AFIT Announces Changes to Executive Committee Leadership

We are pleased to announce two changes to our Executive Committee, marking both a meaningful leadership transition and the continued strength of our national community of innovators. 

With the upcoming retirement of Roger Stanford, president of Western Technical College in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and the retirement of Cid Yousefi, CEO of Campus Ivy (now Portico), from AFIT’s Executive Committee, two new leaders will join the committee: Todd Hernandez, president of Northwest State Community College in Archbold, Ohio, and Mordecai Brownlee, president of the Community College of Aurora in Aurora, Colorado. 

Roger joined the Executive Committee in 2021 and currently serves as president, a role he will continue to hold until his retirement in August. Cid has served as an at-large member since 2025. Together, their leadership has helped guide AFIT through a period of growth, focus, and increased national visibility. 

“Roger and Cid have helped shape AFIT into what it is today,” says Erika Liodice, AFIT’s executive director. “Their visionary leadership has propelled us forward on our three ambitious moonshots while strengthening the connections that make this community so powerful. We’re incredibly grateful for the role they’ve played in this chapter of our journey.” 

Dr. Todd Hernandez serves as president of Northwest State Community College, where he has held multiple leadership roles since joining the institution in 2010, including Chief Information Officer, Vice President for Innovation, and Executive Vice President. A northwest Ohio native, Todd brings a distinctive blend of military, industry, and higher education experience to his leadership, having served as a nuclear-trained Surface Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy and later as a Vice President for Product Development in the private sector. He is deeply committed to strengthening communities and expanding opportunity through education. 

Dr. Mordecai Brownlee serves as president of the Community College of Aurora, where he leads a high-performing, workforce-aligned institution recognized for driving economic mobility and regional impact. Under his leadership, the college has achieved record enrollment, strengthened its financial position, and expanded industry-connected pathways that improve student completion, employment, and wage outcomes. A nationally respected leader and thought contributor, he has authored more than 60 articles on leadership and workforce development and is known for aligning strategy, finance, and academic innovation to position institutions for long-term relevance, resilience, and growth. 

Together, Todd and Mordecai bring fresh perspective, bold leadership, and a deep commitment to innovation at a time when higher education is being called to adapt, evolve, and lead with courage. 

We look forward to the contributions Todd and Mordecai will make as members of the Executive Committee—and to the leadership they will help provide in the months and years ahead.