Media release from Georgia Northwestern Technical College:
Georgia Trend magazine has selected Dr. Heidi Popham, president of Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC), as one of the magazine’s most influential leaders.
This year marks the fourth that Dr. Popham has been profiled in the “annual publication that spotlights the most powerful leaders across major industries and organizations” who impact Georgia, according to Georgia Trend. Popham was appointed president of GNTC by the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) in 2019; she has worked for GNTC for 30 years.
“Georgia Northwestern Technical College experienced another outstanding year, marked by increases in enrollment, strengthened community partnerships and enhanced student support services,” said Dr. Popham, adding that she attributes the success of the academic year to GNTC’s amazing team of faculty, staff and community partners.
GNTC’s effective class scheduling, targeted advertising and student success initiatives played pivotal roles in increasing overall enrollment by 10%, Dr. Popham said. GNTC’s commitment to student success is evident in its adoption of data-driven scheduling tools, leading to more efficient class offerings and improved student retention.
“Through the creation of new student scholarships and industry investments, community partnerships remain a key to GNTC’s success,” she said.
GNTC’s efforts in supporting military-connected students were recognized with the 2024-25 Military Friendly® School Gold designation, reflecting the college’s dedication to providing quality education and support services to veterans and their families.
Dr. Popham began her educational career at GNTC in 1995 as executive assistant to the president. In 2007, she became the director of Institutional Effectiveness and was soon promoted to vice president of Institutional Effectiveness in 2009. In the latter role, she coordinated the development of GNTC’s strategic plan, program goals, objectives and standards. Dr. Popham also served as GNTC’s accreditation liaison.
In 2016, Dr. Popham was promoted to executive vice president of GNTC. As executive vice president, Dr. Popham was responsible for Academic Affairs, Adult Education, Institutional Effectiveness, Student Affairs and Student Success.
She serves on various boards and advisory committees, which include several of the region’s College and Career Academies. Dr. Popham is a graduate of the TCSG Executive Leadership Academy, Leadership Rome and Leadership Dalton. She is also an active member of the Rome Rotary Club.
Dr. Popham earned a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management from Covenant College located in Lookout Mountain, a master’s degree from the University of Georgia and a doctoral degree from the University of Georgia.