What inspires you?

I’m inspired by the people I work with every day and the students I serve—their grit, their dedication, and their willingness to step up and be brave when things get difficult. Serving in higher education, particularly at a community college, we know our students are often stepping into uncertainty in pursuit of growth and opportunity. Watching them rise to the moment—often while balancing work, family, and significant life challenges—reminds me how powerful resilience can be.

I am equally inspired by the people I work alongside, whom I have the privilege to lead and most importantly learn from. Their commitment and dedication to the students and willingness to collaborate and lean on one another for support inspires me to lead with the same level of purpose, trust, and compassion.

I am reminded daily that leadership is not simply about decision-making and outcomes, but about building authentic relationships, fostering a sense of belonging, and opening doors for others to recognize their potential. The progress I witness in our students and my team continually renews my sense of purpose and reminds me why this work matters.

What makes a great leader?

To me, true leadership is rooted in service—meeting people where they are; showing up for others in an authentic, respectful way; and creating a supportive environment where people feel like they belong and are able to succeed. In my current role as Vice President and Campus Director, I oversee a campus location where my primary focus is to provide clarity and direction to the campus community while staying grounded in our mission to serve students.

Working in higher education, especially at a community college, means remembering our purpose of creating opportunities for all individuals who come to us from various backgrounds, experiences, and walks of life. Leaders must remember that every person carries a story, and those stories matter. So great leaders listen and nurture a culture of trust and respect.

Leading is about the lives you touch and the environment you create to empower others to become the best versions of themselves. I learned quickly through experience that the golden rule applies-- when people feel respected, valued, and heard, they are more willing to step forward, share ideas, and contribute their talents in ways that ultimately advance our student-focused mission.

I believe a great leader knows that leadership is both a responsibility and a privilege. Leaders are not perfect and must embrace accountability and accept responsibility for successes and failures alike. On the continuum of leadership, there will be both. But, as one of my mentors used to say, “continue to stay curious, learn from the process, get up if you fall, and keep moving forward.”

Tell us about a time you felt truly proud of your work. What did you accomplish?

As I reflect on my 20 years at Delaware Tech, the moments that fill me with the greatest pride are those in which I’ve been able to positively impact students and contribute to their successes. As an instructor, I had the privilege of sharing real-world business lessons from my own experiences and entrepreneurial journey, witnessing many students graduate and launch businesses of their own. This has been extremely rewarding and purposeful work for me.

As I moved out of the classroom and into various leadership roles at the College, my impact on students was at a broader, institutional level. Most recently, in my role as Vice President and Campus Director, it has been especially rewarding to create beautiful, functional, and inspiring spaces on my campus for our students—because they deserve environments that reflect their value and potential. Over multiple years, in my current role, I have led and completed over $50 million in major construction and renovation projects, including the new Allied Health Center of Excellence, a new Student Success Center, an improved Café, and a revitalized campus courtyard. These efforts transformed a 50-year-old campus that was in need of significant uplift and modernization—an immense amount of work that took place while also navigating the many challenges of a global pandemic.

Together, we aligned stakeholders around common goals, maintained clear and consistent communication throughout each phase, and worked collectively to deliver high-quality outcomes while the campus remained fully operational. Leading and navigating the complexity and disruption of large-scale campus projects in a rapidly changing environment required a high level of coordination, adaptability, and trust across the team. While the work was challenging, it strengthened our collective leadership capacity and taught me important leadership lessons along the way. The result is a campus environment that is not only functional, but also beautiful and welcoming—a visible reflection of purposeful planning, teamwork, and a shared commitment to student success. Investing in our students means investing in their future, and this work represents something I am most proud of! 

Tell us about your most difficult challenge and how you overcame it.

One of the most challenging aspects of my leadership journey has been serving in a senior executive role while thoughtfully navigating the layered realities many women leaders carry—professional accountability, caregiving responsibilities, personal growth, and the often-unspoken societal expectations placed on women. As women, we sometimes feel that we have to do it all, do it perfectly, and do it alone. But this notion was deeply tested during the pandemic—a time that many individuals would point to as the most challenging years of their lives. For me, the pandemic brought my priorities into sharper focus and was a reminder that leadership is about building a culture of connection, clarity, and support—not about being perfect and accomplishing everything alone.

During this time, I was responsible for guiding large-scale campus construction and operations while ensuring continuity, safety, and stability for students and employees in an unprecedented and rapidly changing environment. At the same time, I was intentionally investing in my own growth and managing personal commitments that did not pause simply because the world had shifted. The challenge was not just managing competing priorities, but redefining leadership in a way that was sustainable, human-centered, and mission-driven.

Overcoming this challenge required me to unlearn the notion that leadership must be solitary or flawless. I learned to lead with both confidence and compassion—to prioritize what mattered most, set clear boundaries, trust my team, and model a culture where asking for support is a strength, not a weakness. By doing so, I created space for shared leadership, clarity, and resilience across the campus.

This experience fundamentally reshaped how I lead. It reinforced that effective leadership is not about doing everything alone, but about empowering others, leading with intention, and fostering an environment where people feel seen, supported, and aligned around a shared vision. The result was not only continuity during crisis, but a stronger, more connected campus community—one better positioned to serve students and fulfill our mission long into the future.

Dr. Lora A. Johnson has served as Vice President and Campus Director at Delaware Technical Community College’s Orlando J. George, Jr. Campus in Wilmington since 2017. In this role, she provides executive leadership and oversight for all instructional, financial, administrative, operational, development, and community engagement functions of the campus.

Dr. Johnson represents the College on several community and economic development boards, including the Delaware State Chamber Partnership Board, the New Castle County Economic Partnership, and  United Way of Delaware. She currently chairs the Delaware Manufacturing Extension Partnership (DEMEP) Board.

Since joining the College in 2004, Dr. Johnson has held a wide range of leadership roles, including collegewide entrepreneurship department chair, assistant vice president for marketing and public relations, director of human resources, director of communication and planning, and assistant campus director for both the Stanton and George Campuses. Her diverse experience reflects a comprehensive understanding of institutional operations and a sustained commitment to organizational excellence and student success.

Dr. Johnson earned a Doctor of Education in Higher Education and Leadership from Wilmington University, a Master of Business Administration in Marketing, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Delaware. She is also a graduate of the College’s 2010 Leadership Development Program.