Dr. Jeff Cox is a recently retired educational leader, who retired with over 34 years of service to his home state of North Carolina. Dr. Cox’s last leadership role was serving as the 11th president of the North Carolina Community College, the third largest system in the country—serving over 600,000 students. During his three-year tenure, Dr. Cox led the System to achieve record enrollment growth and over $60 million in philanthropic investment in the NCCCS Foundation, developed a new funding model that led to an unprecedented investment from the NC General Assembly and laid the groundwork to implement a new modern ERP model across the System’s 58 colleges. Dr. Cox was particularly proud to see two NC Community colleges listed in Aspen’s Top Ten during his last month as System President.

Prior to leading the System, Dr. Cox served as the President of Wilkes Community College from 2014 to 2023 where he led a fantastic team of faculty and staff that more than doubled the completion rate at the college, raised $20 million to support strategic initiatives, and created a five-year strategic plan seen as a national model for other institutions.

Cox formerly served as the Superintendent of Alleghany County Schools from 2005 to 2014. He also served as Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction for Lee County Schools and as an elementary principal and assistant principal in Union County Schools. He began his career as a high school teacher and coach.

Dr. Cox earned his Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He also has a Master’s in School Administration and a bachelor’s degree in English—Secondary Education, both from Appalachian State University. Dr. Cox and his wife, Reba, have three sons Dylan, Evan, and Zach, a daughter-in-law, Shae, and one sassy Corgi named Jasmine.