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“We’re doing these listening sessions at all of the [community] colleges because we want to hear from every community what’s important to them,” said Joe Garcia, chancellor of the Colorado Community College System (CCCS). “We want them to tell us what we can do better, what we can do more of, or maybe less of, as we build our strategic plan for the next five years.”
As Colorado’s largest provider of higher education and workforce training, CCCS plays a pivotal role in shaping the state’s economic future. Through its partnership with Keystone Policy Center, CCCS has reaffirmed its commitment to fostering inclusive engagement and collaboration, ensuring that the voices of communities across Colorado are integral to shaping the future of community colleges.
“It’s important that we put the community in community colleges. A listening and learning process means that we are opening up to hear the perspectives and understanding of the broader communities we’re a part of,” said Dr. Landon Mascareñaz, chair of the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education (SBCCOE), that oversees CCCS. “[That] means we get to co-design and build and dream together a future for the community college system that ensures that we’re meeting the hopes and dreams of everyone, but also understanding what the real challenges that are blocking us from reaching our full potential as a system. That’s the power of welcoming community into the process.”
The listening tour, commencing at Red Rocks Community College on March 4 and extending into April, underscores CCCS’s commitment to inclusivity and collaboration. Partnering with Keystone Policy Center signifies CCCS’s commitment to fostering inclusive engagement and leveraging collective wisdom to inform strategic decision-making.
“Our goal is for this process to culminate in the delivery of a clear, action-oriented plan that showcases all the assets across CCCS and inspires learners,” said Charles Dukes, Keystone’s Senior Policy Director & Director for its Center of Education. “By leveraging the collective insights garnered through extensive engagement and collaboration, we aim to develop a roadmap that not only identifies strategic priorities but also ignites a sense of purpose and possibility among learners, empowering them to navigate their educational journeys with clarity and confidence.”
Community colleges play a vital role in our economy by providing accessible and affordable education and training programs that directly address the needs of local industries. They serve as engines of workforce development, equipping students with the skills and credentials necessary to succeed in today’s job market. Additionally, community colleges often cater to underserved populations, including first-generation college students, working adults, and individuals from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, thereby fostering inclusivity and expanding opportunities for upward mobility.
“The work that we are doing is vast and on the front lines of advancing social and economic mobility,” said Dr. Mordecai Ian Brownlee, president of Community College of Aurora. “We are serving communities that in many cases, historically speaking, have been unserved. We seek to advance workforce development, creating new opportunities for diversifying our workforces. And we seek to create new opportunities for economic mobility for our very diverse student communities.”
Keystone will lead listening sessions at all 13 Colorado community colleges. The full schedule is available at the CCCS website.
Effective March 1, 2025, Thomas J. Vilsack, former United States Secretary of Agriculture and Governor of Iowa, became the first Chief Executive Officer for the World Food Prize Foundation. In this new role, Governor Vilsack is focusing on expanding the Foundation’s global network, and will further position the Foundation as a leader in addressing global food and nutrition insecurity, continuing his lifetime of public service.
Shelby Coffey III is a distinguished journalist, media executive, and thought leader whose career has helped shape the landscape of American news and public discourse. Over several decades, Coffey has held some of the most influential roles in journalism, including serving as editor of the Los Angeles Times, executive vice president of ABC News, and deputy managing editor of The Washington Post. His editorial leadership extended to key roles as president of CNN Financial News, editor of the Dallas Times Herald, and U.S. News & World Report.
Jerry Steiner has spent 40 years involved in agriculture following growing up on a Wisconsin dairy farm. He began his career with Monsanto, in multiple business leadership roles. From 2003-2013 he served as a member of the Executive team, as the company’s Executive Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Affairs. He led the company’s global Government, Public and Industry Affairs teams across the 70 countries where Monsanto conducts business. This experience got Jerry connected to the Keystones centers work in agriculture. Key among his responsibilities were shaping the company’s public policy and building partnerships aimed at helping farmers around the world produce more food, while conserving valuable resources like water and energy. Two unique partnership that developed under his leadership were drought tolerant corn with 5 African countries, CIMMYT and the Gates foundation, and a building a sustainable business model in Brazil with the value chain leading to significant multi-company investment and soybean varieties that can protected themselves.
Jennifer Morris is the Chief Executive Officer of The Nature Conservancy, leading a team of nearly 6,000 staff working in more than 80 countries and territories tackling the dual crises of the 
Congressman Joe Neguse represents Colorado’s 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was elected to his first term in November 2018, becoming the first Black Member of Congress in Colorado history. In December 2022, Rep. Neguse was elected by his colleagues to serve as Chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC), becoming the first Coloradan to serve in a senior elected leadership role in the House in over 85 years. He serves on the Natural Resources and Judiciary Committees, and was also appointed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to serve as one of four Democrats on the prestigious Rules Committee. Rep. Neguse serves as Ranking Member on the House Subcommittee on Federal Lands, which he previously Chaired in the 117th Congress.
Llewellyn King was born in Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. He went into journalism as soon as he turned 16, stringing for Time magazine and United Press in Africa.
Steven Williams is the Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo North America, overseeing a more than $48 billion business that spans PepsiCo’s Foods and Beverage operating units. His leadership encompasses more than 125,000 associates and over 900 locations across the U.S. and Canada. Steven joined PepsiCo in 2001 as part of PepsiCo’s acquisition of the Quaker Oats Company, which he joined in 1997, and has held leadership positions of increased responsibility since.