Accreditation Peer Review Team
Dr. Dyrell Foster, Team Chair
President
Las Positas College
As President of Las Positas College, Dr. Foster is committed to providing strong leadership with a high degree of integrity, passion, and commitment to fully serving students in a growing and supportive community. Dr. Foster is passionate about cultivating effective partnerships and promoting innovative approaches to enhancing equitable student success outcomes for the students at Las Positas College and building the workforce and talent pipeline in the Tri-Valley region of the Bay Area. Previously, Dr. Foster served as the Vice President of Student Services at Moreno Valley College; Dean of Student Affairs at Rio Hondo College; Associate Dean of Counseling and Director of Student Life at Mt. San Antonio College; Director of Student Life at Evergreen Valley College; and Activities Coordinator at San Jose State University. In addition, Dr. Foster has served as a part-time lecturer in the College of Education at both, California State University, Long Beach and California State University, Fullerton. Being the first in his family to attend college, Dr. Foster received his Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Southern California, his Master of Science in Counseling: Student Development in Higher Education from California State University, Long Beach, and his Bachelor of Science in Applied Behavioral Science from the University of California, Davis.
Dr. Oscar Cobian, Vice Chair
Vice President, Student Development
Oxnard College
Dr. Oscar Cobian currently serves as the Vice President of Student Development at Oxnard College. He holds a master’s degree in Counseling and Guidance from California Lutheran University and an Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Southern California. Dr. Cobian began his career in community colleges as a part-time counselor at Oxnard College from 2001 to 2003. In May 2022, Dr. Cobian was appointed Interim President of Oxnard College, a role he held until July 2024 during a leadership transition at the college. During his tenure, he successfully led the college through its reaffirmation of accreditation in the fall of 2023, oversaw the expansion of two new bachelor’s degree programs in Dental Hygiene, and secured initial approval for a program in Applied Advocacy and Community Organizing. Dr. Cobian has over 25 years of experience in higher education, including eight years as a community college administrator in the Los Angeles Community College District, where he served as Dean of Student Services and Vice President of Student Services. His areas of expertise include student success initiatives, student engagement, program development, participatory governance, grant writing, and the management of federally funded programs. He is also dedicated to capacity building for Hispanic-Serving Institutions to better serve Latinx students and other diverse student populations.
Dr. Laura Murphy
Professor, Biology
San Diego Miramar College
Dr. Laura Murphy has been a professor at San Diego Miramar College for nearly 20 years, teaching primarily in the field of Microbiology and non-majors General Biology. In 1999, she obtained her Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology from UCSD and continued her research career as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) in 2000. While conducting research, she began to realize her love for teaching, seeking out adjunct instructor positions at UCSD, USD, and ultimately in the California Community College system at Mira Costa College, prior to obtaining a full-time position at Miramar College in 2005. Since that time, she has also cultivated interest in other aspects of the community college world, and has actively sought out leadership roles in instructional program development, governance and accreditation, including serving as Outcomes and Assessment Facilitator, Chair of Instructional Program Review and SLO Assessment Committee, Faculty Chair and Editor for Accreditation, and Academic Senate President.
Dr. Tenisha James
Vice President, Planning & Development
Norco College
Dr. Tenisha James is an educational administrator with nearly 20 years of experience in higher education and extensive expertise in strategic planning, institutional effectiveness, and student equity and achievement. As Vice President of Planning & Development at Norco College, she oversees Guided Pathways, equity and anti-racism efforts, and comprehensive student support systems. She also serves as the college’s Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO), leading the development and submission of key accreditation reports, including the 2024 ACCJC Midterm Report. Dr. James’s leadership has driven successful initiatives in student equity, governance, and continuous improvement, helping to align strategic goals with data-driven outcomes. Previous accreditation experience includes writing support and evidence for Standard 2 as a Dean of Student Services, while her current position in Planning & Development has broadened her expertise in Institutional Mission and Effectiveness (Standard 1) and Governance and Decision-Making (Standard 4). Dr. James holds a Doctorate in Education Leadership from Pepperdine University, a master's in education counseling from California State University, Dominguez Hills, and a bachelor's in psychology & social Behavior from the University of California, Irvine.
Dr. Frank Kobayashi
Vice President of Instruction
American River College
Dr. Frank Kobayashi currently serves as the Associate Vice Chancellor for the Los Rios Community College District. The Associate Vice Chancellor of Instruction is responsible for supporting the four Los Rios colleges’ instructional programs and leading the District’s Workforce and Economic Development Center, ensuring adherence to Federal and State regulations and guidelines and District Board Policies and Regulations. Prior to his service as Associate Vice Chancellor, Dr. Kobayashi served as the Vice President of Instruction at American River College. From December 2022 to July 2023, Dr. Kobayashi served as the Interim President of American River College. As the Interim President, he led the reorganization of the College to align with the institution’s Guided Pathways efforts. Prior to serving as Vice President of Instruction, Dr. Kobayashi served American River College as its Associate Vice President of Workforce Development and Dean of the Natomas Education Center. He has also served as Dean of Career Education and Workforce Development at West Valley College. Dr. Kobayashi is a proud product of a community college, having graduated from Santa Rosa Junior College with an AA in Business and AS in Child Development. He has a Bachelor’s in Science in Human Development from the University of California, Davis and a Master’s in Education Policy and Evaluation from Stanford University. Kobayashi earned his doctorate in Education Leadership (Ed.D.) from the University of California, Davis.
