The Yuba Community College District Board of Trustees has approved Karissa Marino Morehouse as the Interim President for Yuba College, effective July 1, 2026. The decision was made at the Board’s June 2026 meeting, according to the public record. Morehouse will take the helm at the Marysville campus, bringing with her two decades of experience in higher education leadership.
Morehouse has served as Yuba College’s Vice President of Student Services for the past two years. In that role, she oversaw critical student support functions, including enrollment, financial aid, counseling, TRiO programs, veteran services, and community outreach. Her extensive background also includes experience as a Vice President of Instruction and Assistant Superintendent within the higher education system. This broad experience across leadership roles in California community colleges is cited as a factor in her selection, positioning her to provide stability and strong leadership during the interim period.
A key focus for Morehouse has been supporting student veterans. In previous leadership positions, she developed accelerated educational pathways specifically designed for student veterans, aimed at making education more accessible and helping them achieve their academic goals. She intends to apply this valuable experience directly to Yuba College’s Veteran Resource Center, with the goal of strengthening services, expanding educational opportunities, and providing comprehensive support to veterans throughout their college journeys.
Beyond her work within higher education, Morehouse has deep roots in the community. She has been a resident of rural Northern California for over 20 years and actively participates in local agencies. Her community involvement includes serving on the Harmony Health Board of Directors and collaborating closely with public health departments in both Sutter and Yuba counties to enhance access to high-quality medical services across the region.
Morehouse’s personal connection to the community college system also shapes her approach. Having been a community college student herself, she states, “Community college is where I realized that I belonged as a college student.” This personal journey, where she discovered her major and received crucial support from faculty and classified professionals, gave her the confidence to pursue bachelor's and master's degrees. She underscores her mission to be involved in the community, recognizing the important connection between Yuba College, its students, and the communities it serves throughout the wider Yuba-Sutter area.
As Interim President, Morehouse’s primary responsibility will be to support the implementation of Yuba College’s Educational Master Plan. This plan is designed to improve student persistence, retention, and completion rates, assisting students in staying enrolled and successfully completing their degrees or certificates. She has emphasized that guiding this work will require extensive listening to both the campus community and the surrounding region. Her leadership aims to ensure Yuba College continues to adapt, with Morehouse stating that "Listening to our campus and community is essential to ensure Yuba College continues to be an institution of the future, not a relic of the past."
