Two key cabinet positions at Community Colleges of Spokane are expanding in July to ensure CCS continues as the regional leader in educating the workforce of the future. Last week CCS awarded more than 3,300 degrees and certificates in graduations throughout its six-county service area.
“Community needs are changing, our economy is growing and we must pursue innovation in higher education so that we can remain the number one choice in our region,” said Christine Johnson, CCS Chancellor.
Greg Stevens, who has been the district’s chief administrative officer for the past nine years, will now serve as the CCS chief strategy officer. In this role, he will retain his current duties with an added focus on the organization’s strategic design, including development of the next CCS Strategic Plan, which will be adopted in 2021. Stevens will be charged with leading the formulation of planned strategy, managing emergent strategy and supporting execution as necessary to meet changing student demographics, emerging regional economic and workforce needs and innovation in the delivery of high-quality education.
Stevens earned his master’s degree in business administration and human resources at the University of Utah and his bachelor’s degree of business administration and human resources at Boise State University. He has worked at CCS since 2000 in a variety of executive roles. Prior to that, he was the human resources director for the Butte/Glenn Community College District.
Carolyn Casey, who has been the district’s public information officer for five years, will now serve as the CCS chief institutional advancement and external affairs officer. In this role, she will retain her current duties of managing the marketing and public relations for CCS and will add oversight of the CCS Foundation and development of a comprehensive external affairs strategy. This change will enhance the foundation’s work by developing a stronger alignment with marketing and public relations, positioning the foundation for continued fundraising growth. During the past year, the foundation raised more than a million dollars for student scholarships and emergency support, academic program support and other CCS priorities.
Casey earned her master’s degree in public administration at the University of Washington and her bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science at Western Washington University. She joined CCS in 2014. Prior to that, she was the external affairs director for the Port of Bellingham.
About Community Colleges of Spokane
CCS includes Spokane Falls Community College and Spokane Community College, serving about 30,000 students annually in a 12,302-square-mile service area spanning six counties in Eastern Washington. CCS also operates a large Head Start/Early Childhood Education program that serves more than 1,800 infants to preschool children in the Spokane area.