James_March-April_2026_web - Flipbook - Page 59
After decades in public education and state leadership, Martha
Ann Todd now leads an institution
designed to deliver results— helping
students gain skills that translate
directly into jobs, careers and longterm stability. As president of Columbus Technical College, Todd speaks
with the calm confidence of someone
firmly grounded in both mission and
momentum. She doesn’t talk about
education in abstractions. She talks
about people. It’s a perspective
shaped by time spent in classrooms,
central offices, state agencies and policy rooms across Georgia— and one
that now defines her leadership role.
Under her guidance, Columbus
Tech has become a cornerstone of
workforce development in one of
Georgia’s most dynamic and strategically important regions. The institution serves students fresh out of high
school, mid-career adults seeking
new opportunities and a substantial
military and veteran population transitioning to civilian life.
Now in her seventh year as president, Todd’s path to Columbus Technical College reflects a career shaped
by public service, education reform
and a deep belief in education as a
vehicle for economic mobility. From
K-12 leadership to statewide education policy and ultimately to technical
education, her journey mirrors the
evolving role of technical colleges
themselves. They are no longer seen
as an alternative path, but as a central driver of Georgia’s talent pipeline
She found a natural home in
Columbus, a community defined by
industry, innovation and service.
Columbus Tech is deeply rooted
in its region and unapologetically
focused on outcomes. So under her
leadership, the college has continued to grow, expand high-demand
programs and strengthen its role as
both an engine for workforce development and a pathway to upward
mobility for thousands of Georgians.
truly going to serve students well.”
From GOSA, Todd moved into
the Technical College System of
Georgia (TCSG), serving as deputy
commissioner. There, she developed
a deep appreciation for the technical
college mission and its impact on
students, families, and communities.
“This is work where you can
truly see lives change,” she said. “ProBRIDGING SYSTEMS
Todd began her career in K-12 ed- viding people with skills that lead
directly to job— and career— makes a
ucation, ultimately serving as assisreal difference, not just for individutant superintendent in Meriwether
als, but for the state as a whole.”
County from 2000 to 2011. A pivotal
moment came in 2013 when she was
asked by then-Gov. Nathan Deal to
A CLEAR PROMISE
lead the Governor’s Office of Student
At Columbus Technical College,
Achievement (GOSA). “For those five Todd is guided by a simple but powyears, I worked with K-12, technical
erful promise: To build the workforce
colleges, universities and private
the community needs. “We want our
institutions,” she explained. “It gave
students to gain the education and
me a statewide perspective on how
training that allows them to get a job,
all of those systems intersect— and
build a career, support their families,
how important alignment is if we’re
and give back to the communities
where they live,” she emphasizes.
That promise takes many forms,
she says. For some students, it
means earning a technical certificate
or associate degree and entering
the workforce quickly. For others,
it means stacking credentials over
time or transferring seamlessly to a
four-year institution through established articulation agreements.
Columbus Tech works closely with
nearby colleges and universities to
ensure those pathways remain accessible and affordable.
The institution’s tagline— transforming tomorrow today— is more
than a slogan. It reflects a practical,
outcomes-driven approach that
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