Dr. Eric Heiser has been named as the sixth president of Coconino Community College. He will begin his tenure on Jan. 1, 2023. Courtesy photo.
FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino Community College District Governing Board announced during its Oct. 19 meeting that Dr. Eric Heiser will be the next president of the college.
“After a national search with more than 50 applicants, the District Governing Board is excited to announce the selection of Dr. Heiser as Coconino Community College’s next president,” said Dr. Nat White, Chair of the Board. “The college is positioned through the past leadership of Dr. Colleen Smith and community support through the passage of the tax reset, to leap forward in serving the residents of Coconino County – from workforce training and associate degrees to pathways to baccalaureates.”
White added that Dr. Heiser brings successful urban and rural college and national experience that matches well with CCC’s vision and mission and the needs of Coconino County’s residents and businesses.
“I’m incredibly humbled and honored to be selected as the sixth president of Coconino Community College,” Dr. Heiser said. “I’m excited about the bright future ahead for CCC and look forward to working with the wonderful faculty and staff to meet the needs of students in Coconino County.”
Dr. Heiser currently serves as the inaugural Provost of Central Ohio Technical College. He serves as the Chief Academic, Student Support, and Workforce officer for COTC. He has worked in higher education nearly two decades starting as a full-time faculty member and progressing to senior leadership. He holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership from Colorado State University.
As a full-time assistant professor at Central Wyoming College for six years, Dr. Heiser taught in the areas of business, management, and criminal justice. He also spent time as a director and workforce training coordinator during his time at CWC. He spent six years at Salt Lake Community College as an Associate Dean and Dean and built one of the nation’s largest Competency-Based Education programs, from which the college was recognized nationally by multiple outlets. He has delivered more than three dozen conference presentations and key notes and has published several articles on the topic of CBE and academic innovation. Dr. Heiser was appointed as a content expert to the U.S. Department of Education’s What Works Clearinghouse to advise the department on best practices in career and technical education and guided pathways.
Dr. Heiser serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Competency-Based Education Network, an international network of institutions and organizations dedicated to improving graduation rates and eliminating equity gaps through quality CBE programs. In addition to his work in CBE, Dr. Heiser serves as President of the Board for the National Council of Instructional Administrators, an affiliate council of the American Association of Community Colleges. In 2020, he was appointed for a three-year term on AACC’s Commission on Workforce and Economic Development. Dr. Heiser and his wife, Amy, have two daughters, Sophie and Emma.
Dr. Heiser will officially begin his tenure on Jan. 1, 2023.
About Coconino Community College — CCC has served residents across 18,000 square miles of Coconino County since 1991. The College has the goal of improving the lives of our residents through workforce development and higher education.
CCC provides affordable tuition and offers certificate programs and two-year associate degrees in academic and career fields. CCC also has programs that ease student transition to any of the three state universities.
CCC reaches out to the more rural portions of the County and Tribal Lands. Instructional sites offer classes through online, in-person and Zoom video conferencing classes to meet the needs of students in rural and remote areas. On average, one in five of CCC’s students are Native American learners.