Our Retirees
Today, we recognize and celebrate the dedication and passion of this year's retirees:
Dale Blum, Debra Gilchrist, Carol Hill-McCleary, John Jennings, Michelle Johnson, Michael Koetje, Curtis Lee, Duncan McClinton, Leslie Michael, Shelley Miell, Donna Moran, Beth Norman, William Orrange, Joan Smith, Mike Stocke, Ann Woodlief
We wish you the very best! Keep reading to learn more about some of these extraordinary, soon-to-be-vacationing employees.
Debra Gilchrist
After 30 years of service to Pierce College, Debra Gilchrist will be retiring on June 30, 2021. Deb has led the College with compassion, dedication, and commitment to mission. Throughout her time, she led the re-visioning of the library into an award-winning program, receiving the Association of College and Research Libraries Library of the year in 2005. Deb guided us through successful accreditations with the NWCCU, and collaborated on a district-wide model of academic leadership. For the past 9 years, as the Vice President for Learning and Student Success, Deb has been a strong, quiet, persistent voice for continual improvement. Deb has been a local, national, and international consultant in library instruction and outcomes assessment. She served as faculty on the Association of College and Research Libraries Immersion program for 18 years. In 1997, she received the ACRL Instruction Section Innovation in Instruction Award. In 2007, she received the Instruction Librarian of the Year for national contributions to instruction. Deb's mentorship and generosity of sharing her expertise, kindness, time, and wisdom has touched countless people around the world. She is truly a "rock star" of the library world! Thank you Deb for sharing your many gifts with Pierce College. Happy retirement, where we know you will enjoy working in your yard and travelling the country in a camper!
Faculty who have worked with Deb say this about Deb:
Deb's vision of our students' needs and the future of education guided the interdepartmental, collaborative process of dreaming, designing, and implementing the expansion and remodel of the Fort Steilacoom library. Voices from around the District gathered together to collect ideas, draw sketches, deliberate on fabric samples, and test drive chairs. The outcome was the creation of a campus space that is often (during other times) a bustling hub of activity with students meeting in groups and working on computers, yet with quiet spaces to learn, process, reflect, and browse the shelves. Our library has been featured in conference presentations, library publications, and toured by people from other organizations who are designing flexible and creative student spaces.
But beyond these accolades and achievements, what really sets Deb apart and makes her special to us is her authentic humanity. Her ability to make people feel seen and heard. Her humility and unapologetic real-ness. Her reassuring smile; her perfectly timed comments that summed up a lengthy and complicated discussion or brought the issue into focus, her genuine interest when asking "how are you"? The impact of Deb's human presence on our community is impossible to capture in words, and yet also impossible to overstate.
Carol Hill-McCleary
For 47 years Carol Hill has been a pillar of student support, a valued contributor, and beloved member of our college family. While earning an Associates in Arts and an Associates in Legal Secretary Science from Fort Steilacoom Community College, Carol took on a work study position in the Admissions office to help finance her education. The rest is history.
Carol began in Student Services, working in the Admissions office where she operated as a one-woman-show – having responsibility for admissions, financial aid, registration, evaluations and cashiering.
Eight years later, Carol moved to the Instruction Office and for 27 years was responsible for managing instructional information for the district: everything from assigning classrooms, managing the catalog, assisting the academic council, and supporting faculty and instructional leaders. You could count on Carol to be there, to provide support, and to share a story and quick laugh about the work that needed to be done.
In 2008 Carol moved back to her first love - Student Services –as Manager for the Opportunity Grant and special programs. Carol is a passionate advocate for students calling them her “babies.” She nurtured relationships and guided countless students in realizing their possibilities and educational goals.
Proud mother of two wonderful children, Shawna and Damon and devoted grandmother to 7 grandchildren, Carol is involved in her church and her community.
Although a loyal and dedicated employee, every Friday Carol would chuckle, “Have a good weekend, and see you on Monday—UNLESS I win the Lotto!!”
Thank you, Carol. You have left your indelible mark!
John Jennings
John Jennings is one of the smartest and kindest people I have ever worked with. During his 20 years at Pierce College, John progressively took on more responsibility in the library technical services team, ultimately retiring as our Acquisitions and Systems Technician. If you ever checked out a book, streamed a video, or searched a database in the library, John was instrumental in making that happen. In addition to problem-solving in the library, John is a tinkerer and hobbyist interested in robotics and photography, and never met a technical manual, physics or engineering book that didn’t pique his interest. John is also a naval veteran and devoted father and grandfather. John and his wife Julie actually started their library technician school work together, and Julie was a welcome visitor and ray of sunshine in the tech services office, and visits by the rest of the family showed John in his brightest light. This can also be seen in his ongoing efforts to rescue cats and kittens in his neighborhood and his ever present devotion to JP Patches. We knew his retirement would be Pierce’s loss, and we have missed him so much this year. Come back, John! Just kidding – we hope you are enjoying your well-deserved retirement.
Michael Koetje
Michael was hired by Pierce College in 2007 to develop and lead two new early learning centers. He was tasked with the development of the initial and ongoing program budgets and led the setup of all systems needed for the ongoing operation of the centers. Michael arranged for the purchase all the equipment including furniture and learning materials for each site. Additionally, he led the team that hired all staff; planned and provided two weeks of staff orientation and training, and gave presentations on environments and use of space, both indoor and outdoor. He led the new staff team in vision and goals development and implementation. The Pierce Centers that he directed were/are recognized as models of best practice, great programming and enriching environments. Both centers are accredited.
Michael continues to stay busy during his retirement by volunteering at Land Trust, clearing trails in the woods of Vashon Island and also volunteering at the Vashon Tool Library, checking tools in and out and doing repair work. Michael’s great sense of humor and laid back attitude will be missed at Pierce College
Duncan McClinton
Duncan McClinton has been a leader in the English and Humanities department throughout his 22 years as a faculty member. His breadth of understanding and energy in his survey of humanities courses have impacted hundreds of students over the years. His service to his discipline and division are apparent in his long relationship with the Learning Council and his time as the chair of the department. Duncan’s quick wit, curious mind, and persistence through challenges are hallmarks of his work and personality.
Leslie Michael
Leslie Michael has been a kind and compassionate support within the English department over her 21 years as a tenured faculty with Pierce College. She is quick to show interest in her colleagues and eager to learn through their creativity, which is why her participation on tenure committees has been a hallmark of her service. Her openness to practices and strategies in teaching is a gift that. Leslie has experienced challenges and tragedies while at Pierce and has faced them with persistence and humor. She has shared that she likes to bring light to dark situations. Leslie would like us all to look forward and imagine “our RV parked next to water, playing with our granddaughter, and learning the Ukulele. My Tom and I have been together 46 years, so more fun.”
Donna Moran
Donna began her career at Pierce College in 1996 as a faculty member in Computer Information Systems until 2006 when she returned to the IT industry. While working in industry she still kept her connection with Pierce College by continuing to teach as an adjunct. In 2011, Donna returned to Pierce College as a continuing education instructor and the Health Information Technology (HIT) grant manager. In 2015, she was hired again as a full-time faculty member. Over the course of her career at Pierce College Donna has worked on four National Science Foundation (NSF) grants collectively worth approximately $3.5 million. Outcomes from these grants included recruiting and retaining women and minority students in the IT field. Donna’s commitment to quality education and her passion for the IT field and expanding that field to all students will be missed by all who knew her. Donna will be retiring on September 10, 2021 and will enjoy her retirement in the fun and sun of Florida.
Beth Norman
From Tom Bush:
Beth has been an instrumental component of the Earth and Space Sciences Department, the Natural Science Division, and the Pierce College community in many ways turning her more than 20 years with the college. She served for many years as the Pierce College Federation of Teachers as Faculty Union President, where she was instrumental in numerous faculty contract negotiations and other union functions. She contributed to the Division functions on many occasions with her expertise on the faculty contract. Beth served the Department at the Lakewood campus for many as the Department Chair, where she was responsible for coordinating the annual schedule and recruiting adjunct faculty, among other duties. As an instructor, where she taught geology, oceanography, and environmental science, she was recently recognized for her teaching excellence when she received the Outstanding Faculty of the Year award. As Beth retires, her contributions to the ESS Department, the Division, and Pierce College will be missed.
From Michele LaFontaine
When Beth Norman hired me as the Earth & Space Sciences Lab Tech all those years ago, I never imagined the impact she would have on my life. She started as my supervisor, but very soon became my friend. That friendship has grown and deepened over the years through many ups and downs. Beth guided me and taught me so much, not just about Earth & Space Sciences, but about friendship, family, cooking, and parenting. About caring for myself and being strong. About standing up for what is right.
The one thing I most admire about Beth is her commitment to equity and working to protect faculty concerns. As someone who worked side by side with Beth every day, I saw how much effort and time she dedicated to this work. Her wealth of knowledge and understanding of policy and procedures made her a huge asset not only to our department, but to all of Pierce College.
She inspired me, supported me, and gave me the opportunity to stretch myself when she hired me as an adjunct professor in the Earth & Space Sciences Department. She is a dear friend and respected colleague, and it is very difficult to imagine our department without her. I will miss her very much.
Ann Woodlief
Ann Woodlief came to Pierce College in 1994 after having served in the U.S. military. She enrolled in classes at the Puyallup campus (her bachelor’s degree was outdated!) and completed two associate degrees while working as a student employee in the computer lab. When a payroll position became available, she jumped at the chance to become a permanent part of the college community. She worked in payroll for 20 + years where she became an expert in the Personnel Payroll Management System (PPMS) and data express. Her last two years of employment, she was the benefits consultant where she helped the college transition to ctcLink. Ann retired August 31, 2020... but thankfully, when the college needed her again this March, she agreed to help us out for six months. (She said this was because we are her “people.”) We’ll miss her sense of humor and her expertise as she “re-retires” on August 31, 2021. She plans to spend her retirement with family and friends. Ann is an avid quilter so you will find her in her studio sewing and quilting. We wish her well in her retirement.
2021 Employee Recognition Event Exclusive
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