Claremont McKenna College Presidential Search
crescit cum commercio civitas
Message from Chair Kenneth Valach ’82 on the Presidential Search Committee
May 21, 2025
Dear CMC Community,
I am writing to share a key update in CMC’s Presidential Search Process. The Presidential Search Committee—outlined in April as eight trustees, an alumni member, five faculty members, a staff member, and a student member—has been selected to work with our search firm Isaacson, Miller to identify the best candidate to be CMC’s 6th President.
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I would like to thank all members for their service, commitment, and dedication to the important work ahead. The committee listed below begins its work this month.
2025-2026 Presidential Search Committee
Kenneth Valach ’82, Chair
Chair of the Board of Trustees
Sharon Basso
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Tina Daniels ’93
Trustee and Chair, Finance and Operations Committee
Steve Eggert ’82 P’15
Trustee and Vice Chair, College Advancement Committee
Antoine Grant ’07
Ex Officio Trustee and President, CMC Alumni Association
Eric Helland P’20
William F. Podlich Professor of Economics and George R. Roberts Fellow
E. David Hetz ’80 P’10
Trustee, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees and Chair, Academic Affairs Committee
Jason Keller
Kravis Professor of Integrated Sciences: Ecology
Sue Matteson King ’85 P’18
Trustee, Chair, Student Affairs Committee and Past President, CMC Alumni Association
Emily Pears ’08
Associate Professor of Government
Cathy Reed P’25
McElwee Family Professor of Psychology and George R. Roberts Fellow
John Shrewsberry ’87 P’24
Trustee and Chair, Claremont Investment Fund
Darrell Smith ’74 P’00
Trustee and Past President, CMC Alumni Association
Bruce Soll ’79 P’12 P’15 P’17
Trustee, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees and Chair, Board Affairs Committee
Kylee Tevis ’26
Student
Tamara Venit-Shelton
Professor of History
We are also excited to launch a Presidential Search website to keep you apprised of future communications, fall semester community forum opportunities, and general updates. Furthermore, you can access online forms to share your thoughts, including a nomination form that will submit recommendations directly to the search firm. As a reminder, pressearch@cmc.edu is also available for you to email your input.
The Presidential Search Committee will meet regularly over the summer to finalize the job profile and begin the evaluation process of candidates who can advance CMC’s mission and guide our strategic future. While we will continue to update the community in a timely manner, as a friendly reminder, the Presidential Search Process is confidential. We will not be able to share specifics on any candidate until the Board of Trustees appoints a new President of CMC.
Please join me in expressing gratitude to the members of the Presidential Search Committee. I look forward to seeing many of you in the fall at the community forums.
Very best,
Kenneth J. Valach ’82
Chair of the Board of Trustees
Preparing students for thoughtful and productive lives and responsible leadership in business, government, and the professions.
Message from Chair Kenneth Valach ’82 on the Presidential Search Process
April 9, 2025
Dear CMC Community,
I am writing today to update you on next steps following the March announcement that President Chodosh will conclude his CMC presidency at the end of the 2025-26 academic year. Please join me in extending the College’s deepest gratitude to President Chodosh for his extraordinary leadership, and as a community, we look forward to celebrating his many accomplishments during the next 14 months.
The Board of Trustees will now commence the Presidential Search Process, a core responsibility of the Board to ensure continuity of leadership and a smooth transition in 2026. To help select the sixth president of CMC, the Board has begun constructing a Presidential Search Committee of eight trustees, five faculty members, an alumni member, a staff member, and a student member. The trustee, alumni, staff, and student members will be appointed in consultation with the Board’s Executive Committee. The faculty members will be appointed in consultation with CMC faculty through a process that begins this week. The final decision to appoint the next president of CMC rests with the Board of Trustees.
The Board has engaged Isaacson, Miller Executive Search Firm to partner with the Presidential Search Committee (as well as the larger Board) throughout this important process. The College has collaborated with the Isaacson, Miller team for other significant searches, including our previous presidential search in 2012.
I look forward to working with the entire community to identify the core characteristics and values we envision in our next CMC president. An email address has been established for your valuable input: pressearch@cmc.edu. Additionally, community forums will be organized early in the fall semester to further share observations and comments with us. I hope you will take advantage of these opportunities to have a voice and be part of our bright future. A Presidential Search website will also be available for regular updates as we continue to move forward in the process, starting with our finalization of the Presidential Search Committee this spring.
Thank you for all that you do to make Claremont McKenna College an exemplary community of responsible leadership and powerful learning.
crescit cum commercio civitas
Sincerely,
Kenneth J. Valach ’82
Chair of the Board of Trustees
Preparing students for thoughtful and productive lives and responsible leadership in business, government, and the professions.