Miami Dade College Reshuffles Its Administrative Leadership

Weeks before the start of the fall semester, Miami Dade College announced changes concerning several positions involving veteran personnel on its administrative team.

On Aug. 7, it was announced that  former interim Wolfson Campus President Madeline Pumariega, who worked at MDC for 20 years, had accepted an opportunity to become the new President and CEO of the statewide Take Stock in Children organization; her last day at the campus was Aug. 16.

Almost a week later, several other moves were announced. Among them:

• José A. Vicente, who served as president of North and West Campuses replaced Pumariega as the president at Wolfson Campus. Vicente has been a full-time employee at the College for 39 years serving in several capacities. Among them: Founding president, academic dean and associate dean at InterAmerican Campus; interim president of Hialeah and Medical Campuses; academic dean, campus director of grants, director of STIP project, and administrative assistant in community services at the Wolfson Campus. The North Campus has undergone a transformation since Vicente took office as president in May of 2003. Notable achievements include the establishment of the Science Complex and School of Science, the opening of a new fire training facility, development of new film and music recording studios, the inauguration of the pre-school lab, and the aquatic and fitness center, renovation of the Lehman Theatre. In addition, three new baccalaureate degree programs in public safety management, film, television and digital media, and biological science were launched.  

• Malou C. Harrison, who served as dean of students at North Campus for the past 10 years, assumed the role of interim president at North and West Campuses. Harrison has been with the College since 1989 serving in several prominent roles including as chief of staff to the College president; executive assistant to the campus president at Wolfson Campus; and as an  adjunct professor of ESL at Wolfson Campus. Before joining MDC, Harrison worked at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo as the  assistant to the director of TRIO Educational Opportunity Center.

• Cristina Mateo, who most recently served as the senior director of administrative services at North Campus assumed the same role at Wolfson Campus. Mateo has been with MDC in a full-time capacity for 35 years. In addition to her most recent role at North Campus, Mateo has also previously served as dean of administration at the North and Wolfson campuses; and dean of administrative and student services at InterAmerican Campus.

• Fermin Vazquez, who most recently served as senior director of administrative services at Wolfson Campus, was transferred to the same position at North. He has worked at MDC for 10 years holding various positions including director of maintenance, program manager and fire alarm engineer, all at district.

• Georgette Perez, who has been at MDC since 2000, is now the interim dean of students at North Campus. Most recently, Perez served as the director of Student Centered Services for Student Achievement Initiatives at district; she has held several managerial positions at North Campus including program manager for continuing education, testing director, and from 2005-December of 2012 she was director of the new student center. She started her career at MDC at the Homestead Campus as the project director for a grant position.

• Adam Porro, who recently served as the testing director at the Wolfson Campus for seven years, was tabbed as the director of Student-Centered Services, District. He also spent five years as the testing and assessment specialist at Wolfson Campus.