Max Ferguson is the new chief experience and digital strategy officer at Grambling State University in Louisiana. For the past six years, he has served as a consultant to the HBCU, advising leadership teams on student retention, digital transformation, and service design. Previously, he held key leadership roles with Accenture and Comcast.
Ferguson earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Louisiana Tech University and his MBA with a concentration in data analytics from Louisiana State University Shreveport.
Darryl Mace has been named vice president of community engagement and belonging at Rider University in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. He comes to his new role from Alvernia University in Reading, Pennsylvania, where he was the inaugural vice president for mission, diversity, and inclusion. Originally trained as a historian, he is the author of multiple books, including Rosa Parks: A Life in American History (ABC-CLIO, 2021).
An alumnus of Pennsylvania State University, Dr. Mace earned his Ph.D. in history from Temple University in Philadelphia.
Akua Johnson Matherson has been appointed vice president of finance at Talladega College in Alabama. With over 25 years of experience in higher education administration, she has held various leadership roles with several HBCUs. She was previously chief financial officer of North Carolina Central University and associate vice chancellor for enrollment management at North Carolina A&T State University.
Matherson earned both her bachelor’s degree in economics and logistics management and her master’s degree in adult education from North Carolina A&T State University.
Following one year of interim service, Michael L. McClellan has been promoted to associate superintendent of instruction and institutional effectiveness at Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga, California. He is the first African American to hold the position. Dr. McClellan has been with the college since 2018, serving in roles such as dean of instruction and student services and dean of academic and career counseling.
Dr. McClellan earned his doctorate in community college leadership from California State University, Long Beach.
LeAndrea Mikell was recently promoted to assistant vice president for government and community relations at Savannah State University in Georgia. She has served in several capacities at the HBCU, most recently as the executive director of governmental relations and community engagement. During the 2023-2024 academic year, she served as interim vice president for university advancement.
Mikell received her bachelor’s degree from Savannah State University.
