Cleveland State Community College appointed Alisha Fox as interim vice president for Finance and Operations and Cindy Dawson as interim executive director of Advancement and the Cleveland State Foundation. These appointments come after Dr. Tommy Wright, vice president of Finance and Advancement / executive director of the Cleveland State Foundation, announced that he will be leaving the college after eight years of service to serve as the president of Southwest Virginia Community College.
Prior to accepting her position, Ms. Fox served in a number of roles at CSCC including assistant vice president for Finance and Operations, interim director of Fiscal Services, director of Procurement, Disbursement and Contract Services and the director of Purchasing and Contracts. Prior to accepting these positions at CSCC, she served as the general m anager for the Chattanooga State Bookstore as well as the General Manager for the Cleveland State Bookstore.
“As assistant vice president, Alisha Fox has been very engaged with every aspect of our finance and physical plant operations,” said Dr. Bill Seymour, CSCC president. “I have complete faith in her ability to lead these areas.”
“I am excited and honored to be selected to fill this role,” said Ms. Fox. “I am humbled by Dr. Seymour’s confidence in my ability to fulfill this role for the campus. I am very grateful to work at a wonderful institution, which encourages and supports employees...I am so happy for Dr. Wright and the Wright family for this opportunity. I know he will make an excellent president. I am appreciative of him originally hiring me and the opportunities he and the campus have provided me over the years.”
Ms. Fox received her bachelor of science degree in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, her master's of Public Administration from Valdosta State University, and is currently pursuing a doctorate of Public Administration at Valdosta State with a concentration in Community College Leadership through East Tennessee State University.
Prior to accepting her position, Ms. Dawson served as coordinator of Development and Alumni at Cleveland State, regional development coordinator of East Tennessee for The Next Door, and executive director for Global Women.
Ms. Seymour said, “Cindy Dawson has exceptional experience through her previous work in non-profits. In her time at Cleveland State, she has proven herself to be very effective at engaging with alumni, our trustees and donors.”
“As an alum of Cleveland State, I am especially excited for this opportunity to lead the Foundation and the Advancement Department in providing support for our community college as the stories of our next 50 years are being written. We have a grand vision and large goals to raise funds needed to support the college's strategic plan, and we are extremely grateful to Dr. Wright for his leadership in laying a strong foundation that our Advancement team can build on to reach our goals.”
Ms. Dawson received her associate of science degree from Cleveland State in music, her bachelor of science degree in Religious Education and is currently pursuing her master’s of Professional Studies in Strategic Leadership from Austin Peay State University.