President's Office | Elgin Community College (ECC)

Meet Dr. Peggy Heinrich, ECC's President

Welcome from the President

Welcome to Elgin Community College (ECC), where your educational journey begins with a history of excellence for more than 75 years. At ECC, we're here to give you the learning advantage you need to succeed in today's interconnected world.

A good education is more important than ever, whether getting ready for a new job, improving your skills, or earning credits to finish a degree. Everyone belongs here and is committed to helping each other reach their dreams, from your teachers and staff to your fellow students. Here, people from all backgrounds come together to learn new things, make friends, and achieve their potential.

Our teachers are dedicated to helping you succeed, and our programs are nationally recognized for their quality. ECC will prepare you well for today's competitive job market and beyond, giving you the tools and knowledge to excel in your chosen field.

Check our website often to learn about all the available resources and opportunities. Visit our campus to experience ECC's vibrant community and supportive atmosphere. Join us at ECC, and let us help you build a bright future. We can't wait for you to achieve your goals and join our active community.

Best regards,

Peggy Heinrich, EdD
President

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Biography

Dr. Heinrich has served at Elgin Community College (ECC) in a variety of leadership roles over the past 18 years. She joined the college in 2007 as Associate Dean of Adult Education, later advancing to Dean and then to Vice President of Teaching, Learning, and Student Development, where she oversaw ECC’s academic and student services divisions. In July 2024, she was appointed Interim President, and in January 2025, she became ECC’s ninth president.

Experience

Before joining ECC, Dr. Heinrich built a strong foundation in education and literacy through a variety of leadership and teaching roles. She served five years as Associate Director for Adult Education and Family Literacy with the Illinois Community College Board. She previously worked as a Community Literacy Grant Monitor for the Illinois Secretary of State’s Literacy Office. Her career also includes roles as Director of Programs at Literacy Chicago, Adult Literacy Tutoring Coordinator at the Albany Park Community Center, and an independent consultant specializing in adult education and fundraising for community organizations across Chicagoland. Dr. Heinrich began her career as a high school English teacher in the Chicago Public Schools and has also taught English as a Second Language to adult learners in multiple community settings.

Educational Background and Certifications

Dr. Heinrich holds a Doctor of Education in Community College Leadership from Ferris State University, where she graduated with the Highest Distinction and received the 2017 Faculty Award for Distinguished Scholar-Practitioner. She also holds a Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics with a concentration in Teaching English as a Second Language from Northeastern Illinois University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in English and Secondary Education with a minor in Communications from DePaul University. In addition, Dr. Heinrich is a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) with the Yoga Alliance.

Awards and Recognition

In 2025, Dr. Heinrich was honored as a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, recognizing her significant contributions to advancing the Foundation's mission of creating lasting, positive change in communities worldwide. A 2022-2023 Aspen Rising Presidents Fellow with the Aspen Institute, Dr. Heinrich has received numerous prestigious accolades, including the 2023 YWCA Harriet Gifford and Hattie Griffin Education Leadership Award, as well as ECC's Leader of the Year Award in both 2014 and 2018.

Community Involvement and Leadership

Dr. Heinrich's contributions to statewide initiatives have significantly influenced the educational community. She currently serves on the governing boards of the Alignment Collaborative for Education, the Elgin Area Chamber, Saint Joseph Community Leadership, the Kane County Economic Development Corporation (KCEDC), and the Illinois Small Business Development Center at Elgin Community College (ECC). Her previous roles include Vice President (2023–2024) and Secretary (2022–2023) of the Illinois Community College Chief Academic Officers Executive Council.

She has also made substantial contributions to statewide initiatives through the Governor’s Dual Credit Quality Act Committee (2025), the Illinois Community College Board's Dual Credit Technical Working Group (2025), the Higher Education Futures Table: High School College Partnerships Working Group (2024), the Illinois Board of Higher Education Strategic Planning Equity Working Group (2021), and multiple committees for the Illinois Community College Board. Notably, she was one of four members selected to represent community colleges on the state-mandated Dual Credit Task Force, which developed Illinois' Model Partnership Agreement.

Innovative Programming for Adult Learners

As Dean at ECC, Dr. Heinrich developed innovative programming for adult learners, including Integrated Education and Training and bridge programming. These efforts helped ECC earn recognition as a 2017 Bellwether Award Finalist in Planning, Governance, and Finance. She also played a key role in creating the "Education and Work Center" in Hanover Park, a partnership between ECC, Harper College, the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership, and the Village of Hanover Park, which continues to serve as a model for collaborative educational initiatives.

Advancing Equity and College Initiatives

As Vice President, Dr. Heinrich led significant initiatives to close equity gaps, contributing to ECC's designation as a Leader College of Distinction by Achieving the Dream. She fostered a solution-oriented culture based on compromise and consensus-building. Under her leadership, the college expanded dual credit offerings, launched a comprehensive Quality Improvement Project focused on enhancing equity through the assessment of student learning, and successfully negotiated ten collective bargaining agreements with ECC's labor unions during and after the pandemic, ensuring quality, rigor, and continuity for ECC students.

President's Cabinet

Vice President of Teaching, Learning & Student Development, Annamarie Schopen
Vice President of Business & Finance, Kimberly Wagner
Vice President of Planning, Institutional Effectiveness & Technology, Philip Garber
Chief Human Resources Officer, Alison Guengerich
Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Mark Branson
Chief Community & Government Affairs Officer, Karla Jimenez
Chief Institutional Success and Engagement Officer, Jocelyn Santana
Interim Executive Director of Institutional Advancement & ECC Foundation, Rachel Stack
Chief of Police, David Kintz
General Counsel, Respicio Vazquez
Senior Executive Assistant to the President, Diane Kerruish