After a career in public service and technical education spanning decades, Hazlehurst native Lonnie Roberts has announced he will retire as president of Coastal Pines Technical College effective September 30, 2026. Roberts has served as president of Coastal Pines since February 2021, but his connection to the college and technical education in Southeast Georgia reaches back much further. His retirement will conclude 25 years of service to Coastal Pines and its predecessor, Altamaha Technical College.
For Jeff Davis County, Roberts’ career is also the story of a local leader whose public service began at home. A lifelong resident of Hazlehurst and Jeff Davis County and a graduate of Jeff Davis High School, Roberts spent nearly 21 years serving as Jeff Davis County Clerk and County Administrator before beginning his career in technical education.
Roberts joined Altamaha Technical College in 2001 as Director of Institutional Effectiveness. In 2012, he was named Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness and helped lead the college through the process of achieving accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
He became Acting President of Altamaha Technical College in July 2013 and remained in that position until Altamaha Technical College and Okefenokee Technical College merged in July 2014 to create Coastal Pines Technical College. Seven years later, Roberts returned to the president’s office when he was selected to lead Coastal Pines, beginning his tenure on February 1, 2021.
As president, Roberts has overseen the college’s operations and its mission of providing technical education and workforce training throughout Southeast Georgia.
Reflecting on his upcoming retirement, Roberts said, “I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have served Coastal Pines Technical College and the students, faculty, staff and communities that make this college so special. This has been an incredibly rewarding chapter of my life, and I am proud of what we have accomplished together. Coastal Pines is an important part of the future of our region, and I have tremendous confidence in the people who will continue moving the college forward.”
Coastal Pines has experienced significant growth during Roberts’ five-plus years as president. Overall enrollment has increased 15.9%, and the college reached a new enrollment record during the 2025-2026 academic year. His tenure has also included expanded academic programs and facility improvements across Coastal Pines’ seven campus locations.
Among the major projects have been the opening of a new Precision Machining and Manufacturing Building at the Camden campus, a partnership to open the Southern Pines College and Career Academy at the Baxley campus, and the recent groundbreaking for a new Health Sciences Building at the Jesup campus.
Roberts earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and master’s degree from Valdosta State University. He is also a graduate of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development. His leadership has received statewide recognition as well. Georgia Trend Magazine named Roberts among Georgia’s 500 Most Influential Leaders for four consecutive years — 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Although his professional responsibilities eventually expanded throughout Southeast Georgia, Roberts’ roots have remained firmly planted in Hazlehurst and Jeff Davis County. His September retirement will close a 25-year chapter in technical education, following nearly 21 years of service to Jeff Davis County government — a career that has placed much of Roberts’ working life in service to his hometown and the surrounding region.
Coastal Pines Technical College serves students and communities throughout Southeast Georgia as part of the Technical College System of Georgia, providing technical education and workforce training designed to prepare students for careers and support economic development across the region.
Source: Coastal Pines Technical College
