Gov. Mills nominates candidates to Maine Community College System Board of Trustees

3 years ago

AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Janet Mills has nominated two candidates for appointment to the Maine Community College System Board of Trustees.

 Valerie Laure Bilogue Minkala Epse Tayong of Presque Isle, the governor’s student nominee to the Board of Trustees, is a student pursuing her associate of science in computer & networking technology at Northern Maine Community College. Tayong, originally from Cameroon, has been a U.S. citizen since 2018. She is a mother of four and hopes to be an ambassador to other immigrants throughout Maine by helping them realize their full academic potential while facilitating the importance of cultural diversity in Maine’s higher educational system.

 Kossi Gamedah of Falmouth is the senior vice president of retail operations for Goodwill Northern New England. He previously served as regional director for retail operations for the Dollar General Corporation for Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas.     

The Maine Community College System’s Board of Trustees is the policy-making authority for the system. Under Maine statute, the board consists of 13 appointed voting members, one ex-officio voting member, and one ex-officio non-voting member.  

 The Governor’s nominations are subject to review by the Legislature’s Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs and confirmation of the Maine State Senate.