Dr. Mildred W. Ollée, an educator and administrator with experience at colleges throughout the Pacific Northwest, was named president of Seattle Central Community College in June 2003.
Dr. Ollée began her career in higher education as a faculty member at Walla Walla Community College. In 1970, she became a counselor at Seattle Central and rose to the position of Vice President of Student Services, a job she held from 1987 to 1995. In 1995, she became Executive Dean/President of Cascade Campus in the Portland Community College District. At Cascade, Dr. Ollée oversaw a diverse urban college as well as three Workforce Training Centers. Known for her active community involvement and many collaborative projects, Dr. Ollée established successful relationships with local, state, and national agencies that led to increased financial support for the college and awards for excellence in workforce development programs. Her wide-ranging civic activities and board memberships include work with Park Hill Rotary; American Association of Community Colleges Commission on Academic, Student, and Community Development; The President’s Roundtable; United Way; Northwest International Woman’s Conference; Private Industry Council; and Tacoma and Portland Chapters, The Links, Inc. Dr. Ollée earned her doctorate in educational leadership from Seattle University in 1988.
Alan Ward joined the Seattle Community College District in January of 1995 as the Vice President of Administrative Services at Seattle Central Community College. In July of that year, he was also named Vice Chancellor of Information Technology, a role in which he continues to guide technology strategic and technical planning for the district. In 2000, Ward was temporarily reassigned to North Seattle Community College to assist with a financial crisis and was later named to serve as its Vice President of Administrative Services.
Before coming to the Seattle Community Colleges, Ward was the Dean of Administration at Naugatuck Valley Community Technical College in Waterbury, Connecticut, the largest two-year college in that state. He held that position from 1985 through 1994, managing a $23 million budget and playing a significant role in unifying the college as it went through two mergers and several budget reductions.
From 1980 to 1985, Ward served as the Business Manager for the Central Office of the Board of Trustees for the twelve-member two-year college system in the State of Connecticut. There he worked closely with the colleges to streamline procedures for the processing of financial documents and other business operations related material.
Prior to his move to higher education, Ward worked for several investment banking firms and banks as a securities analyst and stockbroker. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and a Masters in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from the University of Hartford.
Ward is active in the Seattle community with a special interest in animal welfare. He serves as a volunteer at the Seattle Animal Shelter where he has started several unique programs including Get Fit with Fido. He is also involved in fundraising activities for the shelter’s Help the Animals Fund, which pays for veterinary care for sick and injured animals.
Gary Oertli brings a wealth of community college experience and enthusiasm to South Seattle Community College. His experience includes four years in the Seattle Community Colleges – as interim vice president for Instruction at South and interim dean for Business, Information Technology and Creative Arts at Seattle Central.
Mr. Oertli was president and CEO of Shoreline Community College for five years and was honored as president emeritus when he retired. Prior to that, he spent 20 years at Edmonds Community College as part-time instructor, tenured faculty member, associate dean and dean, executive vice president for Instruction and Student Services, and as interim president.
A West Seattle native, Mr. Oertli is a graduate of Chief Sealth High School in South's service area. He earned his bachelor's degree and master’s of education in business from the University of Washington, where he later served as Alumni Association president. He also completed the Executive Management Program in the UW Graduate School of Business Administration.
He has served as interim since January 2009, when former South president Dr. Jill Wakefield, took the position as chancellor of the Seattle Community College District.
