“Leadership Spotlight” is a new series highlighting the leaders who are driving innovation across the Detroit Drives Degrees Community College (D3C3) network. In each issue, the D3C3 team sits down with a community college leader or partner to hear how they’re thinking about student success, collaboration, talent development, and the future of community colleges.
When Lori Gonko officially became President of Macomb Community College, it marked more than the start of a new leadership role. It was a return to the institution and community that helped shape her career.
More than 25 years ago, Gonko began her higher education journey at Macomb as an administrative assistant supporting students and faculty in the college’s automotive program. She was also a Macomb student herself; an experience she says helped her understand the life-changing power of community colleges and inspired a lasting commitment to higher education.
Today, she returns to Macomb after helping lead significant student success efforts at Henry Ford College. She brings with her a leadership philosophy grounded in listening, collaboration, and transparency.
“Macomb is where I truly came to understand the life-changing impact of community colleges and discovered my passion for this work,” Gonko said. “To have the opportunity to return now as president is incredibly humbling.”
Leadership Starts With Listening
Throughout her career, Gonko has led through periods of change and transformation. Those experiences reinforced a lesson she believes is central to effective leadership.
“Leadership is about showing up, listening, and being transparent — even when transparency means saying, ‘I don’t know, but I’ll work with you to figure it out,’” she said.
Reflecting on her time serving as interim president at Henry Ford College, Gonko said she learned that transparency matters most during times of uncertainty. People may expect leaders to have all the answers. Still, she discovered that what teams value most is a leader who is present, communicates openly, and creates space for others to contribute: “When people know their voices matter, they’re far more willing to work together to solve even the most complex challenges.”
Student Success as the Measure of Impact
Among the many accomplishments Gonko is most proud of is the student success transformation achieved during her time at Henry Ford College. During that period, the college improved its graduation rate from 6% to more than 25%, while the number of degrees and certificates awarded increased by more than 170%.
“Those numbers represent far more than institutional success,” she said. “They represent thousands of students and their families whose lives have been changed through the power of education.”
The Power of Collaboration
D3C3 was created to help the Detroit Region’s community colleges work together to improve student outcomes, share best practices, and strengthen talent development across the Region. Collaboration, Gonko believes, is essential to that work.
“Meaningful change doesn’t happen in isolation,” she said.
One of the biggest lessons she has taken from participating in D3C3 is that some of the most effective solutions emerge when institutions are willing to learn from one another.
“Some of our best ideas came from colleges learning from one another, sharing what worked, being honest about what didn’t, and recognizing that we’re all trying to solve many of the same challenges,” she said.
That perspective aligns closely with D3C3’s focus on advancing student success through regional partnership and shared learning. It also reflects the broader goal shared by educators, employers, and community partners across the Region: to create stronger pathways to opportunity and talent development.
Looking Ahead
As community colleges continue to evolve alongside changing workforce and learner needs, Gonko sees significant opportunity ahead.
“I think the biggest opportunity is to continue reimagining how we support students — not just inside the classroom, but throughout their entire educational journey,” she said.
At Macomb, she sees no shortage of opportunity to do exactly that, citing the people she will serve alongside as something she’s energized by.
“When I worked at Macomb earlier in my career, my colleagues felt like family, and that sense of camaraderie made even the most difficult work rewarding,” she said.
Today, she looks forward to listening, learning, and building relationships across the institution as she begins her presidency.
I’m also excited about Macomb’s tremendous potential,” she said. “The college has an excellent reputation, exceptional employees, and strong partnerships throughout the community. I’m eager to build on that strong foundation alongside our faculty, staff, students, and community partners as we continue creating opportunities that continue to make a lasting difference for our students and the Region.”