About Dr. Schaffer
Dr. Joe Schaffer considers himself a community college evangelist. Far from successful in his early college pursuits, an associate’s degree changed his life for the better. In repayment, his professional commitment has been to strengthen the mission of the community college, locally and nationally. Dr. Schaffer’s work in the higher education sector spans more than a quarter of a century, serving the past 15 years in the role of CEO at two different institutions.
Dr. Schaffer currently serves as the President of Laramie County Community College (known as L-Triple C), located in Wyoming’s state capitol of Cheyenne. Since Dr. Schaffer’s arrival at LCCC, the College has transformed its campus through more than $200 million in facilities improvements, celebrated multiple record-setting graduating classes, and has seen graduation rates increase by 106 percent.
Prior to joining LCCC, Dr. Schaffer spent a decade at Montana State University-Great Falls (now Great Falls College), serving in a variety of academic and administrative roles. At the age of 34, he was appointed the campus Dean and Chief Executive Officer, making him one of the youngest college CEOs in the nation at the time. He has worked in non-profit, municipal, and private industry, including owning and operating a successful design and Internet consulting company with clients across the world.
Dr. Schaffer is active nationally, having chaired and served on commissions, executive boards and committees. In 2022-2023, he chaired the Board of Directors of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). In the past he has served as chair for AACC’s Committee on Public Policy and Government relations, Commission on Small and Rural Colleges, and as a member of the President’s Academy Executive Committee.
In addition, Joe’s national service includes the Phi Theta Kappa's (PTK) President’s Advisory Board, the Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCCSE), the National Advisory Board, the National Association of Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) Board of Directors, the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (WICHE), the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), and the Innovative Educators advisory board.
Locally, Dr. Schaffer serves and has led the boards of various community and business organizations. He is a past chairman of the Board of Directors of Cheyenne LEADS, Wyoming’s premiere economic development agency, and currently serves on the Wyoming Business Council Board of Directors, as well as the Board of Directors of the Greater Cheyenne Area Chamber of Commerce. He is also involved in his local Catholic church community, having served on the advisory board of St. Mary’s Catholic School, as well as the St. Mary’s Cathedral Parish Finance Council.
Dr. Schaffer lectures, presents, and writes on a variety of topics, but his passion is learning and sharing about surviving change, leadership and leadership development, rural America and higher education, and educational policy.
Dr. Schaffer received his Associates of Arts degree from Bemidji State University (MN), a Bachelor of Science from The University of Montana, his Masters of Science in Technical Communication from Montana Tech, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from The University of Montana’s College of Education and Human Sciences.
Dr. Schaffer is an avid outdoorsman and has a deep passion for hunting, fishing, and the great outdoors. At home women rule his world, or at least that is what his wife Brooke, and daughters Samantha and Lia tell him.