The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of the role of community college STEM faculty as leaders with the power to effect institutional transformation. This conceptual paper begins with a broad overview of formal and informal leadership and the urgent need for new leadership in community colleges through an overview of community college leadership and faculty leadership literature. Next, formal programs and tools, designed to build and support leaders in community colleges and STEM contexts, are presented to provide leaders with current and relevant means by which to encourage and develop STEM faculty leaders. Strategic development of faculty leaders, distinct from administrative or executive leaders, is imperative because it acknowledges the importance of the role that informal faculty leaders play in student achievement, instruction, research and transformation of scientific knowledge (Guy, 2006). Being able to understand and identify key domains of leadership, categories and descriptors, particularly in the context of a community college STEM faculty member, will reveal the patterns, progression and development of a faculty leader. This understanding is critical to enhancing current and developing new STEM faculty leaders.