Rebekah Woods

President

Columbia Basin College

What has been your/your company’s most significant success over the last 12 months?

The privilege to help transform the lives of the 12,283 students we served last year and the amazing partnerships we have with business and industry on grants and building programs that provide meaningful experiences for our students and local K-12 students. We are committed to our role in preparing a local workforce, and we are honored to be a trusted partner with so many organizations in the community. Most recently this has included a grant with Energy Northwest for a small modular nuclear reactor simulator and outreach to local middle and high school students to provide experiences in nuclear energy. Also, Battelle generously donated $3.25 million for a Community STEM Learning Center hosted on our Pasco campus. These types of investments showcase the value CBC brings to our community.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?

Get your love at home. I know you’ll never please all the people all the time. Your focus as a leader needs to be on doing what’s best for the organization and those it serves.

Name one item on your bucket list.

I would like to experience an African safari and a Mediterranean cruise.

Name one thing about yourself you want people to know.

My faith and my family are my top priorities.

What has you most excited about the future of your company or industry?

The growth in enrollment and new programs we are building at CBC. I love walking the campus and seeing our students and having the opportunity to interact with them, whether it’s giving them directions to class or hearing how class is going. Also, as an open access institution, we provide exceptional educational pathways and resources to transform the lives of our students and their families. At its core, our mission supports a larger goal – upward social and economic mobility for our students, which is essential to the long-term success of our community.