This arrangement will last for up to eight months or until a substantive chair is appointed, whichever occurs first.
Mr McKenna previously held the position of Non-Executive Director within the DfE from 2017 until February 2023 and served as Interim Chair to the Board of Invest NI until February 2024.
The Governing Body holds responsibility for overseeing the efficient management of the college, ensuring suitable further education is delivered to students and defining its strategic direction.
Colleges operate as non-departmental public bodies established under the Further Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1997.
In providing services, the Governing Body must consider the educational requirements of both the business sector and the local community.
The position carries an annual remuneration package of £20,000 alongside travel and subsistence allowances paid at Northern Ireland Civil Service rates for duties performed.
Mr McKenna is a former Chair of the NI Public Sector Chairs Forum and the NI Confederation for Health and Social Care.
He also chaired the NI Food Advisory Committee and served on the Board of the NI Food Standards Agency between 2016 and 2022.
Previous roles have included leadership positions at the NI Assembly Secretariat, NI Courts and Tribunal Services, ILEX URC Ltd and the NI Policing Board.
Currently, he acts as an independent Board Member for the Department of Justice while chairing its Audit and Risk Assurance Committee.
The Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland mandates that any declared political activity by appointees be made public record.
Northern Regional College is one of six further education institutions sponsored by the DfE across the region.