WINONA, Minn. — A search committee for a new Minnesota State Southeast president has recommended four candidates for on-campus interviews. The finalists include an internal candidate, Amy Maxeiner. She joined the college’s executive staff in November 2024 as chief academic officer. To keep the selection process pristine, the state college system chancellor, Scott Olson placed Deidra Peaslee, president of St. Paul College as search committee chair. Southeast’s president the past five years., Marsha Danielson, is retiring. Her tenure has had rocky moments. She is leaving with a strong headcount enrollment on the Winona and Red Wing campuses combined near 2700. The four finalists:
Joshua Gamer. Currently associate vice president of workforce partnerships and innovation at Western Technical College in La Crosse. Degrees from Minnesota State Southeast, Saint Mary’s of Minnesota, Viterbo, and UW-Stout.
Luca Lewis. Currently interim president at Ventura College in California. Degrees from the University of Idaho. Earlier an associate vice chancellor at West Hills Community College in California. Also a vice president at Whatcom Community College in. Washington.
Amy Maxeiner. Currently vice president of student success at Minnesota State College Southeast. Degrees from Marquette and Northern Illinois. Earlier a vice president for instruction and the chief academic and diversity officer at Black Hawk College in Illinois.
Lester Sandres Rápalo. Currently ambassador for he Organization for Poverty Alleviation and Development and global advisor on sustainable education. Degrees from University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Syracuse, and Nova Southeastern. Earlier president at Rockland Community College in New York.