EMCC VP & Dean Selected for Executive Leadership Institute
Estrella Mountain Community College’s Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Paula Livingston and Dean of Student Affairs Isaac Torres were accepted into the League for Innovation’s 2024 Executive Leadership Institute.
The Executive Leadership Institute, or ELI, provides the opportunity for prospective community college presidents, or those in transition, to analyze their abilities, reflect on their interests, refine their skills, and engage in leadership discussions with an unparalleled faculty of community college leaders from across North America. ELI participants are selected from qualified applicants by a national review committee of established presidents.
This year’s ELI began in December and will conclude on Jan. 30.
Dr. Livingston said she was thrilled when she found out she’d been accepted into the ELI and looked forward to engaging and interacting with community college leaders from other institutions.
“One of the benefits that I see from participating in the Institute is in forging relationships and expanding my network of dedicated professionals with a common goal of encouraging and supporting student success,” Dr. Livingston said. “In preparation for the Institute, I have been engaged in reflecting on how we create an educational framework to assist our students in developing the skills and abilities they will need to adapt to our rapidly evolving society.”
Dean Torres said he looked forward to collaborating with a national network of community college leaders to provide valuable perspectives on how to navigate the complexities of leading in today’s evolving educational landscape.
“My hope is to expand my capacity to lead with a servant-leadership mindset, ensuring that my decisions and actions continue to empower both students and staff at EMCC,” Dean Torres said. “I look forward to learning additional ways to deepen my ability to create and implement strategic initiatives that foster student achievement, retention, and personal development.”
A lifelong learner, Dean Torres said he recognizes the need for continuous growth in his leadership development so he may further contribute to EMCC’s mission of fostering an inclusive and empowering educational environment for all students.
“I am honored to enhance my ability to lead transformational change across these areas by gaining insights into leadership practices and strategic visioning by being invited to complete the ELI program,” he said.
About the League for Innovation in the Community College: Founded in 1968 by B. Lamar Johnson and a dozen U.S. community and technical college presidents, the League has served community college institutions for more than 50 years. Through those years, the League has sponsored more than 200 conferences, institutes, seminars, and workshops; published more than 200 reports, monographs, periodicals, and books; led more than 175 research and demonstration projects; and provided numerous other resources and services to the community college field.