Dr. Lori A. Heafner serves as President of Horry-Georgetown Technical College (HGTC) in South Carolina, bringing more than 25 years of higher education experience and 20 years of service to the College. Throughout her career, she has held leadership roles spanning academic affairs, institutional effectiveness, strategic planning, accreditation, grants development, and institutional research, providing her with a broad perspective on the opportunities and challenges facing community and technical colleges.
Dr. Heafner is committed to expanding educational opportunity, strengthening student success, and building partnerships that connect education with workforce and economic development. Her work has included developing academic and workforce pathways, strengthening transfer opportunities, expanding dual enrollment and early college partnerships, and collaborating with K-12 schools, universities, healthcare organizations, employers, and community leaders to address regional workforce needs.
An active community leader, Dr. Heafner serves as Chair of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and has held leadership roles with numerous regional and statewide organizations. Her engagement across higher education, business, and the community has shaped her belief that community and technical colleges are uniquely positioned to serve as catalysts for economic mobility and regional prosperity.
Dr. Heafner has extensive experience with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), including serving as chair of reaffirmation and substantive change committees. She earned her Ph.D. in Educational Sciences with a concentration in Higher Education Administration from Coastal Carolina University, where her doctoral research examined vertical transfer processes between South Carolina’s technical colleges and four-year institutions.
A community college graduate herself, Dr. Heafner began her higher education career at Cleveland Community College before joining HGTC in 2006. Her leadership is grounded in a belief in the transformative power of education and the important role community and technical colleges play in creating opportunity, strengthening communities, and preparing the workforce of the future.