Robert Tann/The Aspen Times
Gov. Jared Polis announced J.B. Holston will be stepping in as the Colorado Department of Higher Education’s next executive director following Angie Paccione’s exit in January.
Paccione, who will be returning to the private sector after nearly seven years of service in the executive director position, said her last day will be Jan. 9. Holston began shadowing Paccione on Dec. 15, according to a Monday news release.
Polis said Holston’s experience in academic, business, civic and community leadership makes him a good fit for the position, in which Holston will become the newest member of the governor’s 21-member cabinet.
“(Holston’s) deep breath of experience and energy will drive forward our vision to better connect Higher Education with the needs of our workforce, ensuring that students who seek higher education leave with the skills needed for high-paying, in-demand careers,” Polis said in the release.
Holston holds a master’s of Business Administration from Stanford University and served as dean of the University of Denver’s School of Engineering and Computer Science between 2015 and 2020.
The upcoming director developed Colorado’s TechHubsNow! Initiative, a public-private partnership that led to the state’s designation as one of 31 national Department of Commerce Regional Innovation Hub finalists, in addition to co-founding the Colorado Mass Timber Coalition to address the state’s healthy forest and watershed needs, according to the release.
The announcement comes on the heels of a new report outlining recommendations to streamline higher education and workforce development under one agency, in efforts to facilitate access to resources for Colorado learners, job seekers and employers. The report comes from an executive order signed by Polis earlier this year.
Lawmakers said they plan to introduce a bill during the 2026 legislative session, which begins in January.