Heath to Begin New Position on April 15

March 18, 2024 (Denver) – Joe Garcia, chancellor of the Colorado Community College System (CCCS), has announced Dr. Sarah Heath as the organization’s next Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs.  

Dr. Heath currently serves as CCCS’ Associate Vice Chancellor for Career and Technical Education (CTE) and will assume her new position on April 15. She succeeds former vice chancellor Dr. Landon Pirius, who begins his tenure as the president of Red Rocks Community College this week. 

“Dr. Sarah Heath is a true trailblazer in higher education who has elevated the role of community colleges on the state and national level,” said CCCS Chancellor Joe Garcia. “We are thrilled she will continue her service in this critical role and know she will bring innovative ideas and collaborative leadership that will strengthen our system for years to come.”  

Currently Dr. Heath leads oversight of all secondary and postsecondary CTE programs in the state, which train more than 230,000 students every year in fields as diverse as healthcare, construction, and engineering. CCCS is the only community college system in the country that administers all levels of CTE funded by Federal Perkins dollars. 

“Improving and increasing higher education opportunities has been the driving force of my career, and I am deeply honored by Chancellor Garcia’s appointment,” said Dr. Sarah Heath. “As vice chancellor, I hope to expand our cross-sector partnerships and develop more education and training pathways that lead to economic mobility for all Coloradans.” 

Dr. Heath’s selection comes as CCCS pursues several groundbreaking initiatives, including launching a first-of-its-kind online education model, Colorado Online, and building out the Rural College Consortium that virtually connects courses and student services across seven colleges. Dr. Heath will also lead the implementation of CCCS’s forthcoming strategic plan that will address shifting demographics, employer demands and learner preferences.  

Over her nine years with CCCS, Dr. Heath has become a sought-after policy expert in aligning K-12, higher education, and workforce development systems. She was recently appointed to the steering committee for Colorado’s Secondary, Postsecondary and Work-Based Learning Integration Task Force that proposed dozens of solutions to streamline programs for students. Under her leadership, CCCS’s CTE division created a statewide vision for diversity, equity, and inclusion; crafted statewide data-sharing agreements; and developed a data-centered culture for local planning and CTE program review.   

In recent years, Dr. Heath has received awards from national and state organizations, including an Equity Champion designation from the Colorado Association for Career & Technical Administrators and a Distinguished Leadership Award from Advance CTE, for which she served as president from 2019 to 2021. Dr. Heath was also president of the national Association for Career and Technical Education from 2015 to 2016 and currently serves on the SkillsUSA national board of directors. In Colorado, Dr. Heath serves on the Concurrent Enrollment Advisory Board and is a member of the State Apprenticeship Council. 

For Dr. Heath’s full biography, please visit the CCCS website.

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About CCCS 

The Colorado Community College System (CCCS) is the state’s largest system of higher education, delivering more than 1,000 programs to over 115,000 students annually through 13 colleges and 35 locations across Colorado. Our open access mission ensures all Coloradans who aspire to enrich their lives have access to quality higher education opportunities. The System Office provides leadership, advocacy, and support to the colleges under the direction of the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education (SBCCOE). Join us in changing the way Colorado goes to college. Learn more at www.cccs.edu.