Karen Normandin appointed president of Kennebec Valley Community College

AUGUSTA, ME – Maine Community College System (MCCS) President David Daigler announced today that Karen Normandin has been appointed president of Kennebec Valley Community College, effective June 1.

Normandin has been serving as acting president of Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC) since May 2021.

“I am honored to have been selected as the next president of Kennebec Valley Community College,” Normandin said. “This college has a long history of providing excellence in academic programming and workforce training opportunities. We are on an extraordinary journey of growth and transition.”

“As we move forward, I am excited to be in a leadership role, working with the faculty and staff to continue the great work that KVCC is known for in this community,” she said. “I look forward to continuing that tradition and strengthening the ties to our community.”

Normandin has worked at KVCC for more than 30 years, serving in multiple leadership positions, including vice president of student affairs, enrollment, marketing and recruitment; dean of student affairs; director of educational support services; and director of TRIO student support services.

“Karen is a champion of the KVCC community and will be an excellent leader,” Daigler said. “She has a deep understanding of the college and an unwavering dedication to its people and the broader community. I look forward to working with her to advance the college during this critical time.”

The MCCS Board of Trustees unanimously supported the appointment.

“Karen has extensive experience and deep ties to the students, faculty and staff at KVCC,” said Board Chair Bill Cassidy. “Her proven leadership skills will serve the students, faculty and staff well.”

Normandin is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Education in Higher Education Leadership at Capella University. She has a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Ball State University in Indiana, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire.

In 2020, Normandin was a John T. Gorman Fellow, which identifies and develops leaders in the public sector, and she twice received the KVCC President’s Award in recognition of her leadership within the KVCC community.

She serves as vice chair of the Kennebec Behavioral Health Programs Advisory Board; executive board member of the Mid Maine Chamber of Commerce; and previously served on the Nursing Advisory Board for KVCC, in addition to being a member of multiple professional organizations.

Normandin was selected from an initial field of more than 40 candidates following a national search.

Normandin succeeds Dr. Richard Hopper, who is currently interim president of Greenfield Community College in Greenfield, Massachusetts.

Kennebec Valley Community College, with campuses in Fairfield and Hinckley, enrolls about 2,300 students engaged in more than 35 programs of study.