Dr. Darrin L. Hartness has spent his entire career serving as an educator in North Carolina.  He became the fourth president of Davidson County Community College in January 2019. 

Prior to serving as college president, he spent 27 years in K-12 public education, most recently serving eleven years as superintendent of Davie County Schools and Mount Airy City Schools. His background also includes time spent as a teacher, principal, chief technology officer, assistant superintendent, and adjunct professor.

Dr. Hartness earned his doctoral degree in educational leadership and master’s degree in curriculum and instruction and instructional systems technology from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He earned his bachelor’s degree in industrial technology and secondary education from Appalachian State University.

Hartness was the recipient of the The William and Ida Friday Medal for Educational Innovation in 2017.  He was also selected to be part of the 2019 Aspen Presidential Fellowship, a select group of community college leaders who are involved in an intensive, applied executive leadership program, delivered by The Aspen Institute in collaboration with the Stanford Educational Leadership Initiative.

He and his wife, Lisa, have been married for 31 years and are the proud parents of two daughters, Madison and Molly.