New Faces Onboard at the Texas Association of Community Colleges
Austin, TX – The Texas Association of Community Colleges (TACC) is pleased to welcome two new directors to the association's leadership team.
Jacob Cottingham will serve as the new Senior Director of Government Relations for TACC. Mr. Cottingham will help develop and implement legislative policy goals and strategies for the association and monitor legislation and regulatory changes relevant to Texas community colleges. In addition, as a key member of TACC's advocacy team, Jacob will build critical relationships between TACC member colleges and policymakers.
"We are very excited to welcome Jacob to the advocacy team at TACC. He brings a strong background in legislative relations, and I am confident his expertise will help our message resonate on Capitol grounds," says Dr. William Serrata, TACC Board Chair and President at El Paso Community College.
Before joining TACC, Jacob Cottingham spent six sessions working in the Texas House of Representatives. Starting as a policy aide and then moving to Legislative Director, he has served as Chief of Staff for the past four years. During his time at the Capitol, he staffed the House Appropriations Committee, focusing on education finance, and the House Higher Education Committee, where he concentrated on affordability and student support policy.
The Community College Association of Texas Trustees (CCATT) and TACC also welcome Nicole Eversmann as the new Director for CCATT, an independent membership organization representing more than 400 elected trustees and regents across the state's 50 public community college districts. Nicole will build trustee and regent capacity through professional development, board engagement, supporting CCATT's leadership and committees, and connecting CCATT members to ongoing legislative issues and strategies coordinated by TACC.
Prior to this role, Nicole served on the Austin Community College District Board of Trustees and CCATT Board of Directors. Her position was designated to represent very large-sized colleges. She also participated in the CCATT Legislative Committee and the Joint Legislative Committee between TACC, CCATT, and TCCTA for the 2021 legislative session. Additionally, Nicole served on the ACC Foundation Board as an Ex-Officio Member, appointed by the ACC Board Chair in August 2019. She was elected Secretary of the ACC Board of Trustees in December 2020.
"Nicole brings both policy and practical experience to her new role as Director of CCATT," says Carol Scott, Board Chair of CCATT and Board Member for Del Mar College. "Her perspective as a former community college trustee will be valuable as she works with CCATT leadership to represent the voice of our members in statewide policy and advocacy work."
"We are very excited to have Nicole Eversmann on the CCATT team as our new director. Her energy and enthusiasm for the association will connect with all our members," says Jay Barrett, CCATT Chair-Elect and Board Member for Amarillo College. "Her background in the community college system as a student, trustee, and former member of CCATT will translate into a speedy transition into her new role and allow CCATT to keep our momentum going."
Both team members officially joined the TACC team on January 25, 2022.