President
Jackie Vietti, Ph.D.
Jackie Vietti, a native Kansan, was born and raised in Eureka, KS.
Jackie’s work experience encompasses 45 years in various capacities within higher education. Positions held include Dean of Instruction and Interim President, Labette Community College; Dean of Arts and Sciences/Instruction, Crowder College; and President, Butler Community College. She retired from Butler in 2012, following a 17-year tenure as its president. In 2015 she served as Interim President at Emporia State University for 7 months. She was Acting President at Kansas City Kansas Community College in 2017-18 and again in 2026.
Her educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Kansas State University; a masters in community college teaching from Pittsburg State University; and a doctorate in adult and occupational education from Kansas State University. Additionally, she earned a secondary education teaching certificate from Emporia State University. She also later completed a number of leadership and management courses.
Currently, Jackie facilitates the Kansas Community College Leadership Institute, a state-wide initiative to assist emerging community college leaders in honing their leadership skills and experiences, in order to take next steps in their career journeys and/or excel in their current positions. Now in its twelfth year, it claims over 200 alumni, many of whom have moved into executive level positions. In addition, she serves as a directed field experience supervisor for the Baker University doctoral leadership program and a portfolio reviewer. Her external activities include, but are not limited to, membership on the National Teachers Hall of Fame Board of Trustees and the Parker University Board.
Honors include Chief Executive Leadership Award, District VI/Mid-America, Council for Advancement and Support of Education; Mid-America Education Hall of Fame Inductee; Wichita Business Journal Newsmaker of the Year Award; Advance Kansas Diversity Leadership Award; Phi Theta Kappa Lifetime Distinguished Service Award; Wichita Business Journal Women in Business Award; Association of Community College Trustees Western Region Chief Executive Officer of the Year; Pittsburg State University and Emporia State University Distinguished Alumni Awards; and the Diversity Kansas A. Price Woodard Jr. Award.
Jackie enjoys spending time with her four children, their spouses, and her six grandchildren; being outdoors; reading books on leadership – as well as mindless novels – over fine chocolate; advancing the mission of accessible, affordable and quality higher education for all; and working with others to create an inclusive, engaging environment in which all voices are heard, and people have conversations that matter followed by actions that matter.