Maureen Banks
Illinois Community College Board
Board Member
Term: 3/24/2023 to 3/24/2027
Member, MHEC Executive Committee
A 60-member commission provides strategic leadership, governance, and fiduciary oversight for MHEC.
Each member state has five appointed commissioners: the governor or the governor’s designee; two legislators, one from each house; and two other at-large members, at least one of whom shall be selected from the field of higher education.
Executive Officers
Chair: Mike Duffey (OH)
Vice Chair: Katie Stuart (IL)
Treasurer: Tim Mihalick (ND)
Past Chair: Barbara Ballard (KS)
Illinois Commissioners
Michael Halpin
Illinois General Assembly
State Senator; Chair, Senate Committee on Education Appropriations
Term: 3/21/2023 to 1/2/2025
Pranav Kothari
Illinois Board of Higher Education
Board Chair
Term: 3/15/2023 to 1/1/2027
Katie Stuart
Illinois General Assembly
State Representative; Assistant Majority Leader and Floor Whip
Term: 3/17/2025 to 1/2/2027
Member, MHEC Executive Committee
Vacancy – IL
Appointing Authority: Governor (designee)
Indiana Commissioners
Bob Behning
Indiana General Assembly
State Representative; Chair, Education Committee
Term: 7/1/2024 to 6/30/2026
Matt Butler
Indiana Commission for Higher Education
Senior Associate Commissioner and Chief Academic Officer
Term: began 5/14/2025; serves at the pleasure of the governor; Indiana Governor's Designee
Spencer Deery
Indiana General Assembly
State Senator; Majority Member, Education and Career Development Committee
Term: 7/1/2025 to 6/30/2027
Member, MHEC Executive Committee
Charles Johnson
Vincennes University
President
Term: 7/1/25 to 6/30/2029
Dottie King
Independent Colleges of Indiana
President and CEO
Term: 4/12/2024 to 2/28/2028
Member, MHEC Executive Committee
Iowa Commissioners
Timothy Fitzgibbon
Term: 5/1/2025 to 4/30/2027; serves at the pleasure of the governor; Iowa Governor's Designee
Jesse Green
Iowa Legislature
State Senator; Chair, Education Appropriations Subcommittee
Term: 1/13/2025 to 1/10/2027
Joanna Hofer
Iowa Association of Community College Trustees
Past Board Chair
Term: 7/1/2025 to 7/1/2027
Monica Kurth
Iowa Legislature
State Representative; Member, Education Committee
Term: 4/3/2025 to 1/10/2027
Greta Rouse
Iowa Board of Regents
President Pro Tem
Term: 5/11/2023 to 4/30/2027
Member, MHEC Executive Committee
Iowa Commissioners Alternates
Jacob Bossman
Iowa Legislature
State Representative; Member, Appropriations Committee
Term: 3/24/2025 to 1/10/2027
Member, MHEC Executive Committee
Matthew Draud
Briar Cliff University
President
Term: 5/13/2025 to 5/12/2029
David Ford
Iowa College Aid - Iowa Department of Education
Bureau Chief
Term: 7/1/2025 to 7/1/2027
Olivia M.A. Madison
Iowa Governor's Designee
Term: 5/1/2023 to 4/30/2025; serves at the pleasure of the governor
Member, MHEC Executive Committee, ex officio
Cindy Winckler
Iowa Legislature
State Senator; Ranking Member, Education Appropriations Subcommittee
Term: 1/13/2025 to 1/10/2027
Kansas Commissioners
Barbara W. Ballard
Kansas Legislature
State Representative; Minority Caucus Chair
Term: 7/1/2023 to 6/30/2025
Member, MHEC Executive Committee
Renee Erickson
Kansas Legislature
State Senator; Chair, Senate Committee on Education
Term: 1/28/2025 to 6/30/2025
Blake Flanders
Kansas Board of Regents
President and CEO
Term: 9/15/2022 to 6/30/2026
Member, MHEC Executive Committee
Aaron A. Otto
Term: began 7/5/2019; serves at the pleasure of the governor; Kansas Governor's Designee
Wint Winter
Kansas Board of Regents
Board Member
Term: 9/20/2023 to 6/30/2026
Kansas Commissioners Alternates
Marci Francisco
Kansas Legislature
State Senator
Term: 7/1/2023 to 6/30/2025
Ken Rahjes
Kansas Legislature
State Representative; Member, House Committee on Higher Education Budget
Term: 7/1/2023 to 6/30/2025
Michigan Commissioners
Daniel J. Hurley
Michigan Association of State Universities
Chief Executive Officer
Term: 3/20/2025 to 3/18/2029
Brandy M. Johnson
Michigan Community College Association
President
Term: 5/9/2024 to 3/18/2027
Member, MHEC Executive Committee
Greg Markkanen
Michigan Legislature
State Representative; Chairman of Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education
Term: 4/30/2025 to 12/31/2026
Member, MHEC Executive Committee
Sean McCann
Michigan Legislature
State Senator; Chair, Universities and Community Colleges Appropriations Subcommittee
Term: 1/22/2025 to 1/13/2027
Emma Young
State of Michigan
Deputy Director of Policy, Executive Office of the Governor
Term: began 5/9/2024; serves at the pleasure of the governor; Michigan Governor's Designee
Michigan Commissioner Alternates
Beverly Walker-Griffea
MiLEAP - Department of Michigan Lifelong, Education, Advancement, and Potential
Executive Director
Term: began 4/3/2025; serves at the pleasure of the governor
Vacancy – MI
State Board of Education
Appointing Authority: Governor
Minnesota Commissioners
Omar Fateh
Minnesota Legislature
State Senator; Chair, Higher Education Committee
Term: 2/21/2025 to 1/1/2027
Jessica Hanson
Minnesota Legislature
State Representative; Member, Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee
Term: 3/12/2025 to 1/11/2027
Dennis Olson
Minnesota Office of Higher Education
Commissioner
Term: 2/17/2023 to 1/4/2027; serves at the pleasure of the governor; Minnesota Governor's Designee
Member, MHEC Executive Committee
Scott Olson
Minnesota State
Chancellor
Term: 5/14/2025 to 1/1/2029
Member, MHEC Executive Committee
Vacancy – MN Commissioner
Appointing Authority: Governor (at-large member)
Minnesota Commissioner Alternates
Paul Cerkvenik
Minnesota Private College Council
President
Term: 12/8/2014
Missouri Commissioners
Chris Brown
Missouri General Assembly
State Representative; Chairman, Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee
Term: 5/23/2025 to 7/1/2026
Samantha Dickey
Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development
Assistant Commissioner for Postsecondary Policy
Term: 7/17/2023; serves at pleasure of the governor; Missouri Governor's Designee
Member, MHEC Executive Committee
David Pearce
University of Central Missouri
Executive Director for Government Relations
Term: 10/5/2022 to 1/1/2026
Member, MHEC Executive Committee, ex officio
Susan Thomas
Truman State University
President
Term: 6/3/2019 to 1/1/2021
Curtis Trent
Missouri General Assembly
State Senator; Member, Economic and Workforce Development Committee
Term: 1/16/2025 to 12/31/2026
Nebraska Commissioners
Matthew Blomstedt
University of Nebraska System
Associate Vice President for Government Relations
Term: 10/3/2024 to 1/1/2027
John Cavanaugh
Nebraska Legislature
State Senator
Term: 1/16/2025 to 1/1/2027
Member, MHEC Executive Committee
Deborah A. Frison
Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
Commission Member
Term: 1/2/2023 to 1/1/2027
Member, MHEC Executive Committee
Jana Hughes
Nebraska Legislature
State Senator; Vice Chairperson, Education Committee
Term: 1/16/2025 to 1/1/2027
Grant Latimer
State of Nebraska
Policy Advisor to Governor Jim Pillen
Term: began 10/16/2023; serves at the pleasure of the governor; Nebraska Governor's Designee
Nebraska Commissioner Alternates
Michael Baumgartner
Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
Executive Director
Term: 9/3/2014
Paul Turman
Nebraska State College System
Chancellor
Term: 4/23/2024 to 7/1/2028
North Dakota Commissioners
Kyle Davison
North Dakota Legislative Assembly
State Senator, Member, Appropriations Committee
Term: 8/1/2025 to 7/31/2027
Tim Flakoll
Cass County
Commissioner
Term: began 1/13/2025; serves at the pleasure of the governor; North Dakota Governor's Designee
Member, MHEC Executive Committee, ex officio
Timothy Mihalick
State Board of Higher Education
Member & Past Chair
Term: 7/1/2025 to 6/30/2029
Member, MHEC Executive Committee
Brandy Pyle
North Dakota Legislative Assembly
State Representative; Member, Appropriations Committee
Term: 8/1/2025 to 7/31/2027
Member, MHEC Executive Committee
Brent Sanford
North Dakota University System
Interim Chancellor
Term: 5/21/2025 to 6/30/2027
Ohio Commissioners
Gary Cates
Ohio Department of Higher Education
Senior Vice Chancellor (retired)
Term: 1/9/2023 to 1/8/2027
Jerry Cirino
Ohio Legislature
State Senator; Vice Chair, Higher Education Committee
Term: 3/21/2025 to 12/31/2026
Member, MHEC Executive Committee
Mike Duffey
Ohio Department of Higher Education
Chancellor
Term: began 1/29/2021; serves at the pleasure of the governor; Ohio Governor's Designee
Member, MHEC Executive Committee
C. Todd Jones
Association of Independent Colleges & Universities of Ohio
President and General Counsel
Term: 1/9/2025 to 1/8/2029
Tom Young
Ohio Legislature
State Representative; Chair, Workforce and Higher Education Committee
Term: 3/3/2025 to 1/1/2027
South Dakota Commissioners
Nathan Lukkes
South Dakota Board of Regents
Executive Director and CEO
Term: 7/1/2022 to 6/30/2026
Larry J. Tidemann
Term: began 1/11/2019; serves at the pleasure of the governor; South Dakota Governor's Designee
Member, MHEC Executive Committee
Vacancy – SD Commissioner
Appointing Authority: Executive Board of LRC (House)
Vacancy – SD Commissioner
Appointing Authority: Secretary of the Department of Education
Vacancy – SD Commissioner
Appointing Authority: Executive Board of LRC (Senate)
South Dakota Commissioner Alternates
Vacancy – SD Alternate
Appointing Authority: Executive Board of LRC (Senate)
Vacancy – SD Alternate
Appointing Authority: Executive Board of LRC (House)
Wisconsin Commissioners
Tammie DeVooght
Higher Educational Aids Board
Executive Secretary
Term: 7/24/2025 to 7/1/2027
Eric Fulcomer
Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
President
Term: 7/1/2023 to 7/1/2027
Member, MHEC Executive Committee
André Jacque
Wisconsin State Legislature
State Senator
Term: 2/21/2025 to 1/4/2027
David Murphy
Wisconsin State Legislature
State Representative; Chair, Committee on Colleges and Universities
Term: 7/29/2025 to 6/30/2027
Member, MHEC Executive Committee
Julie Underwood
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Professor Emeritus
Term began 4/2/2019; serves at the pleasure of the governor; Wisconsin Governor's Designee
Wisconsin Commissioner Alternates
Layla Merrifield
Wisconsin Technical College System
President
Term: 9/17/2024 to 8/31/2028
Christopher Patton
University of Wisconsin System
Interim Vice President for University Relations
Term: 9/9/2024 to 8/31/2028