BATON ROUGE, La. — Dr. Heather Spillers Poole has been selected to lead Central Louisiana Technical Community College following the retirement of Chancellor Jimmy Sawtelle, who has served in the role for nearly a decade. Final approval of her appointment will be considered by the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) Board of Supervisors at its Oct. 8 meeting.
Poole, a Louisiana native, brings more than 25 years of experience in higher education, workforce development, and student success initiatives. She currently serves as CLTCC’s executive vice chancellor of academic affairs and student services and director of foundation relations.
At CLTCC, Poole has been involved in expanding academic programs aligned with workforce needs, building industry partnerships, and strengthening student services to support retention and completion. Her leadership has been credited with positioning the college as a key contributor to economic development in Central Louisiana.
Prior to her current role, Poole held leadership positions as executive director and dean of the Learning Center for Rapides Parish, assistant vice chancellor of enrollment services at Louisiana State University of Alexandria, and assistant commissioner of assessment and economic development at the Louisiana Board of Regents.
Beyond her work at CLTCC, Poole has been active in statewide policy and community leadership. She was elected chair of the Council for a Better Louisiana in 2024 and now serves as co-chair of Leaders for a Better Louisiana following its merger with the Committee of 100 for Economic Development. She is also involved with the Central Louisiana Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Rotary Club of Alexandria, and United Way of Central Louisiana.
Poole holds a bachelor’s degree and MBA from Louisiana State University and a doctorate in higher education administration from Louisiana Tech University.
A transition plan will be implemented in the coming weeks to ensure continuity for CLTCC students, faculty, staff, and community partners.