Finalists

As the Dean of Math, Sciences, and Business at the College of Marin, Dr. Hernández provides leadership over the following six departments (21 programs): Physical Sciences, Life and Earth Sciences, Mathematics, Social Sciences, Behavioral Sciences, and Business. During Dr. Hernández’s tenure at the College of Marin, she has been a Strategic Plan Champion, a Standard I co-chair, an Accreditation Steering Task Force Committee member, an Indian Valley Campus (IVC) Strategic Planning Committee co-chair, and a Standard II Accreditation Committee member. Dr. Hernández has also served on the District’s Negotiation’s team, Labor Management Team, Union District Workload Committee, and several participatory governance committees. In addition, Dr. Hernández shepherded the College Hour Task Force and Teaching and Learning Center Task Force at the College of Marin with the goal of increasing engagement and community belonging.

In 2017, the College of Marin developed the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Action (IDEA) committee to help the College of Marin reach its equity and inclusion goals, which Dr. Hernández was initially selected to co-chair by the Vice President. She has since passed the co-chair baton but remains an active member of the team. Just prior to the pandemic, recognizing the need to support students of color and diversify the STEM pipeline, Dr. Hernández initiated the development of a STEM Learning Community. Due to the program’s success and successful acquisition of a $1,552,039 grant, the STEM Learning Community transitioned into a Math, Engineering, Science, Achievement (MESA) Program and has become a vibrant part of COM’s community.

Dr. Hernández earned a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Emory University, a Master of Natural Science degree in Biology from the University of Idaho, and a Master of Arts degree in Educational Leadership and a Doctorate of Educational Leadership from Mills College. She is a Hispanic first-generation American, member of the LGBTQ community and committed to providing opportunities and academic support to diverse students through an anti-racist lens. She currently lives in Pacifica, CA, with her wife, two sons, and dog, where they enjoy the Bay Area’s beaches, parks and restaurants

Pronouns: she/her/they/them

Dr. Kunkel began her community college career as a part then full-time instructor then later transitioned to a program and grant coordinator, academic dean, and institutional leader. Her work at the institutional level includes developing the campus wide infrastructure for Academic Learning Support at Chabot College; leading two academic divisions, Social Sciences and Arts, Media and Communication; a revenue-generating Performing Arts Center, a Public Government Education broadcasting station serving the Cities of Hayward and Fremont, an Early Childhood Education Lab School, and the State of California’s Early Childhood Education mentorship program.

Dr. Kunkel is a strong advocate for K-12 and industry partnerships as an avenue towards building a more just, equitable society. She developed the campus infrastructure for K-12 data-sharing and dual enrollment as the coordinator of the Career Pathways Trust grant and led the creation of regional industry pathway action teams in Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering, Health and Community Wellness, Administration of Justice, and Information Communication Technology. Her shared governance experience includes serving on the executive team for Chabot College’s 2023 ACCJC site visit where she was instrumental in compiling the self-evaluation report, training standards teams, and implementing improvement plans that led to a clean reaffirmation. She has chaired the planning and budget committee, served as a campus leader in enrollment management, and served on the executive team for the Black Excellence Collective where she led the work to institutionalize Chabot College’s equity professional growth program in collaboration with campus stakeholders. Her collaboration with Student Services includes co-chairing a presidential task force to better integrate student and academic services, developing the First Year Experience program, and launching Guided Pathways. Outside of institutionalizing equity professional development, she is perhaps most proud of her work with the Stay Woke student collective to install an mural featuring the faces of students, her efforts to build up Chabot College’s Asian American Pacific Islander learning community, and her work to develop the infrastructure and funding for a student-led film on the prison industrial complex that received a film festival award and a student-led film and fundraiser for A.B.O. COMIX, a non-profit collective that amplifies the voices of justice impacted members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Dr. Kunkel is the recipient of a Chancellor’s Award from the Chabot Las Positas Community College District. She actively participates with other community leaders in Rotary fundraising activities that support the Tibercio Vasquez Health Center, Covenant House, and placing bilingual books in K-12 classrooms. Dr. Kunkel lives in the Bay Area and has an adult son in engineering. As able, she continues to teach part-time at the community college to stay abreast of emerging instructional needs and anti-racist pedagogy and practice.

Dr. Ramos is a trained social scientist and interdisciplinary educator. He has taught courses in Humanities, Urban Studies, First Year Seminar, Political Science, Social Sciences, Global Development, and History at institutions such as CUNY Guttman Community College, Adelphi University, Metropolitan College of New York, De Anza College, and St. John’s University. His research focuses on global poverty and its historical roots—aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and underscoring his commitment to international development and modernization.

He is the founder of Global Tassels, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering first-generation students from underserved communities worldwide through access to higher education. From 2014 to 2020, he served as President of the organization, expanding its global footprint to Haiti, Kenya, the Philippines, Ghana, Cambodia, Colombia, Guatemala, and India. Global Tassels exemplifies his belief in amplifying student voices and building leadership capacity through education, service, and justice. Today, he serves as the Board Chair of the organization.

Earlier in his career, Dr. Ramos served as Assistant Dean and Interim Department Chair at the Audrey Cohen School for Human Services and Education at Metropolitan College of New York focusing on strategic planning, accreditation, enrollment growth, and online education. He has led and taught in environments that reflect the full breadth of public, private, and mission-driven education, always championing access, equity, and culturally responsive leadership.

Dr. Ramos earned his doctorate in World History from St. John’s University, a Master’s in Education from Adelphi University, and a Bachelor’s in Political Science. He is currently pursuing a second doctorate in Sustainability Education at Prescott College—centering on educational eco-system transformation, and the intersection of leadership with community empowerment. A visionary and equity-centered leader, Dr. Ramos seeks to align strategic goals with inclusive practices to cultivate educational ecosystems that are innovative, resilient, accessible, and responsive to the communities they serve.