Three finalists in Macomb Community College presidential search referred to college’s board of trustees for interviews.

Katherine Bracey Lorenzo, chair of the Presidential Search Advisory Committee and the Macomb Community College Board of Trustees, has announced that the committee has referred three candidates to be interviewed by the college’s board.  This is the culmination of a national search that officially opened in November 2025 to identify a replacement for retiring Macomb Community College President James O. Sawyer IV. The 14-member Presidential Search Advisory Committee was comprised of representatives from the college’s board, employee groups and students, and members of community partner organizations in key industry sectors. 

The three finalists referred for the board’s consideration and their date for interview are:

• Tuesday, March 3: Elizabeth (Libby) Argiri, MBA, CPA, executive vice president, Administration, Macomb Community College
  
  Libby Argiri has more than 20 years of executive leadership experience at Macomb Community College and joined the college as director of Financial Services in 2001.  She has led a broad range of administrative and operational areas, including finance, budget, grants, facilities and construction, financial aid, information technology, purchasing, health and workplace safety, human resources, conference and event services, and risk management. Argiri serves on the boards of Leadership Macomb and Connect Macomb, and is a task force member for Macomb County’s Blue Economy Initiative, treasurer and audit committee chair for Michigan Schools and Government Credit Union, and chair of the Michigan Community College Risk Management Authority.
  
  
• Wednesday, March 4: Lori M. Gonko, Ed.D. interim president, Henry Ford College
  
  Lori Gonko has 25 years of community college experience. She joined Henry Ford College in 2012 as coordinator of Perkins before becoming coordinator of Program Improvement and Effectiveness, and then was named vice president of Strategy and Human Resources in 2018. She has served as the college’s interim president since July 2025. Gonko began her career at Macomb Community College, where she worked from 2001 – 2012, starting as an administrative assistant before becoming a coordinator and then manager in career and technical education. Gonko serves as an adjunct professor in the Doctorate in Community College Leadership program at Ferris State University and is a graduate of the Aspen Institute Excellence Program’s Rising Presidents Fellowship.

• Thursday, March 5: Charles W. Lepper, Ph.D., former president, Grand Rapids Community College
  
  Lepper has more than 27 years of experience as a higher education leader, most recently as president and CEO of Grand Rapids Community College 2023-2025. Previously, he has held senior leadership roles at Salt Lake, Tidewater and Ivy Tech community colleges in areas such as student affairs, enrollment, faculty development and accreditation. He also taught as an adjunct instructor at multiple organizations.

For more information on each of the candidates, go to www.macomb.edu/presidentialsearch.

Candidate forums open to faculty, staff, students and community members will also be conducted on the day of each candidate’s interview. The schedule for the community forums and board interviews are the same time and location for all three candidates:

Community Forum, 9:30 a.m., South Campus, 14500 E. 12 Mile Road, Warren: John Lewis Student Community Center (K Building), Room 324

Board of Trustees Interview, 7 p.m., Center Campus, 44575 Garfield Road, Clinton Township: University Center, UC 1, Lecture Hall B

About Macomb Community College

Macomb Community College (www.macomb.edu) is about transforming lives and communities through the power of education, enrichment and economic development. Macomb grants the largest number of associate degrees in Michigan and is the largest community college in the state. The college provides programming for youth through seniors, including early college for high school students, university transfer and career preparation programs, workforce education, continuing education and certification, and a wide range of enrichment opportunities encompassing arts, culture and lifelong learning.

Media Contact: Jeanne Nicol, nicolj@macomb.edu, 586.445.7204