NewsMakers ’25: Fernando Figueroa is ‘Superman’ behind creating a pipeline of talent for NKY jobs

By Laura Kroeger
NKyTribune staff writer

Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and the work’s universal themes of unending patience, love, and redemption became a launching point for Dr. Fernando Figueroa as he majored in medieval studies in his native state of Louisiana. It sounds like an unusual starting point for a community college president, but it provided the initial foundation for the impactful leader he is today.

“At Baton Rouge I saw people as they really are. People trying to carve out a new life like single mothers or aimless students who just needed to be pointed in the right direction. It was a pivotal place for me,” says Figueroa.

So like the travelers in The Canterbury Tales, he started a journey, his to assist students with direction and especially inspiration, a word he uses often.

“I learned through my classroom and administrative interactions with students that when they have a champion behind them, they can be easily encouraged to live their best life.”

He holds a Master of Arts and Ph.D. in English from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Then his administrative life took off on all cylinders. He became Dean over Arts & Letters at a community college in Chicago. There he had a life-changing encounter with someone who recognized his talents: storytelling, building strong relationships with the community, vision, decisive leadership, assisting students and staff to be ambition driven, and simply being a role model that everyone could admire.

“This friend recruited me to become provost when he assumed the presidency of Tyler Community College in Texas. That’s where I got my big-picture thinking and realized even more about myself, especially that I love underdogs!”

When Figueroa was named president of Gateway Community and Technical College he brought more than 25 years of classroom instruction and all aspects of college administration. He also carried the support of his family: wife Debbie, a professional artist, their four children and three grandchildren. He immediately set forth to align Gateway with the workforce development pipeline and with the transfer portal for those seeking a four-year degree. He presides over three Gateway campuses: Covington Metro, Edgewood and Florence.

“Fernando’s unwavering commitment to student success and community engagement is transforming lives and empowering a new generation of learners, while also helping businesses and our economy grow,” believes Northern Kentucky Chamber President and CEO Brent Cooper.

“Under his leadership. Gateway is experiencing record enrollment as they continue to pursue partnerships and opportunities to improve student success and workforce development. Gateway’s partnerships and community impact are strengthened by Fernando’s engagement throughout the community, whether it’s the Chamber of Commerce, Workforce Investment Board or many more organizations.”

Figueroa also sits on the Duke Energy Advisory Council, BE NKY, KKYEC, NKY Works Advisory Committee, the Covington Business Council and KET. Yet, he has time to remain on the pulse beat of Gateway program success and implement key initiatives to ensure youth gain a clear focus on their future.

“We have a strong Adopt a Class Program for K-12,” he explains. “This enables our staff to nurture the educational futures of our youth. Our Dual Credit program with high schools has expanded. We are also working with four middle schools to help younger students discover their skills. Over 30,000 middle school students have taken our survey to assess their talents and the industries they admire. We’ve discovered that many females have an aptitude for IT, so we can help them develop their interest early on. Our goal is to keep them all in Northern Kentucky.”

Gateway’s GPS (Gateway Path Strategies) helps the student enter a path way—a career education emphasis or a transfer to a four-year university.

If a student is drawn to the trades, Gateway can train them for an occupation such as plumbing, HVAC, advanced manufacturing, welding, commercial truck driving and medical careers. Students destined for a four-year degree take basic courses that are transferable to a university—English, mathematics, writing, etc.

Says recently retired Duke Energy vice president Rhonda Whitaker Hurtt, “Over the years I’ve had the good fortune to serve with Dr. Figueroa on a number of economic and workforce development boards and committees. He has paved the way for Gateway to be the success it is today, always ensuring the college has top-notch staff and educators who are engaged in the community and who listen to what employers need and how industry trends are changing. As an example, Dr. Figueroa and his team helped Duke Energy and local utility contractors grow the talent pipeline for line crew technicians by developing and later enhancing a program that offers students the basic skills necessary to apply for entry level line crew positions after completing the program. Nothing like this existed in the NKY region before.

“I should also note that he doesn’t just ‘sit’ on a board. Instead, he has an influential voice, sharing what he and the Gateway team are hearing from K-12 and post-secondary institutions, students and employers. He always brings research and data to discussions. He’s a big proponent of how data should drive decisions and how partnerships and collaboration can drive results.”

There’s no doubt that Figueroa is a steady force in the development of the region’s economy. He believes that when Gateway succeeds the entire community succeeds with a trained workforce, engaged and productive citizens, and economic prosperity.

“Some people get pigeon holed,” he explains. “That’s why it is important to have the support of the community to help our students live a career path that will enhance the student’s life and the student’s contributions to the community. We are the gateway to a better life!”

“Fernando gets it,” states Cooper. “He understands Gateway’s critical role in the Northern Kentucky community and the Cincy region’s workforce ecosystem. I’m so happy to see him being recognized, as his efforts to increase the pipeline to post-secondary credentials, and build the workforce pipeline, are critical to our region’s collective long-term success.”

Lee Crume, president and CEO of economic generator and growth partnership BE NKY echoes Cooper’s sentiment.

“As a result of Fernando’s leadership, Gateway continues to be an invaluable asset to the Northern Kentucky community, training and educating the next generation of workers in IT, advanced manufacturing, supply chain, and life sciences. I can’t think of anyone more deserving of the NKyTribune Newsmaker Award.”

“I’m honored to be a recipient of this award,” said Figueroa. “It includes me as well as our ambition-driven team that shows how we can inspire and change the way Northern Kentucky truly cares about living our best lives possible.

It’s not surprising that the comic book aficionado’s favorite character is… Superman.

Join the celebration for ’25 NewsMakers at the meet-and-greet reception Nov. 20, 8:30-10:30 a.m. at Wenzel Distillery’s new event center on Madison Avenue in Covington. Enjoy breakfast bites and coffee and a short awards presentation as a guest of our funders.