Dr. Chris McDonald Named SOCCCD Vice Chancellor of Educational and Technology Services
MISSION VIEJO, CA— During the regularly scheduled Board meeting on February 28, Dr. Christopher McDonald’s appointment as the Vice Chancellor of Educational and Technology Services was ratified by the Board of Trustees. Dr. McDonald will start in this new role on March 8, 2022.
Dr. McDonald comes to District Services with 21 years of service in higher education, with his most recent role serving as the Vice President for Instruction (VPI) at Irvine Valley College since 2016. His experience in education includes serving as an Assistant Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness (AVP) and Dean of Mathematics, Science and Engineering at Saddleback College. In addition, Dr. McDonald served as Department Chair for Mathematics and Computer Science, and an Executive Board Member of both the Academic Senate and Faculty Association at Mt. San Antonio College. Dr. McDonald has been a lecturer at Cal Poly Pomona and served as a high school mathematics teacher. Prior to entering the education arena, Dr. McDonald spent four years as a programmer and information technology supervisor.
“Dr. McDonald will be a great asset to the District Services leadership team. His thoughtfulness, attention to detail, and ability to work well with students and colleagues at every level will only enhance the Educational and Technology Services Division,” said Chancellor Kathleen Burke, Ed.D. “Additionally, Dr. McDonald’s familiarity with both Irvine Valley College and Saddleback College will help to further develop the strong relationship between District Services and the colleges.”
Dr. McDonald has graduate degrees in applied mathematics and educational leadership. His current system-wide contributions include service on the Board of Directors for the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA); service on the California Community Colleges Chief Instructional Officers (CCCCIO) diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) steering committee; participation on the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) standards writing team; and facilitator, chief architect, and chair of the year-long statewide DEI academy called Advancing Leadership Institute for Instructional VPs in Equitable Education (ALIVE), for deans of color preparing for senior leadership roles.
Dr. McDonald expressed great excitement about the opportunity to fill the role of Vice Chancellor of Educational and Technology Services. “I view this as a tremendous opportunity for me to continue serving our diverse student population and broader community,” said Dr. McDonald. “Our district has shown dedication to fostering an environment for student success and my aim is to work collaboratively with our stakeholders to remove obstacles and provide a dynamic and innovative learning environment.”
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About the South Orange County Community College District: SOCCCD serves nearly 50,000 students per year through our two colleges, Saddleback College and Irvine Valley College. The district serves nearly one million residents and employs more than 3,000 faculty and staff.