Meet Dr. Sandra L. Kurtinitis
Dr. Sandra Kurtinitis is an experienced and respected educator, administrator and author who has served as the President of the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) since 2005. She has a Ph. D in American Civilization from the George Washington University and a master’s degree in British Literature from the University of Maryland. After more than 50 years as a community college professional, she continues to foster a collaborative, learning-centered environment, bringing transformational leadership to the college to meet the challenges students face today.
Dr. Kurtinitis is a tireless supporter of CCBC’s mission: to provide an accessible, affordable and high-quality education that prepares students for transfer and career success, strengthens the regional workforce and enriches our community. As a self-described servant-leader, she is resolutely committed to inclusive leadership and open communication, affirming her belief that “Every One of Us Counts.” Under her leadership, CCBC has strengthened its operational areas to best support instruction while making significant strides in improving services to students. One of her signature achievements is the Tuition-Free initiative, enabling 85 percent of CCBC students to attend the college “tuition free!”
As a trusted figure in higher education, Dr. Kurtinitis actively engages in advocacy at local and national levels. She holds memberships in associations such as the Maryland Chamber of Commerce and the Maryland Association of Community Colleges (MACC), and serves on the board of the Greater Baltimore Committee (GBC) and the Maryland Business Round Table. Nationally, she has chaired the American Association for Community Colleges (AACC) and is currently a member of the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT). Dr. Kurtinitis has been invited to the White House numerous times to champion the role that America’s community colleges play in meeting the country’s workforce needs through both associate degrees and workplace certifications.
Dedicated to empowering lifelong learning to fuel a thriving community, Dr. Kurtinitis has been recognized twice by the Daily Record as one of Maryland’s Most Admired CEOs and honored in the Baltimore Business Journal’s Women of Excellence list. She was also featured in Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine’s 2024 list of 40 Leading Women in Higher Education for her commitment to diversity efforts. Dr. Kurtinitis created the President’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Advisory Council soon after the death of George Floyd, an effort which has inspired and expanded many of the college’s diversity initiatives.
"The classroom is a far more important place on campus than the executive office"
CCBC has also received many accolades during Dr. Kurtinitis’ tenure such as the Association of Community College Trustees 2022 Charles Kennedy Equity Award and the Greater Baltimore Committee’s 2022 Regional Visionary Award. The college has been named “Best Community College” four times in the Maryland Daily Record’s reader rankings, repeatedly placed on the Military Times list of “Best Colleges for Veterans” and named among the “Top 150 Associate Degree Producers” in the United States by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine.