Christine Johnson, CCS chancellor, has announced the hiring of two executive leaders to serve as the provost and the chief compliance officer for the community colleges. Valerie Smith Senatore has been named provost/chief learning officer and Amy McCoy was named chief compliance officer. Both will begin their new roles on July 1, 2019.
Valerie Smith Senatore, Ph.D.
Senatore was selected as provost following a nationwide search for this position that has broad academic oversight and innovation responsibility across the community college district. Johnson noted that she has strong leadership experience in both public and private college systems.
“Her depth and breadth of academic expertise will serve the community colleges well,” Johnson said. “Dr. Senatore’s variety of experience in higher education will be a great asset as she both respects traditions and helps us move forward with changes to respond to the ever-evolving landscape in higher education.”
Senatore most recently served as the group dean of academic excellence for the Northeast Region of DeVry University with an enrollment of more than 25,000 students, where she managed 45 full-time and over 300 visiting faculty members. She has held several key leadership roles with DeVry including interim president and dean of the Washington DC campus. During her four years with DeVry she led initiatives to reorganize academic deans, develop new academic strategies, transition to a new learning management system and expand the use of predictive analytics to improve student outcomes. She also led efforts to expand educational services to the military and improving student recruitment outcomes.
Prior to working at DeVry, Senatore was the dean of Mathematics, Behavioral and Social Sciences and the International Center at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston. She also has been the chairperson of the Department of Social Sciences and an associate professor of psychology at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts, and a psychology faculty member at American International College in Springfield, Mass. and Collin College in Plano, Texas.
“Community Colleges of Spokane has earned a reputation of creating and growing a progressive district committed to a constituent-centered approach through the scaffolding of students to meet their educational and career goals via an exceptional combination of academic excellence and responsiveness to community needs,” Senatore said.
She earned her Ph.D. in educational psychology from Texas A&M; a master’s degree in sociology at the University of Texas in Arlington, where she also earned a bachelor’s degree in history.
Amy McCoy
Johnson also announced the promotion of Amy McCoy from director of compliance to chief compliance officer, which is an executive cabinet position. McCoy, who has served as acting provost for the past year has held leadership positions at Community Colleges of Spokane since 1999.
“Managing compliance and Title IX issues across our complex community college district is an increasingly challenging role and requires someone with a knowledge and expertise in the laws and regulations, as well as a deep understanding of our organization,” Johnson said. “I am confident in Amy’s abilities and grateful for her contributions in numerous roles at CCS.”
McCoy began her academic career as a faculty member at Washington State University where she also served as an academic counselor. She then served as the director of Disabilities Support Services and associate dean of Student Academic Services at Gonzaga University.
Since joining CCS in 1999, McCoy has served as the assistant dean of Continuing and Distance Education and dean for Professional Technical Education at Spokane Falls Community College; dean of Student Services and vice president of Student Services at the former Institute for Extended Learning; vice president of Student Services at Spokane Community College and, most recently, as district director of compliance and acting provost.
“I am pleased to continue to support the CCS mission in my new role and assist in providing access to excellent and affordable educational opportunities in our urban and rural communities,” McCoy said.
McCoy earned her master’s degree in rhetoric and communication from the University of California, Davis, her bachelor’s degree in communication at WSU and her associate of science degree from North Idaho College. She is also a certified Title IX coordinator.