CC names new director of Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean Energy
William Westmoreland has been named the executive director of the Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean Energy at Centralia College. Westmoreland replaces Barbara Hins-Turner, who retired in June after 14 years of service.
Westmoreland has more than 15 years of experience in program development, system integration, and community engagement. Most recently, he was the vice president of product for Launchpad, a Los Angeles-based company that provides customer relations software to a number of industries, including workforce development programs, community colleges, youth programs, and human services agencies.
His work there included program implementation, product development, and business development. Prior to Launchpad, Westmoreland was a workforce systems manager for Workforce Southwest Washington, a nonprofit group dedicated to workforce investment in Clark, Cowlitz, and Wahkiakum counties.
“William brings significant experience to his role,” said Joyce Hammer, vice president of instruction at Centralia College. ”He’s developed workforce programs in the energy sector, and has experience in manufacturing, software development, higher education, economic development, and human services in the technology sector. He’s a great resource for Washington State, Centralia College, and our partners in the energy industry.”
For Westmoreland, he’s already working to position the Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean Energy for greater visibility and impact locally, regionally, and nationally.
“My goals are to increase awareness of the Center of Excellence, update the programs we offer and align those programs to best practices across the country, and continue to build partnerships that promote the learning and working opportunities for our communities,” he said. “I’m really excited to be building on a long history of cooperation, partnership, and economic growth that’s already been established.”
In 2004-05, the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges selected ten Washington State Centers of Excellence to drive economic development for the state’s leading industries. At Centralia College, the Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean Energy provides strategic coordination for the energy industry’s skilled workforce in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Utah.