Central Arizona College Governing Board Names New President
By Angela Askey, Executive Director Public Relations and Marketing
Following a national search, the Pinal County Community College District Governing Board has appointed Lisa Rhine, Ph.D., as the 10th president of Central Arizona College.
The appointment follows a special Governing Board meeting held on Thursday, July 16, 2026. During the meeting, Board members carefully reviewed public feedback gathered through surveys completed after the presidential candidate forums held earlier that week. Following its deliberations, the Board voted to enter into contract negotiations with the finalist. With those negotiations now complete, Dr. Lisa Rhine has officially been named the 10th president of Central Arizona College.
Dr. Rhine brings more than 37 years of leadership experience in higher education and has built a distinguished career focused on student success, workforce development, and institutional innovation. Most recently, she served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Yavapai College in Prescott, Arizona. Prior to that, she was Provost and Chief Operating Officer of the Chesapeake Campus of Tidewater Community College in Virginia and held faculty and leadership positions at colleges and universities in Ohio and Kentucky.
An inaugural Aspen Presidential Fellow (2016–17), Dr. Rhine is recognized for advancing student achievement by expanding access to education, improving learning outcomes and strengthening workforce partnerships. Her accomplishments have earned numerous national and regional honors, including the Association of Community College Trustees’ Pacific Region CEO of the Year Award (2021), Phi Theta Kappa’s Paragon President’s Award (2021), and a nomination for the American Association of Community Colleges CEO of the Year (2023). In 2025, she was named Business Leader of the Year by the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce and Business Woman of the Year by the Prescott Chamber of Commerce.
In addition to her leadership roles, Dr. Rhine serves on numerous local, regional, and national boards and committees. She is a member of the Board of Directors for the Community College Baccalaureate Association, serves on the Executive Committee of the Alliance for Innovation and Transformation, the Executive Board of Arizona Women in Higher Education, and is Arizona’s Presidential Liaison to the American Council on Education Women’s Network. She also serves on the Arizona Commerce Authority Board of Directors.
Dr. Rhine earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Administration from Capella University; a Master of Science in Education degree in Special Education from University of Dayton; and a Bachelor of Science degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Wright State University.
Dr. Rhine stated, “I am honored and humbled to be selected by the Central Arizona College Governing Board as CAC ‘s tenth president. My initial task isn’t to have all the answers, it’s to ask good questions, listen carefully, and build on the extraordinary work already happening at Central Arizona College.” She added, “In my experience, that’s how lasting success begins. I can’t wait to get to know our students, faculty, staff and community partners and build our collective future together.”
Dr. Rhine will assume the presidency following the service of Interim President Dr. Karin Hilgersom, who has led the College since the retirement of Dr. Jackie Elliott earlier this month. The Governing Board extends its appreciation to Dr. Hilgersom for her leadership during the transition and looks forward to welcoming Dr. Rhine as she leads Central Arizona College into its next chapter.