Maria Villagomez Named 2021 Administrative/Confidential Employee of the Year
The Administrative Senate of Napa Valley College has announced Maria Villagomez, senior dean, language arts and developmental studies, library and social sciences, has been selected by her peers as the 2020-21 Administrative/Confidential Employee of the Year. She will be formally recognized at the May 13, 2021 Board of Trustees Meeting.
Villagomez, who is very respected and esteemed by her colleagues, received many nominations from colleagues across campus for her tireless work to ensure that the transition to distance education at the onset of the pandemic was implemented as smoothly as possible. She and the Distance Education team established trainings, programs and processes to ensure that faculty and students were able to continue their courses when the college was faced with moving from a class schedule that was 30 percent online to 100 person online, with little to no warning. No small task, indeed!
Joining NVC in 2000, Senior Dean Villagomez has worked at NVC over 20 years, always putting the best interest of staff, faculty and students into every decision she makes. With style and commitment, she has held many roles at the college, teacher, dean and administrator.
Villagomez currently oversees two divisions, Language Arts and Developmental Studies (LADS) and Social Science (SS), the library and Distance Education. Christine Pruitt, English faculty, says, “This work is typically done by four separate deans at other colleges, yet somehow, Maria manages it all with grace and finesse.”
Dalila Hernández-Ramírez, Spanish instructor, says “During her years at NVC she has demonstrated inclusivity, responsibility, integrity and honesty whether in the classroom or as an administrator.”
Diego Fernandez, LADS faculty, says, “I am proud to call her my colleague and am grateful to work alongside her.”
Congratulations!