, and community members are invited to participate in upcoming virtual forums with each candidate. The forums are an opportunity for the college community to hear directly from the finalists, learn more about their leadership experience and vision, and provide feedback as part of the final stage of the search process.
The forums will be held via Zoom beginning at 2:30 p.m. on the following dates:
- May 21 — Comanchette McBee, M.Ed.
- May 27 — Bradley Kinsinger, M.S.
- May 28 — Shelley Barkley, Ed.D.
During each one-hour session, finalists will present on the topic “Academic Leadership
in a Community College Environment.”
Candidates will share how they would lead Academic Affairs to support instructional
quality, innovation, student success, and collaboration across a community college
system serving diverse students, instructional formats, transfer pathways, career
and technical programs, and workforce needs. Each presentation will be followed by
a question-and-answer session with participants.
Meet the Finalists
Comanchette McBee, M.Ed.
Comanchette McBee brings 14 years of community college experience across faculty and administrative leadership roles, with expertise in academic operations, accreditation, strategic planning, and institutional effectiveness. She currently serves as dean of effectiveness, social sciences, communication, and business at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs.
Throughout her career at Iowa Western, McBee has held several leadership positions, including dean of institutional effectiveness and communication, dean of institutional effectiveness, English department chair, and assistant professor. She holds two master’s degrees and is completing a doctorate in community college leadership at Iowa State University.
Bradley Kinsinger, M.S.
Bradley Kinsinger brings 15 years of community college experience in career and technical education, with a strong focus on program quality, curriculum development, accreditation, academic planning, and workforce alignment. He currently serves as dean of agricultural sciences and hospitality arts at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids.
Before joining Kirkwood, Kinsinger served as director of the Global Agriculture Learning Center at Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo, where he founded the center and developed and delivered curriculum. He began his community college career at Hawkeye as an instructor before advancing to assistant professor of agriculture business and precision agriculture. A community college graduate himself, Kinsinger holds a master’s degree and is completing a doctorate in postsecondary education at the University of Northern Iowa.
Shelley Barkley, Ed.D.
Shelley Barkley brings 14 years of community college leadership experience across academic and student affairs. She currently serves as vice president of academic and student affairs at John Wood Community College in Quincy, Illinois, where she oversees teaching, learning, instructional services, and student-centered support services.
Prior to joining John Wood, Barkley spent seven years at Sauk Valley Community College, serving as dean of general education, dual credit, and transfer programs; assistant dean of general education, dual credit, and transfer programs; and assistant professor of psychology and sociology. She holds a doctorate in community college leadership from Ferris State University in Michigan.
Following each forum, participants will have the opportunity to submit feedback to help inform the final phase of the search.
In addition to the open forums, finalists will meet with academic deans, faculty leaders, and the Senior Leadership Team during their campus visits.