Following national searches, Maricopa Community Colleges is pleased to announce that Dennis Curran has been selected as the Vice Chancellor of Business Services and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), and Jerry Sheehan will serve as the Vice Chancellor and Chief Information Officer (CIO).
“With numerous systemwide efforts currently underway, I am pleased to welcome Mr. Curran and Mr. Sheehan to our system,” shared Lee Ann Bohn, Maricopa Community Colleges Chief Operating Officer. “Both are accomplished leaders with a demonstrated history of success in their respective areas. Their knowledge and experience will help strengthen our system’s financial and IT operations.”
Dennis Curran Named as Vice Chancellor of Business Services and CFO
With more than 10 years of executive experience in higher education, Mr. Curran joins Maricopa Community Colleges from Allan Hancock College in California, where he served as the Associate Superintendent/Vice President of Finance and Administration. In this role, he oversaw business services, facilities, public safety, and auxiliary operations, and managed operational and capital budgets.
“This is an amazing opportunity to be a part of an organization that has a long history of focusing on student success,” said Mr. Curran. “I'm looking forward to working with the team to improve and upgrade systems while continuing to provide excellent service to the Maricopa District and its ten colleges.”
Prior to his role at Allan Hancock College, Mr. Curran held executive positions at Bellevue College and Edmonds College, where he led large operational divisions and supported comprehensive administrative and human resources functions. He also served 24 years in the United States Air Force, retiring as a Colonel, with extensive experience leading large teams, managing complex budgets, and overseeing global operations. Mr. Curran holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from St. Mary’s College of California, a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from St. Mary’s University of San Antonio, and a Master of Business Administration from the Naval Postgraduate School.
He succeeded Kimberly Brainard Granio, who retired after 29 years of service with the system. Mr. Curran began the position on May 18, 2026.
Jerry Sheehan Selected as Vice Chancellor and CIO
Mr. Sheehan brings more than 30 years of executive leadership experience in higher education technology, most recently serving as CIO at the Salk Institute of Biological Studies. Throughout his career, he has focused on leveraging technology to improve student success, strengthen institutional effectiveness, and support workforce development.
“Maricopa Community College has a long history of creating opportunities for students and strengthening the communities it serves,” said Mr. Sheehan. “I’m excited to join the district, spend time listening and learning, and build partnerships across our colleges. Together, we’ll continue strengthening the technology foundation that supports student success, empowers our faculty and staff, and enables our colleges to serve students even more effectively.”
Additional leadership experience includes serving as Vice President of Information Technology and CIO at San Diego State University. In this role, he led major initiatives in student systems modernization, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. His accomplishments included replacing a decades-old student information system and leading an award-winning partnership with Haiku that gamified cybersecurity training, creating workforce development opportunities for students. He also served as Vice President and CIO at Montana State University, where he implemented co-curricular engagement technologies to support retention and student success, upgraded campus networks, and consolidated email systems. Additionally, Mr. Sheehan has held senior-level positions at the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology, Purdue University, and the National Center for Supercomputing Applications. Mr. Sheehan is a first-generation college student and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Political Science from Eastern Illinois University, and has completed the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard University.
Mr. Sheehan will begin the new role on August 3, 2026.
Learn more about Maricopa Community Colleges’ esteemed leaders here.