By Angela Askey, Executive Director Public Relations and Marketing
PINAL COUNTY, Ariz. – The Central Arizona College Governing Board announced today that Dr. Karin Hilgersom will serve as the Interim President of the College, beginning Monday, July 13, 2026.
Dr. Hilgersom brings 17 years of experience serving as a president and vice president for instruction, with extensive leadership in supervising collaborative executive management teams. Most recently, she completed a 10-year tenure as President at Truckee Meadows Community College.
Throughout her career, Dr. Hilgersom has provided oversight for information technology, e-learning programs, college libraries, community learning and tutoring centers, and instructional divisions including culinary arts, business, liberal arts, and hospitality. She also served for 16 years as a full-time Communication Studies faculty member and department chair at Spokane Community College and has additional experience as a part-time university instructor and advisor at Gonzaga University, the University of Oregon, and Eastern Washington University.
Dr. Hilgersom has been a strong advocate for student success initiatives throughout her career. She has extensive experience leading transfer and workforce development programs, fostering community partnerships, and overseeing multiple capital construction projects from pre-design through completion. She also served as the lead accreditation officer and liaison to the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) and as a lead evaluator for the Middle States Commission. In addition, she has served on numerous local, state, and national boards and commissions.
Dr. Hilgersom earned a Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Management and a Master of Science in Rhetoric and Communication from University of Oregon. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Communication from California State University, Stanislaus.
About Central Arizona College
Central Arizona College is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding equal employment opportunity and antidiscrimination. CAC strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination on the basis of the following protected classes and/or characteristics, in all of its operations, programs and activities, including but not limited to employment, promotion, admissions and access to all career and technical programs: race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex, age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. For more information contact: Laura Shepherd, Title IX Coordinator at 520-494-5106 or titleix@centralaz.edu; Section 504/ADA Coordinator at studentaccessibility@centralaz.edu or Human Resources at human.resources@centralaz.edu.