Former COD president sues district, board chair alleging discrimination, retaliation, financial misconduct
Laura Hope claims gender bias, a hostile work environment and whistleblower retaliation, specifically naming current board member and former president Joel Kinnamon.
The former superintendent/president of College of the Desert has filed a lawsuit against the Desert Community College District and Board of Trustees Chair Joel Kinnamon, alleging gender discrimination, retaliation and serious financial misconduct tied to a multimillion-dollar campus project.
Laura Hope filed the complaint Nov. 3, 2025 in Riverside County Superior Court, seeking damages and demanding a jury trial. The lawsuit names the district and Kinnamon as defendants and alleges violations of California’s whistleblower protection law.
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The lawsuit was first reported Friday by The Desert Sun.
In the lawsuit, Hope’s attorneys allege that “College of the Desert’s management is in shambles today as a result of rogue actions taken by COD board chairman, Joel Kinnamon, and his confederates to protect his power over the district and conceal criminal, ethical, and fiscal misconduct which has already cost the district millions of dollars.”
Central to the lawsuit is the college’s Palm Springs campus project. According to the complaint, the Board authorized a forensic audit of the project’s construction costs and related financial management. An outside law firm was retained to oversee the review.
Hope alleges the audit, if allowed to be completed, would have uncovered that Kinnamon “caused hundreds of thousands, if not millions” of district dollars to be “illegally allocated and irresponsibly spent” on contractors he favored. The complaint further alleges he used his influence to steer lucrative contracts and “directly and indirectly illegally received kickbacks and favors.”
The lawsuit also alleges that after Hope raised concerns about financial oversight and governance issues, she was retaliated against, placed on administrative leave and ultimately not selected for the permanent superintendent/president role. The complaint contends Kinnamon engineered her removal and replaced her with a male administrator who was “less qualified” but more easily controlled.
In a statement sent to The Desert Sun, Kinnamon denied the allegations, calling them false and “malicious defamation.”
“The filing is riddled with demonstrably false statements, misleading assertions, and a manufactured narrative that lacks any credible factual or legal foundation. I am confident that both the facts and the law will prevail as this matter moves forward through the appropriate legal process,” Kinnamon told the paper.
“In the meantime, I remain fully focused on serving my constituents and continuing the work they elected me to do. I am proud of my record of service, and College of the Desert is back on track.”
A COD official told paper that the college does not comment on pending litigation and that the board would address the matter as appropriate and in a public meeting when required.
The case remains pending in Riverside County Superior Court.
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