CLARK - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer and Vice President of Advancement & External Relations at Clark College Foundation
- Foundation CEO
Calen Ouellette is Chief Executive Officer and Vice President of Advancement & External Relations at Clark College Foundation. He has led the Foundation since May 2022. He was enthusiastic to return to leading fundraising operations higher education because he knows the power of education to transform the lives of students.
Ouellette has more than 20 years of fundraising and communication experience, with 14 of those in senior management. Prior to his work at the Foundation, Ouellette was chief advancement officer at the Los Angeles LGBT Center, where he directed more than 50 employees and operations aspects of development, marketing communication, and volunteer resources. The center's annual fundraising goal increased from $10 million to $17 million during the two years he led the advancement operation.
Ouellette's work in higher education includes 15 years at the University of Southern California, where he advanced to chief administrative officer. At the University of Southern California, Ouellette's fundraising achievements include finalizing a record-breaking $115 million campaign for the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, securing a $20 million international naming gift and a $35 million gift, and being on the leadership team that built and implemented an $8 billion campaign.
He earned a bachelor's degree with honors in public relations and communication from Washington State University's Edward R. Murrow College of Communication. He earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business.
Ouellette was enthusiastic to relocate back to Washington, where he lived as a teen. He is enjoying exploring the Vancouver and Portland areas and the greater Pacific Northwest with his partner and their dog. In addition, Calen enjoys music, video games, and anything science fiction!
Cristhian A. Canseco Juarez is a first-generation college graduate, as well as an immigrant and an alumnus of Washington State University Vancouver. He is deeply involved in community service in Vancouver, providing resources for those who have historically been under-represented.
Job Titles:
- Vice Chair
- Healthcare Leader
Denise Gideon is a seasoned healthcare leader with an extensive record of service to communities. She is currently the System Vice President of Operations & Program Integration at PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Washington, where she also serves as the executive sponsor for the Black and Allies Network Group.
Previously, Gideon's professional career spanned leadership roles at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in Oakland and at Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland, as well as at the Alameda Alliance for Health. She is the former co-chair of the Board of Directors of St. Martin De Porres Catholic School and is active in faith communities wherever she lives and works.
Gideon served as a Licensed Practical Nurse in the U.S. Army during Desert Storm.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Human Resources
Dr. Brad Avakian earned his bachelor's degree from Oregon State University and his doctorate of law from Lewis & Clark University. For many years he worked as a lawyer specializing in civil rights cases. Later, he served in the Oregon House of Representatives and the Oregon Senate representing parts of northeast Washington County.
Dr. Avakian also served three terms as Oregon's Commissioner of Labor and Industries, during which time he was a strong advocate for career and technical education programs, as well as for equity for women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals.
Since leaving public service, Dr. Avakian has taught Politics and Public Policy for Managers in Willamette University's MBA program and worked in private practice as a mediator and arbitrator.
Dr. Karin Edwards is currently President of the Clark College, where she is responsible for providing vision and strategic direction for the college. As the chief executive officer, she has oversight for all programmatic, instructional, financial and student support services. Dr. Edwards is very active in community outreach and engagement, and workforce development. She plays a critical role in creating promising pathways for students and ensuring equitable student success. Before arriving in Portland in 2014, Dr. Edwards worked in the Connecticut and New York State Community College systems.
She holds a bachelor's degree in Psychology and a master's degree in Education Administration both from the State University of New York at Albany. She also earned a doctorate in Education Leadership from Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. Dr. Edwards has over 35 years of experience in higher education administration and has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the mission of community colleges, which has three primary areas of focus. Community colleges provide access to quality education and training, promote economic and community development, and respond to local and regional workforce needs. Equity is also inherent in the mission of community colleges. Dr. Edwards has championed diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout her career.
Dr. Edwards is a native New Yorker, born and raised in the South Bronx. For leisure, she enjoys reading, attending cultural events, exploring the Pacific Northwest, and dining out at the fantastic restaurants. She also enjoys giving back to her community by serving on various boards.
As a long-time educator, she has witnessed the transformational power that community colleges have in the lives of students and in the communities they serve.
Job Titles:
- Interim Vice President of Student Affairs
- Vice President of Student Affairs
Dr. Michele Cruse joined Clark College in October 2020 as Interim Vice President of Student Affairs. She was hired into the permanent position in November 2021. Prior to coming to Clark, she served as Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs and Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Experiential Education at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford in Pennsylvania. A native Pittsburgher, Dr. Cruse earned her associate degree from the Community College of Allegheny County, her bachelor's degree in public administration from the University of Pittsburgh, her master's degree in public administration and nonprofit management from Portland State University, and her doctorate in community college leadership from the University of Oregon.
Dr. Cruse's work experience includes both faculty and staff positions at Portland Community College, including dean of student development. She has owned her own business and served as co-founder of an organization focused on workshops and education for community members, women, disenfranchised youth, and those in alternative education.
At Clark College, Dr. Cruse leads Student Affairs, a unit that includes a wide range of services and programs including enrollment services, athletics, career services, international programs, financial aid, disability support, the Veterans Resource Center, and the Counseling and Health Center, among others.
Job Titles:
- Retired CEO of Workforce Southwest Washington
Jeanne Bennett is the retired CEO of Workforce Southwest Washington, a Vancouver resident, and a longtime community leader. She began her career working as a congressional staff member, first for Oregon Congresswoman Elizabeth Furse and then for Congressman Brian Baird in Washington. After that, she moved on to leadership positions in Evergreen School District 112's Youth Workforce Program, the Mount St. Helens Institute, and finally Workforce Southwest Washington, where she managed local investments of more than $10 million annually in individuals' workforce skills training and development.
In her retirement, Bennett remains active in her community, including serving as Board Chair for Columbia Play Project.
Job Titles:
- Graphic Design Supervisor / Photographer
Job Titles:
- Director of Marketing
- Communications and Marketing Staff
Marilee Scarbrough is an experienced educational professional in both K-12 and higher education. Since 2011, she has served as in-house Legal Counsel for Vancouver Public Schools.
Prior to her tenure in Vancouver Public Schools, she was employed as Policy and Legal Services Director for the Washington State School Directors' Association; Counsel for the Washington State House of Representatives - Higher Education Committee-Office of Program Research; Staff Attorney for Pierce County Teamchild; and staff attorney for the Pierce County Public Defenders' Office.
Job Titles:
- Director of Communications
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Operations
Sabra Sand serves as Clark College's Vice President of Operations. She first joined Clark College in 1998 as a fiscal technician in the cashier's office. Since then, Sabra has served as Accounting Supervisor and Director of Business Services.
Sabra began her educational journey here at Clark, studying business and accounting. She then completed her Bachelor's degree in Business and Accounting at Washington State University, where she also continued her graduate education in Accounting and Taxation.
Over the years, Sabra has served on many college and statewide committees including the ctcLink Vendor selection and Workgroup, ctcLink Implementation team, College Tech Fee Committee, ASCC Student and Activities Fee Committee, and the Economic Vitality Council. She is active at the state level serving on the Budget, Accounting, and Reporting Council for all Washington state community and technical colleges.
Outside of the college, she is very active in the soccer community, coordinating several teams and assisting players and coaches on a daily basis.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Information Technology
Sudha Frederick joined Clark College in April 2023 as the Vice President of Information Technology. Sudha brings 15 years of experience in the field of information technology and 7 plus years in serving in leadership positions in several non-profit organizations. He has a master's degree in business administration from George Fox University, a master's degree in ministry management from Multnomah University and a master's in Sociology from Madurai Kamaraj University. When away from work, he loves spending time with his family, church, playing the electric guitar and riding his motorcycle.
As the VP of Clark College, Sudha Frederick is responsible for the organization's technology vision and execution providing oversight of campuswide information technology activities, sponsoring IT committees, working with IT service units across campus, assessing current IT infrastructure and making appropriate recommendations and strategies to deliver timely and qualitative IT services across the University.
Sudha Frederick is passionate about building IT Teams to provide top notch IT services. One of his main focuses is to equip and empower his team to succeed by paying close attention to their natural potential and skillsets to set them up for success. He believes in transformational servant leadership. He describes the purpose for the existence of IT department to be as follows. ITS exists to ….
Job Titles:
- Communications Specialist
- Issues Communications and Management
Job Titles:
- CEO of Donaldson Consulting LLC
- Member of the Kinswa Family
Suzanne Donaldson, CEO of Donaldson Consulting LLC, a national consulting firm, has over 21 years of experience in the Architectural, Engineering and Construction Industry as a Diversity Consultant Practitioner working with large general contracting and engineering firms, small minority owned firms and government agencies.
Donaldson is a member of the Kinswa Family (Ike Kinswa State Park is named after her great grandfather). She is a current and former elected member of Cowlitz Indian Tribe Tribal Council. She served as Chair of The Cowlitz Indian Tribe Pow Wow Committee for many years, served as Vice Chair of The Cowlitz Indian Tribe Education Committee, The Cowlitz Canoe Family, The Cowlitz Drum Group, Elders Program Volunteer, Pathways to Healing Volunteer, and served as Event Planner for tribal Celebrations. In addition to designing and making regalia she is a Native American dancer, singer, drummer and artist.
Job Titles:
- Co - President for the Colorado Local Education Adult Resource Network
- Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Vanessa Neal (she/her) rejoined Clark College in September 2022 as Interim Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She earned her bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of New Mexico and her master's degree in leadership and organizations with an emphasis in human capacity from the University of Denver. With over a decade of experience in Higher Education, she has served in private and public institutions in student and employee-facing roles.
She initially joined Clark College in 2016 as a Classified staff member in Human Resources. Eventually, she served as the College's Director of Talent Acquisition and Development, where her key focus was diversity, equity, and inclusion in hiring, development, and retention. She also served on the Title IX team as a FETI-trained Title IX investigator and supported various HR-related functions.
In past roles, Vanessa has served as a Co-President for the Colorado Local Education Adult Resource Network (Colorado LEARN), a Manager of Enrollment, a Senior HR Business Partner, a Director of People Practices, and as an Interim Chief People & Culture Officer alongside her own consulting work. During her time at Clark College, Vanessa partnered closely with the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI) and the Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) to deliver various equity-centered trainings, events, and discussions and to host the inaugural Multicultural Graduation Reception. Through cross-departmental collaboration, she set the vision and direction for the accessible college-wide Professional Development Dashboard (PDD), implemented college-wide supervisory training, and supported the framework for the leadership development effort, L.E.A.D. During the early stage of COVID, Vanessa was instrumental in leading, developing, and transforming college-wide policies that allowed the College to pivot quickly during a critical time.