SBHE selects Sanford to be commissioner of ND University System

September 23, 2025

Minot, N.D. - The State Board of Higher Education (SBHE) selected Brent Sanford to serve as the commissioner of the North Dakota University System (NDUS) during today's board meeting.

The SBHE also voted to align the name of the leadership position with North Dakota State Constitution, which refers to the position as commissioner. "All policies will reflect these changes because the Constitution is always our baseline when making decisions," said SBHE Chair Kevin Black.

Sanford, former North Dakota lieutenant governor, has been serving as interim chancellor since April 30, 2025, after the retirement of Dr. Mark Hagerott. Prior to serving in the interim chancellor position, Sanford was interim president at Bismarck State College (BSC) since the first part of January 2025.

Black said, "We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to put the right person in this leadership position. I welcome Brent for stepping up to serve where needed in the system and now taking this role permanently. Our highest priority is our students and building collaborative partnerships with the state's workforce to meet their needs. Brent has an innate ability to connect the dots across the continuum of education. He has the leadership experience in business and state government to ensure a strong connection between what the system can provide for higher education opportunities and what our communities and citizens need."

Sanford begins his permanent role effective Sept. 23, 2025.

Sanford said, "I am ready for this challenge. I appreciate the opportunity to serve in a leadership role that includes all the state's higher education campuses. I look forward to enhancing collaboration of campuses on systemwide efforts and responding to the state's workforce challenges. I am confident that the North Dakota University System can become the number one workforce solution for North Dakota and our region."

Sanford graduated from the University of North Dakota (UND) with a bachelor's degree in accounting in 1994. He worked as a CPA for Eide Bailly from 1994 through 2002 and then became the chief financial officer of Transwest, Inc. in Colorado. He moved back to Watford City, N.D., in 2004, purchasing his family-run car dealership. He was elected to the Watford City Council in 2006 and was elected mayor in 2010. Sanford served as lieutenant governor for the first six years of former Gov. Doug Burgum's two-term tenure.

LRSC president appointed

At the same meeting, the SBHE also named Dr. Carmen Simone as the permanent president at Lake Region State College (LRSC). Simone has been interim president at LRSC since July 1, 2025. The SBHE also voted to move forward on a competitive search process for a new president at Bismarck State College.

"Dr. Simone has been part of our system for many years and the leader of three different institutions during her career. She has been part of many competitive search processes and her work at Lake Region has been well received. We are happy to keep her talent and expertise in our state and see her lead LRSC into the future," said Black.

Simone previously served as Dean and Chief Executive Officer at Dakota College at Bottineau (DCB) since August 2022. Simone has an extensive administrative background and has served more than 30 years in higher education and specifically has leadership experience at two-year colleges. Prior to serving at DCB, she was president of Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff, Neb. Simone earned her undergraduate degree from the University of North Dakota and her doctorate from Colorado State University, both degrees in chemistry.