College President Jeff DeFranco to Depart After Nearly Ten Transformative Years

March 18, 2026

President Jeff DeFranco on stage reflecting on ten years

Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) announced yesterday that Superintendent/President Jeff DeFranco will conclude his tenure at the college at the end of the 2025-26 academic year. DeFranco, who has led the college since January 2017, will transition to Arizona State University as Special Advisor to the Provost on Academic Alliance Strategy.

DeFranco was one of the youngest presidents in the California community college system when he took office, and he will depart with one of the longest tenures among current sitting presidents statewide. During his presidency, he guided a period of institutional transformation that fundamentally reshaped the college's programs, physical campus, student outcomes, and financial standing.

"Being president of LTCC has been the highlight of my career and fulfilled a lifelong dream to be a college president. I am extraordinarily proud of what we have built together at LTCC, and I leave knowing the college is on a stronger footing than ever."

 Jeff DeFranco, Superintendent/President

President DeFranco headshotA Decade of Growth

When DeFranco became LTCC's fifth superintendent/president in 2017, the college enrolled roughly 1,700 full-time equivalent students and operated a campus in need of significant modernization. By the 2024-25 academic year, enrollment had reached a record 2,431 full-time equivalent students — a 40 percent increase. Degree completions grew by 112 percent over the same period.

Annual institutional revenue climbed from approximately $20 million in 2016-17 to approximately $48 million today, a 140 percent increase that reflects both the college's expanded reach and its entrepreneurial approach to resource development.

 
  • Enrollment reached a record 2,431 full-time equivalent students in 2024-25, a 40% increase
  • Degree completions grew by 112%
  • Annual revenue climbed from approximately $20 million to $48 million, a 140% increase
  • Four new buildings constructed; a third of existing campus spaces modernized
  • LTCC opened California's first fully affordable, on-campus community college student housing
  • The Tahoe Basin Public Safety Training Complex breaks ground this May

Expanding Access and Community Partnerships

At the heart of DeFranco's presidency was a belief that college should be within reach for every student in the region. The Lake Tahoe College Promise program — supported in large part by the LTCC Foundation and its donors — has provided up to three years of tuition-free education and textbook support for eligible residents on both sides of Lake Tahoe. The program's cohort graduation rate consistently outpaces the national average for community colleges.

"The growth and the success of the Lake Tahoe College Promise Program was made possible by the generous support of the LTCC Foundation and their donors, as well as the tireless work of staff and faculty in supporting these students on their educational journeys."

 Jeff DeFranco, Superintendent/President

DeFranco also became a genuine part of the South Lake Tahoe community — not just as its college president, but as a neighbor. He led TEDx South Lake Tahoe, launched the Gift of Literacy program that puts books in the hands of local first-graders, and spent years on the sidelines as a youth sports coach. His investment in this place went well beyond the campus gates.

An Era of Resource Development

Resource development was a hallmark of DeFranco's presidency. In partnership with the LTCC Foundation, millions in new dollars were raised for student scholarships and the Lake Tahoe College Promise Program. Annual scholarships awarded to students grew 255 percent — from $104,000 in 2017 to $369,000 in 2025.

On the capital side, DeFranco secured $7 million for the Tahoe Basin Public Safety Training Complex, $11 million for the Remodel for Efficiency Classroom and Lab Modernization project, and $39 million for the student housing facility — investments that will benefit students long after his tenure ends.

Board of Trustees Response

Tony Sears, Chair of the LTCC Board of Trustees, reflected on the significance of DeFranco's departure: "Jeff DeFranco's time at LTCC represents one of the most important chapters in our institution's 50-year history. He leaves the college with more students, more resources, and a stronger sense of mission than at any point in our past. We are deeply grateful for his leadership and equally committed to ensuring a smooth transition that honors everything that has been built."

What's Next

The Board of Trustees is moving quickly to appoint an interim superintendent/president and has committed to a thorough national search, with input from students, staff, faculty, and community partners, to name LTCC's sixth permanent president by July 2027. DeFranco will remain in his role through the end of the current academic year and into the summer months to ensure continuity and a smooth transition.

For more information, contact Lisa Shafer in the President's Office at (530) 541-4460, ext. 210, or shafer@ltcc.edu.