Dr. Chato Hazelbaker, became the ninth President of Northland Pioneer College (NPC) in July 2021.
At Northland Pioneer College, Hazelbaker led the completion of the 2023-2025 strategic plan. That plan calls for the addition of three academic programs at the two-year level, and the launching of the college’s first baccalaureate program during the 2023-2024 school year. Another area of focus in the plan is enhancing student success. To meet that need, Hazelbaker lead efforts to invest in advising including the hiring of a new Director of Enrollment Management to focus on key performance areas. With Hazelbaker’s leadership, the 2022-2023 school year the college also saw an expansion of diversity, equity and inclusion work propelled by a $1.3 million Title III grant which will allow the college to hire its first Native American Student Success Coordinator and expand programming at the three centers located on tribal land. In the region, the scheduled decommissioning of three coal plants is a major economic issue and Hazelbaker is leading the college’s efforts to help those communities remain economically viable and expand educational opportunities.
In 2022, Hazelbaker was one of only 25 national college presidents selected for the prestigious Aspen Institute New President’s Fellowship. Over the past twenty-three years, Dr. Hazelbaker has held positions of increasing responsibility in higher education most recently at Carroll College Helena, MT) where he served as the Vice President of Enrollment Management and Marketing.
Education:
- Doctor of Education in Organization Development from the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, MN
- Master of Arts in Leadership from Crown College in St. Bonifacius, MN
- Bachelor of Arts in English from Rocky Mountain College in Billings, MT
Prior to coming to NPC, Dr. Hazelbaker served as:
- Vice President of Enrollment Management and Marketing, Carroll College (Helena, MT)
- Chief Communication Officer and Interim Chief Information Officer, Clark College (Vancouver, WA)
- Director of Marketing and Interim Director of Graduate Marketing, University of St. Thomas (St. Paul, Minnesota)
- Other roles at Crown College, Montana State University-Billings, and Dickinson State University
Publications:
Dr. Hazelbaker has published three academic book chapters and been published in peer-reviewed journals on topics related to Organization Development which is the area where he earned his doctorate.
Working as an adjunct faculty member, Dr. Hazelbaker has taught extensively in communication and organization development at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. He has taught both online and face-to-face courses.
Hazelbaker currently serves on the:
- Arizona Community College Coordinating Council (AC4)
