Henoc Preciado has been appointed head of staff for Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College following a competitive national search.
“It’s an honor to serve in this role at a time when BSU and NTC are courageously leaning into both challenge and opportunity,” Preciado said. “Every step of my career has been about building something new — whether a program, a center or a strategy — and I’m excited to continue that work here.”
John L. Hoffman, president of Bemidji State and NTC—Bemidji’s Technical College, says Preciado has established a strong foundation of success during his interim appointment and will continue to build on his accomplishments.
“I’ve heard head of staff positions described as the air traffic controllers of a leadership team,” Hoffman said. “Those of us who fly can experience crowded airports and engage with pilots, flight attendants and service agents, but we forget about the air traffic controllers working to enhance communication, facilitate connections and ensure that planes depart, fly and arrive safely and efficiently. That’s the type of work Henoc has done over the past two years for BSU and NTC.
“Throughout his career, every professional role Henoc has held has been an inaugural position — building new programs, shaping systems and helping institutions respond to emerging needs through innovation, collaboration and equity-focused leadership,” Hoffman said. “I am excited to see how he will build on this foundation and expand this role in the future.”
As head of staff, Preciado serves as a strategic partner to the president and a member of the Executive Cabinet. The position extends the capacity of the president and the cabinet, helping ensure that senior leadership’s time, energy and attention remain focused on BSU and NTC’s most significant opportunities and challenges. Preciado coordinates institutional priorities, supports alignment between leadership and daily operations and advances initiatives that serve the institutions’ shared mission. The head of staff also ensures projects stay on schedule, addresses cross-functional challenges, works to improve internal communication and helps teams remain connected and aligned to institutional goals.
Preciado also supports the president as a thought partner, offering candid insights and helping to shape and refine decisions. He fosters unity and collaboration among the Executive Cabinet, brings attention to emerging issues and ensures projects stay on track and mission-focused.
“The head of staff position serves our campuses as a resource and a connector and is here to support our shared success,” Hoffman said. “In this role, Henoc will continue to help BSU and NTC turn ideas into action and ensure that our priorities move forward with clarity, consistency and collaboration.”
Since assuming the interim head of staff role in January 2023, Preciado has led the Office of the President’s external relations efforts and launched the office’s first strategic plan for legislative communications and engagement. In addition to success in hosting legislators and other elected officials on campus — including Minnesota Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan and Congressman Pete Stauber — Preciado has empowered campus stakeholders with tools and strategies to strengthen advocacy.
He also has provided strategic direction and support for community engagement and fundraising initiatives, including leadership of the NTC Foundation. Under his leadership, the NTC Foundation raised nearly $374,000 last fiscal year — more than its previous five years combined — and led a successful $80,000 Day of Giving campaign in April 2024. He also helped secure a partnership with Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation to provide full cost-of-attendance scholarships for NTC Dental Assisting students.
Preciado also helped to establish the BSU and NTC President’s Receptions, a recurring event series designed to amplify voices and uplift communities during nationally recognized monthly celebrations. Since the event debuted in March 2023, Preciado and the campuses’ Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion have collaborated to plan and deliver 10 Unity Uplift events to the BSU and NTC campus communities.
“I believe deeply in the mission of these campuses and the communities we serve,” Preciado said. “I’m especially inspired by the students, staff and faculty who show up every day with purpose and heart. This role is about helping connect the dots—making sure great ideas don’t just stay ideas but grow into actions that create real impact,” he said. “I look forward to supporting the vision and leadership of President Hoffman and helping move our shared priorities forward with clarity, care and collaboration.”
Before joining the BSU and NTC communities, Preciado served as systemwide manager for basic needs initiatives at the California State University Office of the Chancellor—the nation’s largest and most diverse four-year public university system serving half a million students. In that role, he oversaw more than $36 million in funding and supported more than 110 campus and community stakeholders across the system’s 23 campuses. His portfolio included programs addressing food and housing security, emergency funding and management and data and reporting efforts that increased awareness of student wellbeing needs and helped secure additional resources.
He also previously served as director of the Glazer Family Dreamers Resource Center at California State University, Los Angeles, and in a variety of leadership roles at California State University, Fullerton, including coordinator of the Titan Dreamers Resource Center and assistant coordinator of diversity initiatives and resource centers.
Preciado is a member of the Public Higher Education Legislative Advocacy Professionals and Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. He has published peer-reviewed scholarship on topics including civic engagement and student success initiatives, with work appearing in the Journal of College & University Student Housing, edited volumes from Palgrave Macmillan and the University of Texas Press. He has also been invited to share his research and expertise with organizations such as NASPA and the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Preciado holds a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in political science from California State University, Fullerton, and a master’s degree in higher postsecondary education from Syracuse University.
Preciado’s permanent appointment is effective immediately.
Contact
• Office of the President; president@bemidjistate.edu