Cerritos College President/Superintendent Dr. Jose Fierro has been named the recipient of the 2026 Association of Community College Trustees Pacific Region Chief Executive Officer Award, recognizing more than a decade of leadership focused on student achievement, educational access and workforce development.
Fierro will receive the honor during the Regional Awards Presentation at the annual ACCT Leadership Congress in Chicago this October.
Appointed President/Superintendent in 2015, Fierro has led Cerritos College through a period of significant growth and transformation. Working alongside the college’s Board of Trustees, his administration has emphasized student completion, equity, career preparation and opportunities that improve economic mobility throughout the communities the college serves.
During Fierro’s tenure, Cerritos College has awarded more than 60,000 degrees and certificates, while annual student completions have more than doubled. The college has also expanded career and university transfer pathways and developed California’s first community college housing project exclusively serving students experiencing homelessness.
More recently, Cerritos College launched its first Bachelor of Science degree in Dental Hygiene and received state approval for a second bachelor’s degree in Field Ironworker Supervision, creating additional pathways into high-demand careers.
Dr. Dawn Green, President of the Cerritos College Board of Trustees, said the regional honor reflects Fierro’s collaborative approach and commitment to expanding opportunities for students, “This ACCT Pacific CEO Award recognizes exactly what we’ve long known about Dr. Fierro,” Green said. “He is a leader defined by vision, partnership, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to expanding access and opportunity for students.”
Green credited Fierro’s leadership with helping transform the college, strengthen surrounding communities and create new possibilities for students and their families.
Beyond Cerritos College, Fierro has participated in regional, state and national conversations surrounding student success, basic needs, governance and economic mobility. His work has helped position the college as an example of how community colleges can combine academic achievement with workforce preparation and direct support for students facing economic challenges.
The Association of Community College Trustees, a nonprofit educational organization representing governing boards, includes more than 6,500 elected and appointed trustees overseeing more than 1,200 community, technical and junior colleges in the United States and beyond.
For Cerritos College and the communities it serves, the Pacific Region CEO Award represents not only recognition of Fierro’s leadership, but also national acknowledgment of the work taking place locally to make higher education more accessible and responsive to students.
