The Oregon Community College Association (OCCA) announced the winners of the annual Howard Cherry Awards, which celebrate the contributions that local advocates, administrators and board members have made to the benefit of community colleges in Oregon.
The recepients are:
- Community College Board Member: Chris Brown (Blue Mountain Community College)
- Community College Advocate: Sen. Michael Dembrow (D-Portland)
- Community College Administrator: Dr. Lisa Skari (President, Mt. Hood Community College)
The Howard Cherry Awards are named for the late Dr. Howard Cherry, a lifelong advocate for education and community involvement. Dr. Cherry was also a founding member of the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) and was a trustee of the American Association of Community & Junior Colleges.
“These remarkable individuals have shown extraordinary leadership and commitment to the mission of Oregon’s community colleges,” stated Abby Lee, executive director of OCCA. “Their passion, creativity, and advocacy have not only enhanced educational experiences but have also inspired many to engage in the vital work of creating brighter futures. We take great pride in honoring their contributions and eagerly anticipate the continued positive influence they will have on students and communities across the state.”
The winners will be honored during the Howard Cherry Awards Banquet at OCCA’s Annual Conference Nov. 7 in Gleneden Beach, at Salishan Coastal Lodge.
A closer look at the winners:
Community College Board Member:
Chris Brown (Blue Mountain Community College) – Chris Brown, a retired Colonel in the U.S. Army, has served on the Board of Directors for Blue Mountain Community College in eastern Oregon since 2015. Brown, who lives with his wife, Kathy, on their ranch in Heppner, has long been a proponent of the college and its students. Prior to joining the BMCC Board, Brownwas a volunteer for the BMCC capital construction bond campaign in May 2015, serving as a campaign lead in Morrow County and helping secure $23 million in funds. His proximity to the college and its students during this campaign created an even stronger passion for BMCC’s mission. He won a write-in campaign to fill a vacant seat on the Board of Directors in 2015 just months after the bond’s approval by voters. Brown was then selected to chair the Bond Oversight Committee to oversee the use of the funds for the capital construction projects at three locations in two counties.
As a member of the BMCC Board, Brown twice served as chair, as well as Budget Committee and Audit Committee chair for the past four years. He also served as the OCCA representative for BMCC from 2015-2023, and led the BMCC Presidential Search Committee in 2021.
Community College Advocate:
Sen. Michael Dembrow (D-Portland) – Since he was first elected to the Oregon House of Representative in 2009 and then the State Senate in 2013, Dembrow has been the leading voice in the legislature for higher education, but particularly for community colleges and students. In Dembrow’s 15-year legislative career he has served as chair of the House Higher Education committee, the Senate Education Committee and as a member of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education, which passes budgets for all levels of Oregon public education.
In 2018, Dembrow led the charge to open Oregon’s financial aid programs like the Oregon Opportunity Grant and the Oregon Promise to all students who attended and graduated from Oregon high schools regardless of their documentation status. In 2023, Dembrow introduced and passed SB 523 to empower community colleges to offer Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees, which opened the possibility of greater access to four-year nursing degrees across the state. In 2024, Dembrow passed legislation creating a workgroup to make recommendations on how to transition community colleges from traditional developmental education to evidence-based corequisite education, and legislation directing the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to calculate the cost of offering applied baccalaureate programs at community colleges and then recommend potential funding for these programs.
Community College Administrator:
Dr. Lisa Skari (President, Mt. Hood Community College) – Skari has been the President of Mt. Hood Community College (MHCC) in Gresham since 2018. Her contributions have not only shaped the landscape of MHCC but have had a lasting impact on the broader community surrounding the college, and through her work at Oregon President’s Council she has elevated the impact and standing of Oregon’s community colleges. She is a leader who stands out for her unique and humble approach, one that harnesses her extensive skills to bring people together to create positive change. Her leadership style is rooted in a student-centered philosophy, with equity being the cornerstone of all her initiatives.
In addition, Skari played a crucial role in the HECC funding formula task force, where her insights and advocacy were instrumental in shaping funding decisions that support all Oregon community colleges, including the smaller and rural institutions.
