History of the District
[former governing board members] | [former chancellors] |
[former student trustees] | [the colleges]| [teacher of the year program]

The Contra Costa Community College District was founded in 1948 by a public vote and first opened its doors to students in 1949. It is the eighth largest multicollege community college district in California. CCCCD serves a population of 948,816 people, and its boundaries encompass all but 48 of the 734 square mile land area of Contra Costa County. The District Office is located in historic downtown Martinez.

The Contra Costa Community College District is governed by an elected five-member Governing Board, who serve four-year terms, and one Student Trustee elected by all District students, who serves a one-year term on a rotational basis among the colleges. The Chancellor, appointed by the Governing Board, carries out the policies of the District.

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Former Governing Board Members:

Ward 1
Elton Brombacher: 1949 - 1959
William Kretzmer: 1959 - 1973
Lloyd Farr: 1973 - 1990
Maria Viramontes: 1990 - 1994
David MacDiarmid: 1994 - 2006

Ward II
Bert Coffey: 1949 - 1952
Pat Butler: 1952 - 1954
Edgar Dale: 1954 - 1960
Glenn Clemetson: 1960 - 1971
Coleman Fannin: 1971 - 1972
William Moses: 1973 - 1996
Kristine Chase: 1996 - 2000
David Girard: 2000 - 2004

Ward III
George Gordon: 1949 - 1977
Eugene Ross: 1977 - 1998

Ward IV
O.J. Wohlgemuth: 1949 - 1961
Harmon Howard: 1961 - 1968
Lee Winters: 1968 - 1994

Ward V
Fred Abbott: 1949 - 1962
William Baldwin: 1963 - 1988
Bill Corey: 1988 - 1999
Greg Feere: 1999 - 2000
Jess Reyes: 2000 - 2004
Jo Ann Cookman: 2004 - 2008

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Former Chancellors:

  • Drummond McCunn: 1949-1962
  • Troika: 1962 - 1965
    Board Member: George Gordon
    Diablo Valley College President: Karl Drexel
    Contra Costa College President: Bob Faul
  • Karl Drexel: 1965-1974
  • Harry Buttimer: 1974-1984
  • Karl Drexel, Acting: 1984
  • John Carhart: 1984-1991
  • Robert Jensen: 1991-1995
  • Jack Miyamoto, Interim: 1995
  • Charles Spence: 1996-2004
  • Phyllis Gilliland, Acting: 2004-2005
  • Lois Callahan, Interim: 2005

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Former Student Trustees:

  • CCC
    Paul Cates 7/1980-1/1981
    Darwin Drew 2/1981-6/1981
    Lindsey Hill 1983-1984 (resigned 2/1984)
    Cesar Ureta 3/7/1984-6/1984
    Edward J. Silvers III 1986-1987
    Benjamin Brooks III 1989
    Mark S. Harris 1992-1993
    Ha M. Thai 1995-1996
    Rolando Rubio III 1998-1999
    Jose L. Morales 2001-2002
    Gigi Green 2004-2005
    Pamela J. Hampton 2007-2008

  • DVC
    Robert Griffith 1978-1979
    Donna Olney 7/1/1981-9/30/1981
    Richard Horn 10/13/1981-12/1/1981
    Joellen Dommers 12/2/1981-6/1982
    Mike de Laroche 1984-1985
    Mike Saunders 1987-1988 (resigned 2/9/1988)
    William Whitehead 2/1988-6/1988
    Steven K. Bruno 1990-1991 (resigned 10/23/1990)
    Mirna Hernandez 11/1990-5/31/1991
    Jamie C. Earle 1993-1994
    Douglas A. Lorenz 1996-1997 (resigned 8/29/1996)
    Aimee G. Gremore 1996-1997 (effective 9/25/1996)
    Jenny E. Hughes 1999-2000
    Jeffrey Mandap (Interim) 10/1/2002-12/31/2002
    Victoria S. English 2002-2003
    Valentin (“Val”) Lorien 2005-2006


  • LMC
    Richard Pyle 1979-1980
    Thomas Perea 1982-1983
    Rodney Valrey 1985-1986
    Michael P. Lynch 1988-1989
    Rebecka A. Garcia 1991-1992
    Troy M. Whitehead 1994-1995
    Kristy S. Carr 1997-1998
    Karla Fuentes-Rivera 2003-2004 (resigned 3/25/2004)
    Bryer Bly May 2004
    David E. Williams 2000-2001 (resigned)
    Dilan A. Welihindha 2000-2001 (effective 9/27/2000)
    Ivan Williams 2006-2007

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The Colleges:

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Teachers of the Year Program:

California established the Teachers of the Year Program in 1972 to recognize outstanding teachers. The County Office of Education has directed the Program in Contra Costa County since its inception. The program is open to all teachers in public and private schools who teacher pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.

The Contra Costa Community College District’s first nominee in 1999-2000 was Edward Trujillo. The Faculty Senate currently oversees the selection of an outstanding professor on a rotational basis among the three colleges. Although District’s nominees are not eligible for competition honors, they are afforded recognition at a gala event held each September and classroom resources from program donors.

The District celebrates and takes great pride in honoring its outstanding past and present Teachers of the Year listed below:

  • 1999-2000  
    Edward Trujillo — DVC
  • 2000-2001
    Andres Ortiz Ochoa — DVC
  • 2001-2002
    Danny B. Martin — CCC
  • 2002-2003
    Bill Hutchings — DVC
  • 2003-2004
    Van Boschetti — LMC
  • 2004-05
    Terence T. Elliott — CCC
  • 2005-06
    Ted Wieden — DVC
  • 2006-07
    Laurie Huffman — LMC
  • 2007-08
    Paul DeBolt — CCC
  • 2008-09
    Carolyn Seefer — DVC

    To view past and present nominees since 2003-04 go to http://www.cccoe.k12.ca.us/supe/toy.html#about

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