Experience · Integrity · Responsible Leadership
Dr. KarimaFeldhus
For SOCCCD Trustee • Area 4
Working together for a stronger South Orange County.
A strong voice for students, employees, taxpayers, and the communities we serve.
For SOCCCD Trustee • Area 4
Working together for a stronger South Orange County.
A strong voice for students, employees, taxpayers, and the communities we serve.
Deep firsthand understanding of our colleges, our students, and our communities.
Led credit and noncredit educational programs serving students across the lifespan — from children and traditional college students to adult learners and older adults.
Dean at Irvine Valley College and Executive Dean at Saddleback College — a district-wide perspective and proven leadership.
Managed multi-million-dollar budgets with a focus on accountability and responsible stewardship, secured grant funding, and built partnerships connecting colleges, employers, and community organizations.
Leaders who have worked alongside Dr. Feldhus inside our district.
I heartily endorse Karima Feldhus for Area 4 Trustee. Her experience and knowledge of both Saddleback College and IVC are deep and broad.
She would bring her vast insider experience and knowledge to board discussions and decision-making, ensuring that the colleges continue to be among the best in the country — efficiently, affordably, and always keeping community and students first.
18 August 2026
I worked with Executive Dean Karima Feldhus for 7½ years and attribute much of the growth of our college and the success and satisfaction of our students to her tenure as head of Extended Learning. In that role, Karima oversaw and grew free programs which directly served our community, our beloved Emeritus Institute — enriching the lives and engaging older adults — and Adult Education, providing remunerative careers for English Language Learners and others. Both of these programs are among the biggest and best in the State… thanks to Karima. Each year, thousands of older adults reap the rewards of continuous education without cost… thanks to Karima. Each year, thousands of students train for careers in tuition-free programs… thanks to Karima.
Karima helped Saddleback grow to record enrollment and created innovative programs to better support our community, introducing new, shorter certificates that allowed grads to train for careers in as little as a single semester.
Karima helped thousands of students she supported be successful, propelling Saddleback College to its ranking of #6 in the country based on cost, academic outcomes and career outcomes (WalletHub 2026).
I heartily endorse Karima Feldhus for Area 4 Trustee. Her experience and knowledge of both Saddleback College and IVC are deep and broad. She would bring her vast insider experience and knowledge to board discussions and decision-making, ensuring that the colleges continue to be among the best in the country — efficiently, affordably, and always keeping community and students first.
Dr. Elliot Stern
Retired President, Saddleback College (2019–2026)
I am running for the South Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees because I believe deeply in the power of public education to strengthen lives and communities. After more than 30 years in higher education, including serving as a dean at both Irvine Valley College and Saddleback College, I know our district, our colleges, and the communities we serve.
As Trustee, I will work to:
I will lead with integrity, listen respectfully, support students and employees, protect taxpayer resources, and make thoughtful decisions that preserve the excellence of our colleges.
See Dr. Feldhus’s full professional background on LinkedIn →Short videos on why she’s running, what she’s learned in three decades of service, and what she wants for Area 4.
Proud to Serve at California’s #1 Community College
From First-Generation Student to College Leader
What Golf Has Taught Me About Leadership
Education Should Bring People Together
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Thirty years in public higher education — the record behind the candidacy.
Three decades of leadership at Irvine Valley College and Saddleback College — her full professional history, in her own words.
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Strong Leadership. Stronger Future.
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