President named at Cuyamaca College

The Grossmont-Cuyamaca College District has announced it has hired Julianna Barnes, vice president of student services at Mesa College, as the new president of Cuyamaca College.

Barnes, who will start her new job Oct. 5, had worked for three years at Cuyamaca College as vice president of student services before being hired by the San Diego Community College District in February 2013 to work at Mesa College.

“The people at Cuyamaca College have a unique combination of heart and innovation,” Barnes said in a news release Monday. “The faculty and staff at Cuyamaca are student-centered, and they love what they do. I’m looking forward to building on the partnerships that Cuyamaca College already has with the community, industry and other educators.”

Barnes was selected following a nationwide search, and was one of three finalists invited to participate in public forums at the Rancho San Diego campus. District Chancellor Cindy Miles said Barnes’ passion and leadership skills stood out in her qualifications to lead Cuyamaca College, which has about 9,000 students.

“I’m delighted to have Dr. Barnes back in our district,” Miles said. “She has amazing enthusiasm for helping students succeed and for collaborating with faculty and staff to ensure that students get the best education possible. In addition to her competence and creativity, she has the perfect blend of head and heart.”

Barnes lives in San Diego with her husband, Bret Barnes, and their two children, Angelina, 17, and Natalie, 11. She has many family members in the area, including her brother, Ronald Ballesteros-Perez, who is vice president of administrative services at Palomar College.

She previously worked 11 years as dean of student development and matriculation at San Diego City College and as dean of student affairs and matriculation at San Diego Miramar College. Before that, she had worked in a variety of student affairs programs at the University of California, San Diego.

Barnes trained for several years in martial arts with a sensei at UC San Diego and holds a black belt in karate.

Bill Garrett, president of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Governing Board, also praised Barnes’ professionalism and innovative thinking.

“Julie Barnes is the perfect fit for Cuyamaca College,” Garrett said. “She knows the community, our students, and our faculty and staff. I know she will be a terrific representative for Cuyamaca College, both locally and statewide.”

At Mesa College, Barnes has been responsible for leading a division within the college that includes a wide range of key student services functions. She is also responsible for leading the college’s accreditation efforts, is heavily engaged with integrated planning, and provides leadership for the institutional student success and equity efforts.

During her tenure at the college, she secured a $2.7 million federal grant to improve outcomes for students, particularly first-generation Latino students. She also worked to improve student success and equity by enhancing a program to assist first-year students, and led efforts to implement student success programs.

Barnes served in a similar position at Cuyamaca College from November 2010 until she took the job at San Diego Mesa College.

While at Cuyamaca College, she led the effort to have the college established as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, making it eligible for federal grants. She also spearheaded the establishment of the college’s Veteran’s Resource Center, which provides assistance and networking opportunities for student veterans.

Barnes was involved in efforts to strengthen the college’s planning process, and led efforts to carry out the state’s Student Success Initiative.

Born and raised in San Diego, Barnes and her two siblings were raised by a single mother who dropped out of high school. She was the first in her immediate and extended family to attend college.

Barnes applied and was accepted to the UC San Diego, where she received her bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in teacher education. She then earned her master’s degree in education with an emphasis on multicultural counseling from San Diego State University’s Community Based Block Program. She earned a doctorate in educational leadership with a community college specialization from SDSU.