PCC Chancellor Lee Lambert Selected to Lead Foothill De Anza Community College District
TUCSON, AZ – Chancellor Lee Lambert, who led Pima Community College out of academic probation to become one of the leading community colleges in the country, has been selected as the next Chancellor of the Foothill De Anza Community College District near Silicon Valley in California.
Chancellor Lambert will begin his new position on August 1, 2023. More information about Chancellor Lambert’s selection from the Foothill De Anza Community College District website can be found here.
Chancellor Lambert came to PCC in 2013 as the College was being put on probation by its accreditor, the Higher Learning Commission. Chancellor Lambert not only led the College back to good standing and financial stability, but Pima is now widely regarded as one of the nation’s premier community colleges.
Under Chancellor Lambert’s leadership, PCC has been named a top 50 community college for Hispanic enrollment and number one in Arizona. PCC earned a prestigious Bellwether Award for developmental education programs and was selected for recognition by Harvard University for innovative workforce training programs and partnerships with Tucson’s largest employers, including Raytheon, IBM, Caterpillar, TuSimple and area hospitals. The College also rebuilt its aging physical and IT infrastructure and opened new facilities, including a new Automotive and Technology Center, an expanded Aviation Center and the recently opened $35 Million Advanced Manufacturing Building.
“It has been an incredible honor working with the PCC community, as well as the City of Tucson, Pima County and business leaders to transform the College into an award-winning cutting-edge educational institution that is well positioned to take on the challenge of building a highly skilled 21st Century workforce,” said Lambert. “I leave PCC with fond memories and deep friendships with those who share our collective purpose of transforming the lives of our learners and improving the economic health of our communities.”
Recently, Chancellor Lambert led the development of the College’s Centers of Excellence in applied technology, health care, hospitality, information technology & cybersecurity, public safety, and the arts. He also established fast track programs to train learners for in-demand jobs, invested heavily in Pima Online and embedded robust diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives throughout PCC’s campuses and centers. He also helped secure a $5 million gift, the single largest donation in the College’s history.
“Lee Lambert is a transformative leader with an impressive record of accomplishments,” said Foothill De Anza Community College District Board of Trustees President Patrick Ahrens. “We are confident that he is the right person to build on Foothill-De Anza’s legacy of educational excellence and excited to have him lead our exceptional team into a new era of equity and innovation.”
“The Pima Community College Board of Governors congratulates Chancellor Lee Lambert on being selected as the new Chancellor of the Foothill De Anza Community College District,” said Pima Community College Governing Board Chair Theresa Riel. “The Board recognizes there are a limited number of college administrators who have the experience that Lee Lambert has. Over the last ten years, working closely with PCC employees, he has used his vision to assist in the creation of PCC’s Centers of Excellence. The Board will be meeting during the next few weeks to make decisions and plans to find the next Chancellor of Pima Community College.”
CONTACT:
Phil Burdick
Vice Chancellor for External Relations
pburdick@pima.edu