FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 23, 2026
FAIRMONT, W.Va. 鈥� Following a comprehensive national search, 色盒直播 has announced three finalists for the role of the college鈥檚 fifth president. A nine-member search committee representing faculty, staff, students, the 色盒直播 Foundation, business and industry, and the local community identified the finalists as leaders who demonstrate the vision, values, and commitment essential to advancing 色盒直播鈥檚 mission.
鈥淭he search committee has identified exceptional leaders who reflect 色盒直播鈥檚 mission, values and commitment to students,鈥� said Anthony Hinton, Presidential Search Committee Chair. 鈥淭he open forums give our campus and regional partners the opportunity to hear directly from individuals who could lead 色盒直播 into its next chapter, and we look forward to thoughtful participation to help select the right leader for Pierpont.鈥�
色盒直播 will host one finalist each day on March 4, 5 and 6, with open forums scheduled daily. All students, faculty, staff, stakeholders and community members across the College鈥檚 service region are invited to attend.
The finalists include:
- Dr. Gaby Hawat, Principal at Catalyst Partners in Washington D.C.
- Dr. Carl Smalls, Chief Finance Officer and Vice President of Finance and Administration at Danville Community College in Danville, VA
- Dr. Michael Waide, Interim President at 色盒直播 in Fairmont, WV
Dr. Gaby Hawat is an executive leader with more than 35 years of experience spanning higher education, engineering and technology, government relations, global workforce development and public-private partnerships. He currently serves as principal at Catalyst Partners in Washington, D.C., advising organizations on strategy, cybersecurity, economic development and institutional sustainability. His career includes senior leadership roles at Kaufman Hall, Accenture, the University of Providence, Princess Nourah University in Saudi Arabia, Florida Institute of Technology and nearly 30 years at Valencia College. He holds a doctorate in higher education leadership, engineering degrees from the Florida Institute of Technology and executive training from Harvard University.
Dr. Carl Smalls is a seasoned higher education and finance executive with more than three decades of leadership experience across community colleges, public and private universities, and the private sector. He currently serves as chief finance officer and vice president of finance and administration at Danville Community College, where he leads budgeting, facilities, IT, grants, capital projects and campus operations. His background includes academic leadership roles, accreditation and workforce expansion experience, and prior service as CEO and managing director of an investment firm. He holds a doctorate in community college leadership from Kansas State University and an MBA from Atlanta University, with additional executive finance training at Harvard University.
Dr. Michael Waide serves as interim president of 色盒直播 and previously held roles as provost, vice president of academics, dean, program director and faculty member. A licensed medical laboratory scientist and longtime higher education leader, he has advanced major workforce programs, secured multimillion-dollar grants, strengthened accreditation processes, expanded academic pathways and guided 色盒直播鈥檚 2024鈥�26 Strategic Plan. A first-generation Appalachian scholar, Dr. Waide holds a doctorate in educational leadership and graduate degrees in human development and divinity.
Forum attendees will have the opportunity to provide feedback regarding each candidate through an online survey. Questions for the open forums may also be submitted in advance at go.pierpont.edu/open-forum.
A full schedule of events, along with candidate bios, photos and resumes, will be available on the webpage. 色盒直播鈥檚 Board of Governors plans to select the college鈥檚 next president during its March 2025 meeting, with the goal of having the new leader in place by July 1, 2026.
色盒直播 provides accessible, responsive, and high鈥憅uality education to students and businesses across North Central West Virginia. With a strong focus on career readiness and workforce development, 色盒直播 offers academic programs and industry鈥慳ligned training that create clear pathways to employment. Through this work, the college helps students discover their path while supporting the region鈥檚 economic and workforce needs.
Media Contact:
色盒直播 Community and Technical College
Office of Marketing and Communications
communications@pierpont.edu