Maricopa County Elections has announced that the upcoming elections for the Maricopa County Community College District’s (MCCCD) Governing Board have been canceled. All four incumbent Governing Board members are now re-elected after running unopposed, eliminating the need for a public vote.
MCCCD’s Governing Board has seven seats, including five elected positions from geographical districts within Maricopa County and two at-large positions representing the entire county. Board members serve staggered four-year terms.
The four re-elected board members are listed below in alphabetical order:
Susan Bitter Smith, District 2
Bitter Smith currently serves as MCCCD’s Governing Board President and has a distinguished history in public service. A native Arizonan, Bitter Smith served as the City of Scottsdale’s Vice Mayor and was the first female President of the Central Arizona Water Conservation District Board. Bitter Smith ran for Congress in Arizona's 5th Congressional District and was elected to the Arizona Corporation Commission in 2012, where she served as Chair in 2015.
Tom Nerini, Ed.D., District 5
Dr. Nerini currently serves as MCCCD’s Governing Board Secretary and has dedicated his career to expanding educational opportunities for students of all backgrounds. First elected in 2018, Dr. Nerini is a Phoenix native with family roots in the West Valley dating back over a century. His extensive background in education includes roles as a counselor at the Phoenix Union High School District, Director of Student Outreach at Western Washington University, and Assistant Director of Admissions at Queen’s University in Ontario. Dr. Nerini has contributed to various professional organizations and has been recognized for his presentations on educational policies.
Jacqueline Smith, J.D., District 1
First elected in 2020, Smith currently serves as an MCCCD Governing Board Member representing District 1. Smith is a mission-driven executive with 15 years of experience launching and leading transformative strategies and initiatives at Arizona State University (ASU). Currently, she serves as Senior Vice President at the ASU Foundation for a New American University. She is also a Professor of Practice and has taught courses about university design, higher education and the law, cross-sector collaboration, and civic leadership.
Linda Thor, Ed.D., At-large
A nationally recognized innovator in education, Dr. Thor currently serves as an MCCCD Governing Board Member At-large. First elected in 2016, Dr. Thor has over 40 years experience working in community colleges, including 29 years as a chief executive officer. Throughout her career, Dr. Thor has held significant leadership positions, including Chancellor of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District from 2010 to 2015, President of Rio Salado College from 1990 to 2010, and President of West Los Angeles College from 1986 to 1990.
“The Maricopa Community Colleges Governing Board is thrilled to continue serving our students, faculty, and staff with the resources necessary to revolutionize higher education,” Governing Board President Bitter Smith said. “Our Governing Board members, together, have worked through a global pandemic while simultaneously creating groundbreaking workforce development programs and offering the first ever baccalaureate degrees for our students,” President Bitter Smith continued. “We are honored to continue building on this success and continue serving as a model for higher education around the country.”
As Arizona’s largest provider of workforce development training, MCCCD offers over 600 certificate and degree programs, including eight bachelor’s degrees. Learn more at maricopa.edu.