College Undergoes Leadership Changes

The Huntley College of Agriculture is going through a leadership transition.

Interim Dean Martin Sancho-Madriz stepped down at the end of the 2023-24 academic year and will return to the Department of Nutrition and Food Science as a professor.

“We appreciate Dr. Sancho-Madriz for his contributions as interim dean for the past three years, after stepping out of his roles as associate vice president for faculty affairs,” Cal Poly Pomona Provost Terri Gomez said in announcing the change in May.

Gomez appointed Alison Baski, dean of the College of Science, to serve as interim dean, while the university completes its search for a permanent Huntley College dean. The appointment was effective July 1.

This is the second time that Baski has overseen two colleges simultaneously. In addition to her role in the College of Science, she served as interim dean for the College of Engineering from May 2020 through July 2023.

Associate Dean Transition

Meanwhile, Associate Dean Peter Kilduff entered the Faculty Early Retirement Program, where he will assist the college during its leadership transition.

He was appointed associate dean in 2022 after serving in the capacity on an interim basis for five years. Prior to his appointment, he had served as professor and chair of the Department of Apparel Merchandising and Management since joining Cal Poly Pomona in 2006.

Professor Gabriel Davidov-Pardo from the Department of Nutrition and Food Science will serve as interim associate dean.

Davidov-Pardo joined Cal Poly Pomona in 2015. He earned his doctorate in food science and technology from the Public University of Navarre in Pamplona, Spain.

Davidov-Pardo was named the college’s Teacher of the Year in 2017 and Advisor of the Year in 2019. He served as the interim chair of the Department of Nutrition and Food Science Interim Chair in Fall 2022 and as the interim faculty director of undergraduate programs and general education in Spring 2021.

AMM Changes

Professor Muditha Senanayake, who was chair of the Department of Apparel Merchandising & Management, retired from Cal Poly Pomona effective July 31.

Senanayake is moving to the East Coast to join North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University as chair of its Department of Family and Consumer Sciences.

He came to Cal Poly Pomona in 2007 and succeeded Kilduff as the department chair in 2017. Senanayake earned his doctorate in textile technology management from North Carolina State University.

Professors Jiangning Che and Chitra Dabas will serve as interim-co-chairs for the department.