Campus Compact is excited to welcome four new members to its Board of Directors: José D. Padilla, president of Valparaiso University, Dr. Annette Parker, president of South Central College, Dr. David Potash, president of Wilbur Wright College, and Dr. Yolanda Watson Spiva, president of Complete College America.

“Campus Compact is thrilled to welcome this group of extraordinary leaders,” said Jonathan Alger, president of James Madison University and chair of the Campus Compact board of directors. “Each brings a unique perspective, deep commitment to the public purposes of higher education, and a longstanding commitment to the work of Campus Compact. We are certain that their collective experience, creativity, and passion will enable us to achieve great impact in the years ahead.”

José D. Padilla, J.D. has been president of Valparaiso University since 2020. Previously, he served as vice president, university counsel and secretary to the Board of Regents of the University of Colorado System. Prior to that, he spent 15 years in a number of senior leadership roles at DePaul University in Chicago, including vice president, university counsel and secretary.

José was born in Augsburg, Germany, on a U.S. Army base and raised in Toledo, Ohio. He began his career practicing law, but found his vocation to serve his country, fellow citizens, and university students through his roles in higher education. He also performed public service in Washington, D.C. He served as a legislative assistant to United States Senator Lloyd Bentsen (D-Tx) and as a senior political appointee in the administration of President Bill Clinton.

José received his bachelor of education in elementary education from The University of Toledo and his juris doctorate from the University of Michigan Law School.

Read more about José D. Padilla

Dr. Annette Parker is the first woman and first person of color to serve as president of South Central College, a role she has held since 2013.

Dr. Annette Parker was born and raised in Michigan where she worked for General Motors and met and married Jeffrey, her husband of 40 years, with whom she shares three children. Annette and Jeffrey enjoyed successful careers at GM, until a decline in the auto industry led the family to make a decision that would forever change their lives. At age 28, Parker would start in the two-year drafting program at Lansing Community College, while Jeffrey continued to work and help care for their children.

While at LCC, she became a lab assistant and discovered her passion for teaching and making a difference in the lives of her students. She then completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and became a full-time instructor and administrator. After 17 years at LCC, she accepted a leadership position with the Kentucky Community and Technical College System where she served for six years and completed her doctoral degree.

Parker also serves as board chair of Minnesota Campus Compact.

Read more about Annette Parker

Dr. David Potash is president of Wilbur Wright College, an independently accredited open-access community college in Chicago and part of the City Colleges of Chicago system.

He assumed the role of president in 2013 after having served as the first chief academic officer at Curry College. Previously, Potash worked for a decade in the CUNY system as associate provost at Baruch College and at Hunter College.

Potash holds a BA from Rice University, an MA from NYU, and a PhD in history from Cambridge University. He has taught a variety of US history courses, with expertise on twentieth century political history. He is active on social media and serves on several advisory boards.

Under Potash’s leadership, Wilbur Wright College received Campus Compact’s Padrón Award for Institutional Transformation in 2020.

Read more about David Potash

Dr. Yolanda Watson Spiva currently serves as the President of Complete College America (CCA). Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, CCA is a bold national advocate for dramatically increasing college completion rates and closing equity gaps by working with states, systems, institutions, and partners to scale highly effective structural reforms and promote policies that improve student success.

Watson Spiva previously served as President & CEO of College Success Foundation, CEO/Executive Director of Project GRAD, assistant dean at Trinity College, and held various positions within the U.S. Department of Education.
Watson Spiva earned her undergraduate degree in economics from Spelman College, her master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago, and her Ph.D. in higher education from Georgia State University.

Watson Spiva also serves on the board of Washington Campus Compact.

Read more about Yolanda Watson Spiva