MHEC is governed by a 60-member commission. Each member state has five appointed commissioners: the governor or the governor's designee; two legislators, one from each house; and two other at-large members, at least one of whom shall be selected from the field of higher education.
Executive Officers:
Chair: Mike Duffey (OH); Vice Chair: Katie Stuart (IL); and Treasurer: Tim Mihalick (ND); Past Chair: Barbara Ballard (KS)
Illinois Commissioners
Maureen Banks
Illinois Community College Board
Board Member
Term: 3/24/2023 to 3/24/2027
Michael Halpin
Illinois General Assembly
State Senator; Co-chair, Higher Education Committee
Term: 3/21/2023 to 1/2/2025
Pranav Kothari
Illinois Board of Higher Education
Board Chair
Term: 3/15/2023 to 1/1/2027
Katie Stuart
Illinois General Assembly
State Representative; Chair, Higher Education Committee
Term: 1/25/2023 to 1/2/2025
Indiana Commissioners
Bob Behning
Indiana General Assembly
State Representative; Chair, Education Committee
Term: 7/1/2024 to 6/30/2026
Spencer Deery
Indiana General Assembly
State Senator; Majority Member, Education and Career Development Committee
Term: 2/23/2024 to 6/30/2025
Charles Johnson
Vincennes University
President
Term: 9/9/2024 to 6/30/2025
Dottie King
Independent Colleges of Indiana
President and CEO
Term: 4/12/2024 to 2/28/2028
Ken Sauer
Indiana Commission for Higher Education
Senior Advisor to the Commissioner
Term: 3/27/2017 to Serves At the Pleasure of the Governor; Indiana Governor's Designee
Iowa Commissioners
Jacob Bossman
Iowa Legislature
State Representative; Member, Appropriations Committee
Term: 5/3/2023 to 1/12/2025
Joanna Hofer
Iowa Association of Community College Trustees
Past Board Chair
Term: 7/1/2023 to 7/1/2025
Olivia M.A. Madison
Term: 5/1/2023 to 4/30/2025, Serves At the Pleasure of the Governor; Iowa Governor's Designee
Greta Rouse
Iowa Board of Regents
President Pro Tem
Term: 5/11/2023 to 4/30/2027
Cindy Winckler
Iowa Legislature
State Senator; Ranking Member, Education Appropriations Subcommittee
Term: 2/10/2023 to 1/12/2025
Iowa Commissioner Alternates
Andrew J. Baumert
Iowa Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
Vice President for Marketing and Outreach
Term: 2/13/2020 to 1/1/2024
Timothy Fitzgibbon
Term: 5/1/2023 to 4/30/2025, Serves at the Pleasure of the Governor; Iowa Governor's Designee
David Ford
Iowa College Aid - Iowa Department of Education
Bureau Chief
Term: 3/28/2024 to 7/1/2025
Jeff Taylor
Iowa Legislature
State Senator; Chair, Education Appropriations Subcommittee
Term: 1/22/2023 to 1/12/2025
Kansas Commissioners
Barbara W. Ballard
Kansas Legislature
State Representative; Minority Caucus Chair
Term: 7/1/2023 to 6/30/2025
Blake Flanders
Kansas Board of Regents
President and CEO
Term: 9/15/2022 to 6/30/2026
Aaron A. Otto
Term: 7/5/2019 to Serves at the Pleasure of the Governor; Kansas Governor's Designee
Wint Winter
Kansas Board of Regents
Board Member
Term: 9/20/2023 to 6/30/2026
Kansas Commissioner Alternates
Marci Francisco
Kansas Legislature
State Senator
Term: 7/1/2023 to 6/30/2025
Ken Rahjes
Kansas Legislature
State Representative; Member, House Committee on Higher Education Budget
Term: 7/1/2023 to 6/30/2025
Michigan Commissioners
Carol Glanville
Michigan Legislature
State Representative; Chair, Higher Education Committee
Term: 1/1/2023 to 12/31/2024
Daniel J. Hurley
Michigan Association of State Universities
Chief Executive Officer
Term: 5/9/2024 to 3/18/2025
Brandy M. Johnson
Michigan Community College Association
President
Term: 5/9/2024 to 3/18/2027
Sean McCann
Michigan Legislature
State Senator; Chair, Universities and Community Colleges Appropriations Subcommittee
Term: 4/10/2023 to 1/8/2025
Emma Young
State of Michigan
Policy Analyst to the Governor
Term: 5/9/2024; Serves at the Pleasure of the Governor; Michigan Governor's Designee
Michigan Commissioner Alternates
Minnesota Commissioners
Rachel Croson
University of Minnesota
Executive Vice President and Provost
Term: 9/1/2023 to 1/6/2025
Omar Fateh
Minnesota Legislature
State Senator; Chair, Higher Education Committee
2/10/2023 to 1/7/2025
Dennis Olson
Minnesota Office of Higher Education
Commissioner
Term: 2/17/2023 to 1/4/2027; Serves at the Pleasure of the Governor; Minnesota Governor's Designee
Scott Olson
Minnesota State
Chancellor
Term: 9/1/2023 to 1/6/2025
Minnesota Commissioner Alternates
Paul Cerkvenik
Minnesota Private College Council
President
Term: 12/8/2014
Missouri Commissioners
Brad Christ
Missouri General Assembly
State Representative; Member, Budget Committee
Term: 7/23/2024 to 7/1/2026
Samantha Dickey
Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development
Assistant Commissioner for Postsecondary Policy
Term: 7/17/2023 to Serves At Pleasure of the Governor; Missouri Governor's Designee
David Pearce
University of Central Missouri
Executive Director for Government Relations
Term: 10/5/2022 to 1/1/2026
Susan Thomas
Truman State University
President
Term: 6/3/2019 to 1/1/2021
Curtis Trent
Missouri General Assembly
State Senator; Chair, Education and Workforce Development
Term: 5/6/2024 to 12/31/2024
Nebraska Commissioners
Matthew Blomstedt
University of Nebraska System
Associate Vice President for Government Relations
Term: 10/3/2024 to 1/1/2027
John Cavanaugh
Nebraska Legislature
State Senator
Term: 1/16/2025 to 1/1/2027
Deborah A. Frison
Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
Commission Member
Term: 1/2/2023 to 1/1/2027
Jana Hughes
Nebraska Legislature
Senator; Member, Education Committee
Term: 1/16/2025 to 1/1/2027
Grant Latimer
State of Nebraska
Policy Advisor to Governor Jim Pillen
Term: 10/16/2023 to At the Pleasure of the Governor; Nebraska Governor's Designee
Nebraska Commissioner Alternate
Michael Baumgartner
Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
Executive Director
Term: 9/3/2014
Paul Turman
Nebraska State College System
Chancellor
Term: 4/23/2024 to 7/1/2028
North Dakota Commissioners
Kyle Davison
North Dakota Legislative Assembly
State Senator, Member, Appropriations Committee
Term: 8/1/2023 to 7/23/2025
Tim Flakoll
Term: 12/15/2016 to Serves At the Pleasure of the Governor; North Dakota Governor's Designee
Mark Hagerott
North Dakota University System
Chancellor
Term: 7/1/2023 to 6/30/2027
Timothy Mihalick
State Board of Higher Education
President
Term: 7/1/2021 to 6/30/2025
Brandy Pyle
North Dakota Legislative Assembly
State Representative; Member, Appropriations Committee
Term: 8/1/2023 to 7/31/2025
Ohio Commissioners
Gary Cates
Ohio Department of Higher Education
Senior Vice Chancellor
Term: 1/9/2023 to 1/8/2027
Jerry Cirino
Ohio Legislature
State Senator; Chair, Senate Workforce & Higher Education Committee
Term: 1/17/2023 to 12/31/2024
Mike Duffey
Ohio Department of Higher Education
Chancellor
Term: 1/29/2021, Serves At the Pleasure of the Governor; Ohio Governor's Designee
Tom Young
Ohio Legislature
State Representative; Chair, Higher Education Committee
Term: 2/28/2023 to 1/1/2025
South Dakota Commissioners
Michael Cartney
Lake Area Technical College
President Emeritus
Term: 1/3/2021 to 12/31/2024
Steve Kolbeck
South Dakota Legislature
State Senator; Vice Chair, Senate Education Committee
Term: 3/27/2023 to 12/31/2024
Nathan Lukkes
South Dakota Board of Regents
Executive Director and CEO
Term: 7/1/2022 to 6/30/2026
Larry J. Tidemann
1/11/2019, Serves At the Pleasure of the Governor; South Dakota Governor's Designee
South Dakota Commissioner Alternates
Erin Healy
South Dakota Legislature
State Representative; Assistant Minority Leader
Term: 3/27/2023 to 12/31/2024
Wisconsin Commissioners
Eric Fulcomer
Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
President
Term: 7/1/2023 to 7/1/2027
David Murphy
Wisconsin State Legislature
State Representative; Chair, Committee on Colleges and Universities
Term: 4/17/2024 to 6/30/2025
Julie Underwood
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Professor Emeritus
Term 4/2/2019, Serves at the Pleasure of the Governor; Wisconsin Governor's Designee
Wisconsin Commissioner Alternates
Layla Merrifield
Wisconsin Technical College System
President
Term: 9/17/2024 to 8/31/2028
Christopher Patton
University of Wisconsin System
Interim Vice President for University Relations
Term: 9/9/2024 to 8/31/2028
