Long-time educator, administrator and community leader, Edward D. Callaghan of Royal Oak was welcomed as a newly-elected trustee, while new officers were elected at the first Oakland Community College (OCC) Board of Trustees meeting of 2023.
Dr. Callaghan is currently an adjunct professor at Walsh College. He has an extensive background at OCC, including serving as president of OCC’s Orchard Ridge campus and vice chancellor for Human Resources and College Communications. In addition, he was a full-time faculty member at the College for 10 years.
“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Callaghan to the OCC Board. His extensive community and academic leadership will be a valued addition to the Board of Trustees,” said OCC Chancellor Peter Provenzano.
“I am committed to empowering OCC students to succeed in today's and tomorrow’s jobs,” Callaghan said.
In addition to his OCC experience, he served as Chair of the Michigan Employment Relations Commission for nearly 10 years. He negotiated labor contracts for more than 30 years for public employers, including the Dearborn Public Schools, Wayne County Community College, Henry Ford Community College and OCC. Callaghan currently serves as an Act 312 arbitrator for police and fire municipal disputes and as a fact finder for governmental units in Michigan on behalf of the Michigan Employment Relations Commission.
Officers Elected
Pamela Jackson of Commerce Township was re-elected as chair of OCC’s Board of Trustees by her fellow board members. Kathleen Bertolini of Clarkston was elected as vice chair; Susan Gibson of Lake Orion, secretary; and Shirley Bryant of Farmington Hills, treasurer. The elections are for two-year terms for each office.
Jackson, a trustee since 2016, is a retired OCC faculty member and owner/consultant of Fresh Perspectives, specializing in construction, historic restoration, renovations and prison education.
Bertolini is a retired middle school teacher and is currently a Workday Change Management lead at Accenture, working in the Government and Education spaces. She has served as a trustee since 2016.
Gibson was elected to the board in 2020 and is the regional director of client services and business development for Rehmann.
Bryant is a retired executive director of community relations for the Birmingham Public Schools and was elected in 2008.
Other board members continuing as trustees are:
Pamala Davis of Clawson, a retired code enforcement officer for the City of Royal Oak and a trustee since 1994; and Christine O’Sullivan of Madison Heights, a business manager with O’Sullivan Moving & Storage Company, who has been a trustee since 2012.
The seven members of the OCC board of trustees are elected on a nonpartisan basis by voters living within the college district, an area that generally coincides with the boundaries of Oakland County. Trustees serve as volunteers and are not paid for their services.
For additional information on the board visit oaklandcc.edu/about/board-of-trustees.
About OCC
Oakland Community College offers nearly 100 degrees and certificates programs with the resources students need to be successful and advance our community. As a top transfer institution, OCC offers one of the state’s most affordable tuition rates and flexibility in scheduling with face-to-face and online options. The College is nationally recognized for its high-demand career training with expert faculty in their fields. More than 1 million students have enrolled in the College since it opened in 1965. Learn more at oaklandcc.edu.
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