MORRIS COUNTY — Two vice presidents at County College of Morris (CCM) have been selected for the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Excellence Award in recognition of their leadership skills and commitment to the mission of community colleges.
Recognized for their excellence are Dr. Bette Simmons, of Morristown, vice president of Student Development and Enrollment Management; and Karen VanDerhoof, of Hackettstown, vice president of Business and Finance.
“Bette and Karen are outstanding leaders who have been instrumental in the ongoing success of CCM and its students, and in shaping how community colleges can best meet their mission,” said Dr. Anthony J. Iacono, president of CCM. “CCM has benefited greatly from the talent and contributions of these two vice presidents and it gives us great pride to have them recognized in this manner.”
Simmons joined CCM in 1980 when she became the assistant to the dean of students. From there, she steadily advanced professionally holding such positions as assistant to the president and dean of student development. Simmons was appointed vice president of Student Development and Enrollment Management in 2006. Currently, she also is serving as interim vice president of Academic Affairs.
Active in the Morris County community, Simmons is involved with Preschool Advantage, the Morris County Human Relations Commission, the Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey, the Alliance for Morris County Parks, Leadership Morris and the Morris County Sexual Assault Advisory Board.
She has sat on the board – nationally and regionally – of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) for more than 20 years and currently serves as chair of the NASPA Foundation Board. Simmons also is a member of the National Council for Student Development, the National Council of Black American Affairs and the New Jersey Student Affairs Affinity Group. She also serves as a college evaluator for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Simmons is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions, including the 2018 Woman of the Year from the Zonta Club of Morristown Area, Morristown Neighborhood House Distinguished Volunteer Award, Morris County Phenomenal Woman of the Year Award, the Patricia C. Donohue Leadership Award from the Mercer County Community College Chapter of the American Association for Women in Community Colleges, the Thiel College Distinguished Alumni Award and is a NASPA Pillar of the Profession.
Simmons earned her Doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Seton Hall University, her Master’s in Counseling from Montclair State University and her Bachelor’s in Spanish and French from Thiel College.
VanDerhoof was appointed vice president of Business and Finance at CCM in 2005. She first joined the college in 1992 as director of Budget and Business Services and then served as controller.
Under her leadership, the Accounting department at CCM for the past 16 years has been awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada for its comprehensive annual financial report. The certificate is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting and represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.
VanDerhoof actively serves on the board of TransOptions. She is a past board member and treasurer for the Eastern Association of College and University Business Officers. Currently, she is a member of the National Association of College and University Business Officers, Eastern Association of College and University Business Officers and the New Jersey Community College Business Officers Association. She also serves as a college evaluator for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Included among her recognitions, VanDerhoof is the recipient of the Patricia C. Donohue Leadership Award from the Mercer County Community College Chapter of the American Association for Women in Community Colleges and the Distinguished Business Officer Award from the National Association of College and University Business Officers.
A CPA, she holds a Master of Taxation degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Centenary College.
Simmons and VanDerhoof will be recognized during NISOD’s annual International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence, May 25-28, in Austin, Texas.
NISOD is dedicated to the professional development of faculty, administrators and staff and to the continued improvement of teaching and learning. More than 700 community colleges around the world are NISOD members.
