Vaccine Clinic Appointments—IMPORTANT! BTC is not responsible for scheduling any vaccine appointments. All inquiries and appointments must be made through the Whatcom County Health department. Below are the contacts to make appointments:

Office of the President

Office of the President

Welcome to the Bellingham Technical College website.

As Bellingham Technical College’s interim president, it is gratifying and inspiring to see how BTC effectively serves our students and community through innovative professional technical education programs supported by excellent student services practices.

We are proud to be this community’s technical college and to have served over 5,400 students last year, even while operating under pandemic conditions. Our Board of Trustees, administration, faculty, and staff all remain committed to fulfilling BTC’s mission to provide student-centered, high quality professional technical education for today's needs and tomorrow’s opportunities, ensuring that students receive an exceptional educational experience. Our relationships with community, business, and industry partners continue to grow in strength and BTC’s reputation reflects our pursuit of excellence.

As part of our commitment to continuous quality improvement, BTC is implementing a Guided Pathways approach to instruction, clustering individual programs into areas of study such as Advanced Manufacturing, Transportation & Mechanical Technology, and Allied Health and utilizing navigators to provide consistent wrap-around support to students. This model will increase instructional effectiveness, improve retention and persistence, and reduce time to completion.

BTC has augmented our offerings to enhance after-graduation opportunities for students by developing new Bachelor of Applied Science degrees in Engineering Technology and Operations Management, with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in the early stages of approval.

In addition to these expanding degree opportunities, BTC provides continuing education, industry certificates, and customized training to incumbent workers.

Of course, we are proud to maintain our partnerships with local school districts as well. The IMPACT! Program is re-engaging at-risk youth and getting them back to school to earn their diploma, GED, or professional technical credits, and BTC supports CTE Dual Credit and Running Start dual enrollment programs in collaboration with high schools across Whatcom County.

Whether you are a high school student, traditional student, or lifelong learner, BTC has great things happening. Come see for yourself today!

 

Sincerely,

Presidents signature
Walter Hudsick

 

Important Links

BTC Notable News
BTC's Strategic Plan, Mission, and Vision
Diversity at BTC

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Board of Trustees

BTC is governed by a five-member Board of Trustees. Each member is appointed by the governor, and serves a five-year term.

The Board’s activities include strategic planning, policy creation, appointing the College President, approving operating budgets, and awarding tenure.

For additional information regarding the Board of Trustees please contact the College President's office at 360.752.8334.


Debbie Ahl Trustee picture
Debbie Ahl

Appointed to the BTC Board of Trustees in March 2011. Served as Board Chair 2017-2019.

CAREER PROFILE:

Founder and Managing Partner, Edgewater Advising. Currently works with small businesses and entrepreneurial startups to support economic growth in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. (Retired) President & CEO Sterling Life Insurance Company. (Retired) President & CEO, Olympic Health Management Systems, Inc.

EDUCATION PROFILE:

Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Washington University in Communications.

COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

Joint Quality Committee for Peace Health St. Joseph Hospital. Board for the Center for Excellence in Management Education for the College of Business & Economics, Western Washington University.

Jeff Callender Trustee picture
Jeff Callender

Appointed to the BTC Board of Trustees in February 2016. Current Board Vice Chair.

CAREER PROFILE:

Retired Regional Public Affairs Director for Phillips 66, based in Ferndale. His public affairs career included employment at Security Pacific Bank, Union Oil Company, and CIBA Vision.

EDUCATION PROFILE:

B.A. in political science from Claremont Men’s College, and a master’s degree in business administration from Loyola Marymount University.

COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

He has served on boards for the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce, the Port of Los Angeles' International Trade Education Program, Habitat for Humanity, YWCA advisory board, Boys and Girls Clubs of Whatcom County, the Bellingham Technical College Foundation, the Northwest Washington Economic Council, the Bellingham Whatcom Chamber of Commerce, and the Association of Washington Business.

Bradley Smith Trustee picture
Bradley Smith

Appointed to the BTC Board of Trustees in March 2018. Current Board Chair.

CAREER PROFILE:

Dean of Huxley College of the Environment at WWU (1994-2012); Prior experience includes: Director of the Office of Environmental Education for the US Environmental Protection Agency; Special Assistant to the administrator of the EPA; and, Acting Associate Administrator for the EPA. Dr. Smith was appointed to the U.S. Senior Executive Service in 1991. In addition, he was a professor of political science and biology, Director of Michigan’s Tobico Marsh National Refuge and also served as adjunct faculty at the Air Force Institute of Technology and the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment

EDUCATION PROFILE:

Ph.D. from the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and the Environment.

COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

Washington State Fish and Wildlife Commission, current Chair; Bering Sea Fisheries Advisory Board; National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology; National Environmental Education Foundation; North Pacific Research Board; member of the Arctic Working Group; Washington State Sea Grant Board; and, Washington State Sustainability Commission.

William Mirand Trustee picture
William Mirand

Appointed to the BTC Board of Trustees March 2020.

CAREER PROFILE:

Operations, I.B.E.W. Local 191. Prior work experience includes 40 years as an I.B.E.W. member as a journeyman electrician, holding numerous elected and appointed leadership positions; Business Representative, Business Manager and Senior Advisor/Mentor I.B.E.W. 46 and I.B.E.W. 191. Peace Corps Volunteer, Western Samoa 2009 - 2010.

EDUCATION PROFILE:

Bachelor’s Social Work, State University of New York at Buffalo; Masters of Social Work (MSW), State University of New York at Buffalo; Washington State Approved Electrical Apprenticeship, Puget Sound Electrical Workers

COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

Past: Chairman, Puget Sound Electrical JATC; Apprenticeship Council member; Apprenticeship Program Manager. Has participated in fundraising for Lydia Place and Habitat for Humanity, as well as volunteering for Master Gardener projects.

Richard Kaiser Trustee picture
Richard Kaiser

Appointed to the BTC Board of Trustees in July 2020

CAREER PROFILE:

Project Manager, AIS Software; Owner, Seaprest Company. Prior work experience: Sehome High School, AP Computer Programming Instructor; Anvil Engineering, Mechanical Engineer; Whatcom Community College, Intertidal Ecology Instructor; Rocket Research Company, Development Engineer, Test Engineer, and Computer Programmer; University of Washington College of Oceanography, Oceanography Instructor.

EDUCATION PROFILE:

Bachelor of Arts & Sciences, Biological Oceanography, University of Washington, 1977; Master of Science in Engineering, Fluid Dynamics, University of Washington, 1984.

COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

Current: Technology Alliance Group, Member; Rotary Club of Bellingham, Member. Past: WWU College of Science & Engineering, Advisory Board President; Mount Baker Theatre, Board Member; Northwest Washington Engineers Club, President; Bellingham Bay Aquarium Project, Board of Directors.

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Legislative Advocacy

Bellingham Technical College’s office of the president is responsible for bringing together campus members including, BTC Board of Trustees, Associated Student Body, Administrators, Deans and other constituents to advocate and influence public policy and opinions about BTC and the CTC system priorities and challenges. These participants uphold BTC’s vision and mission by sharing the college's accomplishments, and highlighting BTC's long-standing dedication to the community through education, which strengthens the colleges connectivity, reputation and perception within the community and beyond. Read more about BTC's Legislative Advocacy.

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