Cathy Otto named new dean of health and business division at SCC

Dean Cathy Otto

Cathy Otto is the new Dean of the Health Occupations, Physical Education and Business Division at Shoreline Community College.

“I’m very excited to bring Cathy with her academic and professional experience to the college in a leadership position for these important programs,” said Bob Francis, Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs. “I want to thank the members of the search committee and everyone involved for their work and commitment.”

Faculty member Alison Leahy has been serving as interim dean after former dean Gillian Lewis retired in June, 2014. Leahy will now resume her teaching duties.

Otto earned a Ph.D in Law, Policy and Society: Health Policy at Northeastern University, Boston, in 1998. She also holds an MBA from Portland State University, a BA in French from Portland State, a BS in Medical Technology from Oregon Health Sciences University and a BS in Microbiology from Oregon State University.

Most recently, Otto has been an associate professor at Salisbury University, Salisbury, Md., in the Medical Laboratory Science Program. Prior to that, she was teaching in the Healthcare Administration master’s program at Pacific University, Hillsboro, Ore. She was Associate Professor and Clinical Coordinator at Oregon Health and Science University, and Otto also taught in the Clinical Laboratory Science Division at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

“Shoreline’s programs have an excellent and well-earned reputation,” Otto said by phone from Maryland. “I’m looking forward to working with the talented and committed faculty and staff. I’m also excited about returning to the Pacific Northwest.”

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