Commission Staff

Dr. Mac Powell serves as President of the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), a federally recognized institutional accreditor overseeing 138 institutions and over 3 million students in California, New York, Arizona, and the Pacific. He was the youngest college president in the United States at the time of his first installation and served as president of three universities, including John F. Kennedy University, where he led the institution’s successful efforts to become a service-learning institution and a federally recognized and funded Hispanic Serving Institution.

Dr. Powell has contributed to the strategic direction of higher education through his service as Chair of the American Council of Education’s Commission on Educational Attainment and Innovation, as a Commissioner on the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Commission, as a graduate of the WASC Assessment Leadership Academy, and as Chair of the Council of Applied Master’s Programs in Psychology.

He currently serves as Vice Chair of The Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions (C-RAC) and on the Council For Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) Committee on Recognition. His most recent scholarship focuses on the value of higher education and the role of accreditation in promoting institutional transformation to serve all students.

Dr. Powell holds bachelor’s degrees in philosophy and sociology, a master’s degree in sociology, and a doctorate in sociology from the University of Missouri, as well as an MBA from National University and a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Antioch University.

With more than two decades of accreditation and community college leadership experience, Kevin Bontenbal possesses a strong commitment to higher education and a dedication to quality education and student success. Before joining the staff, Dr. Bontenbal served as an ACCJC Commissioner from 2015 to 2020 and as a peer reviewer on many external site visits. As the Instructional Technology Librarian/Faculty at Cuesta College, Dr. Bontenbal received the Cuesta Presidential Leadership Award for his role in leading the college from show cause to reaffirmation. He has a strong background in college governance and leadership having served in many roles, including Academic Senate President, Curriculum Chair, Accreditation Co-Chair, and Faculty Professional Development Coordinator. From 2010-2013, he also served on the Executive Committee for the statewide Academic Senate of California Community Colleges. Dr. Bontenbal holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of California, Santa Barbara, a Master of Library Science from Syracuse University, and two bachelor’s degrees in Philosophy and Religious Studies from California State University, Chico.

Kristin Charles brings to ACCJC 30 years of experience in education, spanning both K–12 and community colleges. She is deeply committed to accreditation, amplifying student voices, and continuous improvement. Ms. Charles is a steadfast advocate for participatory governance and continues to play a key role in strengthening collaborative decision-making processes at City College of San Francisco. For the past decade, she has served as CCSF’s Associate Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement and Effectiveness and Accreditation Liaison Officer, following prior service as Dean of Grants and Resource Development. Ms. Charles holds a B.S. in English and an M.A. in Public Affairs and Policy Analysis from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Adam Karp has over two decades of experience in the California Community Colleges system, including 11 years in administrative roles. He has served as Dean of Institutional Effectiveness and Innovation and as Accreditation Liaison Officer at American River College, where he led strategic planning and governance redesign efforts and chaired multiple accreditation processes. Dr. Karp also served as an instructional dean and as faculty curriculum chair. A tenured professor of Spanish, Dr. Karp combines deep knowledge of accreditation with a longstanding commitment to student learning, achievement, and self-efficacy and to improving student outcomes for all. Dr. Karp holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and a Ph.D. in Spanish, with a specialization in linguistics and language acquisition, from the University of California, Davis.

Melynie Schiel is a seasoned leader in higher education, with almost two decades of community college operational experience marked by a commitment to teaching, faculty leadership, management, and executive service. She has served as Faculty Division Chair, Researcher, Academic Senate President, Curriculum Committee Chair and Dean of Instruction, and most recently as Vice President of Academic Services and ALO at Copper Mountain Community College District where she led and engaged in multiple local accreditation activities. She was instrumental in promoting equity-minded practices in instructional services and through cross-campus collaboration. Outside of Copper Mountain College, she served in the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges and the Inland Empire Desert Regional Consortium Executive Council and brings to ACCJC private sector experience in insurance, risk management, managerial accounting, and financial planning and analysis. Ms. Schiel holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration and Economics from CSU Chico and an M.A. in Economics from CSU Long Beach.

With more than 25 years of higher education experience, Nickawanna Shaw is dedicated to expanding equitable access to higher education for all students. She has held numerous faculty and administrative leadership positions, including 16 years as classroom faculty in Kinesiology. She served 15 years in the local Academic Senate, eight as President and other executive leadership roles, and two additional years as Curriculum Chair. In her last faculty leadership role, she served as co-chair of a college-wide DEI Gap analysis effort. Prior to joining the ACCJC staff, Ms. Shaw was dean of Language Arts and Library at Citrus College. She also served as an ACCJC Commissioner from 2021 to 2024. Ms. Shaw holds a B.A. in Composition and Performance Studies in the Fine Arts from Mount Holyoke College, an M.S. in Exercise and Sports Studies from Smith College, and has completed post-graduate coursework in Andragogy at Temple University, Human Resource Development and Multicultural Counseling at Teacher’s College, and Online Teaching and Learning from California State University, East Bay.

Caroline Smith has nearly 14 years of experience in county government serving the public and local community. During her tenure in government services, she has cultivated strong analytical and organizational management skills that have greatly assisted business and operations across all divisions of the departments she served. Combined with strong written and verbal communication skills, she became an ‘excellent translator’, helping to document and articulate business needs to the department, executive management, vendors, and partners, in addition to continuous research and development. Caroline brings to ACCJC both public and private sector experience in project management, cross functional collaboration, planning, analysis, and reporting. Caroline holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice Administration with a minor in Psychology from San Jose State University and a Master’s in Public Administration from Golden Gate University.