PLEASANT HILL -- Dr. Charles "Mac" Powell, who has been serving as John F. Kennedy University's interim president since January, has had the "interim" label removed, having been named the new president of the Pleasant Hill-based college.

Powell began his career with the La Jolla-based National University -- with which John F. Kennedy University is affiliated -- in 2002 as an adjunct faculty member and was later appointed to a full-time position at the Los Angeles campus. He oversaw the master of arts in counseling psychology for the university and was later promoted to associate professor within its Department of Psychology.

Along with bachelor's degrees in philosophy and sociology; master's degrees in business, sociology, and clinical psychology; and a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Missouri, Powell is a Class A member of the Professional Golfers Association of America, has worked with players at all levels of golf, and has spoken around the world in the fields of athletics, coaching, and performance psychology.