Oakton College Leaders Selected as Fellows in AAC&U's Leadership Academy

Des Plaines, Ill. (March 17, 2026) –  Three Oakton College leaders have been selected as 2026 fellows in the American Association of Colleges and Universities’ (AAC&U) New Leadership Academy (NLA). The nationally recognized program prepares higher education leaders to lead through change and advance student success. 

Kanchana Mendes, dean of curriculum, instruction and assessment; Jim Rabchuk, dean of STEM; and Esperanza Salgado-Rodriguez, manager of TRIO Student Support Services, are among 56 higher education leaders nationwide selected for the 2026 cohort, representing 46 institutions.

“Oakton is proud to see Oakton leaders recognized among a distinguished national cohort of higher education leaders,” said Joianne L. Smith, Ph.D., president of Oakton College. “Their selection reflects both their individual leadership excellence and Oakton’s ongoing commitment to professional development and student success.”

Kanchana Mendes joined Oakton in 2015 as an Anatomy and Physiology instructor and later served as coordinator of the Anatomy and Physiology program and co-chair of the Biology Department. In her current role, she oversees academic programs and curriculum, supports pedagogy and faculty development, and ensures courses and assessments meet accreditation and student-success standards. Mendes holds a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics from Oklahoma State University and has extensive experience supporting faculty, strengthening curriculum and promoting student success.

Jim Rabchuk has served as Oakton’s dean of STEM since 2023. Prior to joining Oakton, he was a professor of Physics and assistant dean in the College of Arts and Sciences at Western Illinois University. Rabchuk earned a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Illinois Chicago and currently serves as principal investigator on a National Science Foundation grant supporting leadership and equity initiatives in STEM at Oakton.

Esperanza “Espy” Salgado-Rodriguez has played a key role in developing TRIO Student Support Services at Oakton, a federally funded program that provides academic support and resources for first-generation college students, students from low-income backgrounds and students with disabilities. She also launched the College’s annual First-Generation College Student Week in 2019. Salgado-Rodriguez holds a master’s degree in Higher Education from Loyola University Chicago and bachelor’s degrees in cultural anthropology and Spanish from Northwestern University.

Now in its eleventh year, the NLA  Fellows Program is a cohort-based, hybrid leadership development experience designed to prepare leaders to navigate the evolving challenges facing higher education. Grounded in scholarship and focused on transforming leaders, leadership and leadership development, the program equips fellows with the knowledge and tools needed to lead with integrity and effectiveness.

Since its inception in 2015, the NLA Fellows Program has engaged more than 280 alums representing nearly 150 institutions and organizations, fostering a national network of leaders dedicated to principled, informed and collaborative leadership. Oakton’s Sebastian Contreras, Jr., Ed.D., assistant vice president for Student Affairs and dean of Student Success; Leana Cuellar, Ph.D., dean of Access, Equity and Diversity; and Thomas Hicks, Jr., director of Student Success and Academic Interventions, participated in past cohorts. 

The AAC&U is a global membership organization dedicated to advancing the democratic purposes of higher education by promoting equity, innovation and excellence in liberal education. Through programs and events, publications and research, public advocacy, and campus-based projects, AAC&U serves as a catalyst and facilitator of innovations that improve educational quality and equity and support the success of all students.

Since its founding in 1969, Oakton’s mission has been to empower and transform students in the diverse communities the College serves. To learn more about Oakton, visit the College’s Home page.