Maricopa Community Colleges is proud to announce that Dr. Kimberly Britt, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost, has been selected as one of the Phoenix Business Journal’s Most Admired Leaders of 2026.
“With every leadership opportunity I have been afforded within the Maricopa County Community College District, my hope has been that I would make a difference for the employees within my sphere of influence and that the work we did together would positively impact our students,” said Dr. Britt. “If that has brought a speck of admiration, I am deeply grateful.”
Chosen from a pool of more than 160 nominees, Dr. Britt joins an accomplished group of Valley leaders and executives for the 17th annual recognition. The selection committee, composed of Business Journal editors, uses a scoring system that factors leadership, community involvement, professional and personal achievements, and company culture, among others.
Meet Dr. Britt
Dr. Britt assumed the role of Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost in December 2025. She continues to serve as the President of Phoenix College (PC), a position she’s held since June of 2022. An educator at heart, Dr. Britt’s extensive higher education experience includes serving as PC’s vice president of academic affairs, special assistant to the chancellor at the Virginia Community College system, vice president of academic and student affairs at Reynolds Community College, vice president of academic affairs and student affairs at Eastern Shore Community College, and professor of English and later department chair for English, reading, and developmental studies at Horry-Georgetown Technical College.
Britt’s Bears
A former foster youth, Dr. Britt experienced firsthand the life-changing impact of education. Driven by her desire to pay it forward, Dr. Britt founded Britt’s Bears, a student support program that provides social and cultural experiences for foster youth and at-risk student populations. In addition, students receive monthly coaching and mentoring sessions to help them navigate college processes such as financial aid, advisement, and other barriers to academic success. Since its inception in Fall 2023, Britt’s Bears has served, on average, approximately 75 students. Currently, there are 150 students in the program for Spring 2026.
“As a leader, whether that has been in the role of a vice president, president, or executive vice chancellor, I have always tried to remember that people are my greatest priority,” continued Dr. Britt. “If I take care of the people—their worries, their fears, and celebrate them—they will take care of most everything else.”
Dr. Britt, along with this year’s honorees, will be celebrated during the annual Most Admired Leaders event on Thursday, May 7, 2026, in addition to being featured in the Phoenix Business Journal’s Most Admired Leaders special publication on May 8.