The president of a community college in Spokane, Washington, who formerly taught and held administrative roles at several Bay Area community colleges, has been chosen as the next chancellor of City College of San Francisco.
Kimberlee Messina will take over the role from Interim Chancellor Mitchell Bailey, who was appointed in June 2024. The college’s board of trustees is scheduled to have a final vote on Messina’s contract on June 26.
The position was advertised with an annual salary of between $310,000 and $370,000.
As chancellor, Messina will oversee all the community college district’s operations, its six physical locations, a budget of $300 million, and an annual student body of roughly 40,000 students.
Her appointment also comes as City College of San Francisco, or CCSF, is under a warning from one of its main academic accreditors, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC).
CCSF was issued the warning sanction in 2024 after it failed aspects of a comprehensive review, and its subsequent self-evaluation was rejected. The ACCJC made recommendations including ensuring the chancellor is given the power to implement the board’s policies without interference and the need to create a long-term spending plan that ensures fiscal stability.
CCSF kept its accreditation during the year-long warning period. The ACCJC is considering the district’s updated response, which was submitted in March. It will remain under review through early 2027 to ensure it meets the accrediting body’s standards, according to the ACCJY’s warning letter.
A ‘bold and inclusive vision’
Messina started her career as a Spanish professor at Santa Rosa Junior College before taking administrative roles at Foothill College, in Santa Clara County, and San Mateo County Community College District. She was named president of Spokane Falls Community College in 2019.
“Dr. Messina’s personal and professional journey reflects a commitment to social justice, civic engagement, and expanding access to opportunity — values that deeply align with the mission of City College of San Francisco,” said Anita Martinez, President of the CCSF Board of Trustees.
Messina said in a statement that she looked forward to returning to the Bay Area to help create “a bold and inclusive vision” for the college’s future.
“City College of San Francisco has a rich tradition of innovation and student success, grounded in diversity, equity, and inclusion. I am honored to join the CCSF community and to work alongside students, faculty, staff, trustees, and the broader public to eliminate equity gaps, strengthen student pathways, and lead transformational change,” Messina said.
Messina is the fourth chancellor of CCSF since 2020. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Spanish from California State University, Sacramento and her doctorate in educational leadership from the University of California, Davis.