MHEC is governed by a 60-member commission. 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.
Illinois Commissioners
Maureen Banks
Illinois Community College Board
Board Member
Term: 3/24/2023 to 3/24/2027
Michael Halpin
Illinois General Assembly
State Senator; Co-chair, Higher Education Committee
Term: 3/21/2023 to 1/2/2025
Pranav Kothari
Illinois Board of Higher Education
Public Member
Term: 3/15/2023 to 1/1/2027
Katie Stuart
Illinois General Assembly
State Representative; Chair, Higher Education Committee
Term: 1/25/2023 to 1/2/2025
Indiana Commissioners
Bob Behning
Indiana General Assembly
State Representative; Chair, Education Committee
Term: 7/1/2022 to 6/30/2024
Jon Ford
Indiana General Assembly
State Senator; Member, Appropriations Committee
Term: 6/14/2021 to 7/1/2023
Ronald S. Rochon
University of Southern Indiana
President
Term: 7/1/2021 to 6/30/2025
Ken Sauer
Indiana Commission for Higher Education
Senior Associate Commissioner and Chief Academic Officer
Term: 3/27/2017 to Serves At the Pleasure of the Governor
Iowa Commissioners
Jacob Bossman
Iowa Legislature
State Representative; Member, Appropriations Committee
Term: 5/3/2023 to 1/12/2025
Derrick R. Franck
Iowa Association of Community College Trustees
Past Board Chair
Term: 7/1/2021 to 7/1/2025
Olivia M.A. Madison
Iowa Governor's Designee
Term: 5/1/2023 to 4/30/2025, Serves At the Pleasure of the Governor
Greta Rouse
Board of Regents, State of Iowa
Regent
Term: 5/11/2023 to 4/30/2027
Cindy Winckler
Iowa Legislature
State Senator; Ranking Member, Education Appropriations Subcommittee
Term: 2/10/2023 to 1/12/2025
Iowa Commissioner Alternates
Andrew J. Baumert
Iowa Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
Vice President for Marketing and Outreach
Term: 2/13/2020 to 1/1/2024
Timothy Fitzgibbon
First National Bank
Senior Vice President
Term: 5/1/2023 to 4/30/2025, Serves at the Pleasure of the Governor
Sharon S. Steckman
Iowa Legislature
State Representative; Ranking Member, Education Committee
Term: 5/11/2023 to 1/12/2025
Jeff Taylor
Iowa Legislature
State Senator; Chair, Education Appropriations Subcommittee
Term: 1/22/2023 to 1/12/2025
Mark Wiederspan
Iowa College Aid
Executive Director
Term: 7/1/2021 to 7/1/2023
Kansas Commissioners
Barbara W. Ballard
Kansas Legislature
State Representative; Minority Caucus Chair
Term: 8/5/2021 to 7/1/2023
Molly Baumgardner
Kansas Legislature
State Senator; Chair, Senate Committee on Education
Term: 8/5/2021 to 7/1/2023
Blake Flanders
Kansas Board of Regents
President and CEO
Term: 9/15/2022 to 6/30/2026
Cynthia Lane
Kansas Board of Regents
Board Member
Term: 9/15/2022 to 6/30/2026
Aaron A. Otto
Kansas Governor's Designee
Term: 7/5/2019 to Serves at the Pleasure of the Governor
Kansas Commissioner Alternates
Marci Francisco
Kansas Legislature
State Senator
Term: 8/5/2021 to 7/1/2023
Ken Rahjes
Kansas Legislature
State Representative; Member, House Committee on Higher Education Budget
Term: 8/5/2021 to 7/1/2023
Michigan Commissioners
David L. Eisler
Ferris State University
Former President; Professor, Community College Leadership Studies
Term: 3/26/2021 to 3/18/2025
Brandy M. Johnson
Michigan Community College Association
President
Term: 4/16/2019, Serves at the Pleasure of the Governor
Sean McCann
Michigan Legislature
State Senator; Chair, Universities and Community Colleges Appropriations Subcommittee
Term: 4/10/2023 to 1/8/2025
Michigan Commissioner Alternates
Daniel J. Hurley
Michigan Association of State Universities
Chief Executive Officer
Term: 7/1/2015
Minnesota Commissioners
Omar Fateh
Minnesota Legislature
State Senator; Chair, Higher Education Committee
2/10/2023 to 1/7/2025
Michael Goh
University of Minnesota
Professor & Campbell Leadership Chair in Education and Human Development
Term: 4/30/2021 to 1/6/2025
Devinder Malhotra
Minnesota State
Chancellor
Term: 3/3/2021 to 1/6/2025
Dennis Olson
Minnesota Office of Higher Education
Commissioner
Term: 2/17/2023 to 1/4/2027; Serves at the Pleasure of the Governor
Gene Pelowski, Jr.
Minnesota Legislature
State Representative; Chair, Higher Education Finance and Policy
Term: 1/31/2023 to 1/7/2025
Minnesota Commissioner Alternates
Paul Cerkvenik
Minnesota Private College Council
President
Term: 12/8/2014
Missouri Commissioners
Brad Christ
Missouri General Assembly
State Representative; Member, Budget Committee
Term: 5/12/2023 to 7/1/2024
Karla Eslinger
Missouri General Assembly
State Senator; Majority Caucus Whip
Term: 5/11/2023 to 12/31/2024
Kayla Hahn
Missouri Governor Michael Parson
Policy Director
2/6/2019 to Serves At the Pleasure of the Governor
David Pearce
University of Central Missouri
Executive Director for Government Relations
Term: 10/5/2022 to 1/1/2026
Susan Thomas
Truman State University
President
Term: 6/3/2019 to 1/1/2021
Nebraska Commissioners
John Cavanaugh
Nebraska Legislature
State Senator
Term: 1/11/2023 to 1/1/2025
Randolph M. Ferlic
Nebraska Governor's Designee
Term: 1/2/2019 to 1/1/2023; Serves At the Pleasure of the Governor
Deborah A. Frison
Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
Commission Member
Term: 1/2/2023 to 1/1/2027
Heath Mello
University of Nebraska System
Vice President for External Relations
Term: 1/2/2023 to 1/1/2027
Lynne Walz
Nebraska Legislature
State Senator; Member, Education Committee
Term: 1/11/2023 to 1/1/2025
Nebraska Commissioner Alternate
Michael Baumgartner
Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
Executive Director
Term: 9/3/2014
North Dakota Commissioners
Kyle Davison
North Dakota Legislative Assembly
State Senator, Member, Appropriations Committee
Term: 8/1/2021 to 7/23/2023
Tim Flakoll
North Dakota Governor's Designee
Term: 12/15/2016 to Serves At the Pleasure of the Governor
Mark Hagerott
North Dakota University System
Chancellor
Term: 7/1/2019 to 6/30/2023
Timothy Mihalick
State Board of Higher Education
Vice Chair
Term: 7/1/2021 to 6/30/2025
Brandy Pyle
North Dakota Legislative Assembly
State Representative; Member, Appropriations Committee
Term: 8/1/2021 to 7/31/2023
Ohio Commissioners
Gary Cates
Ohio Department of Higher Education
Senior Vice Chancellor
Term: 3/10/2023 to 1/8/2027
Jerry Cirino
Ohio Legislature
State Senator; Chair, Senate Workforce & Higher Education Committee
Term: 1/17/2023 to 12/31/2024
Mike Duffey
Ohio Governor's Designee
Senior Vice Chancellor, Ohio Department of Higher Education
Term: 1/29/2021, Serves At the Pleasure of the Governor
Jack Hershey
Ohio Association of Community Colleges
President & CEO
Term: 3/3/2021 to 1/8/2025
Tom Young
Ohio Legislature
State Representative; Chair, Higher Education Committee
Term: 2/28/2023 to 1/1/2025
South Dakota Commissioners
Michael Cartney
Lake Area Technical College
President Emeritus
Term: 1/3/2021 to 12/31/2024
Steve Kolbeck
South Dakota Legislature
State Senator; Vice Chair, Senate Education Committee
Term: 3/27/2023 to 12/31/2024
Nathan Lukkes
South Dakota Board of Regents
Chief of Staff
Term: 7/1/2022 to 6/30/2026
Larry J. Tidemann
South Dakota Governor's Designee
1/11/2019, Serves At the Pleasure of the Governor
Tyler Tordsen
South Dakota Legislature
State Representative; Member, House Education Committee
Term: 3/27/2023 to 12/31/2024
South Dakota Commissioner Alternates
Erin Healy
South Dakota Legislature
State Representative; Assistant Minority Leader
Term: 3/27/2023 to 12/31/2024
Reynold Nesiba
South Dakota Legislature
State Senator; Minority Leader
Term: 3/27/2023 to 12/31/2024
Wisconsin Commissioners
Joan Ballweg
Wisconsin State Legislature
State Senator; Majority Caucus Vice-Chair
Term: 1/30/2023 to 1/6/2025
Connie Hutchison
State of Wisconsin Higher Educational Aids Board
Executive Secretary
Term: 7/13/2021 to 7/1/2023
Rebecca Larson
Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (WAICU)
Senior Vice President for Advocacy
Term: 9/23/2022 to 7/1/2023
David Murphy
Wisconsin State Legislature
State Representative; Chair, Committee on Colleges and Universities
Term: 3/29/2021 to 6/30/2023
Julie Underwood
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Professor Emeritus
Term 4/2/2019, Serves at the Pleasure of the Governor
Wisconsin Commissioner Alternates
Morna Foy
Wisconsin Technical College System
President
Term: 3/11/2013
Sean P. Nelson
University of Wisconsin System
VP of Finance
Term: 2/6/2018
