HFC alumna and former VP Dr. Lisa Jones becomes president of Colorado Northwestern

Effective July 15, Dr. Lisa Jones – an HFC alumna and former vice president – will become the next president of Colorado Northwestern Community College (CNCC) in Rangely, CO. Jones will be the first African-American woman to assume the presidency at CNCC and in the Colorado Community College System (CCCS) as a whole.

Jones will succeed CNCC President Ron Granger, who is retiring. She was selected after a six-month nationwide search that was led by an 11-member advisory search committee. This committee worked diligently to screen, interview, and conduct virtual community forums from a pool of more than 60 applicants with diverse backgrounds.

“With more than 80 years of rich history, CNCC is a jewel in Colorado’s northwestern region,” said Jones. “It will play an enormous role as the community prepares for its next chapter. Through collective work, shared vision, and perseverance, we will create new opportunities and overcome obstacles facing the region and the college.”

Jones has led many academic, equity, and innovation programs in various roles in higher education throughout a career that spans more than 30 years. Prior to accepting the presidency of CNCC, Jones’ most recent role was Vice President of Student Development at the Dallas College Cedar Valley Campus in Lancaster, TX.

HFC Vice President of Student Affairs

From 2007-17, Jones served as Vice President of Student Affairs at HFC.

"Dr. Jones is a strong student advocate, working to implement programming that provided support for many students, including the Hawks’ Nest, HFC's food pantry. Students experiencing food insecurity have tremendously benefitted from this program," said Holly Diamond, HFC Interim Vice President of Student Affairs.

Other positions Jones has held include Vice President/Associate Provost/Dean of Students at Marygrove College in Detroit, as well as Director of Student Life at the University of Detroit Mercy.

“As a first-generation, low-income, minority woman who came from an underperforming high school in Detroit, the odds were heavily stacked against me, but through (HFC), I was able to rewrite my story and achieve my American Dream. Community colleges play a pivotal role in transforming lives and communities, and I am excited to become a part of this important work at CNCC,” said Jones.

Educational background

Jones graduated from Thomas M. Cooley High School. Upon graduation, she attended HFC (then Henry Ford Community College). Initially, she only took classes at HFC but through a reverse transfer agreement (RTA), she earned her associate degree in liberal arts nearly 30 years later in 2012.

Transferring to Michigan State University, Jones earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and her master’s degree in higher education administration. During her time at MSU, Jones was the president of the Black Students Association, a graduate student representative of the President’s Council to Review Undergraduate Education, and a graduate student representative to the 1988 Rose Bowl.

Jones earned her Ph.D. in counseling from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. She is also a graduate of the Management Development Program at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education in Cambridge, MA.

CCCS Chancellor Joe Garcia is looking forward to Jones coming onboard this summer.

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Jones and are confident she will step into the CNCC presidency with the experience and strength needed to lead the college as it continues to address challenges and embrace opportunities in a rapidly-changing environment,” said Garcia. “At such a critical time in the college’s history, she brings both energy and an entrepreneurial mindset.”