Russell Lowery-Hart

Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart was named Chancellor of Austin Community College District in 2023. Previously he led Amarillo College, where he built a culture of data-driven support and care for students that resulted in the college winning the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence in 2023. Dr. Lowery-Hart's leadership is focused on improving student success through systemic and cultural change centered on one word: LOVE. Under his leadership, Amarillo College developed a systemic “Culture of Caring” centered on the removal of poverty-based barriers. This culture was featured in The Atlantic (June 2018) in the long-form story “Colleges are no match for American poverty,” and in the documentary The Antidote, from Oscar -nominated and Emmy Award-winning directors Kahane Cooperman and John Hoffman.