Rebecca Steffenson named associate vice president for Western on the Peninsulas

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Rebecca Steffenson named associate vice president for Western on the Peninsulas

July 29, 2026

Western Washington University has appointed Rebecca Steffenson as associate vice president for Western on the Peninsulas, where she will lead efforts to expand access to bachelor's and graduate degree programs and strengthen educational pathways across the Olympic and Kitsap peninsulas.

Steffenson joins Western from Northeastern University's Seattle campus, where she serves as associate dean of Academic Affairs and Campus Administration. She brings more than two decades of experience as a faculty member and administrator at public and private universities in the United States, Europe and Japan, with a career focused on expanding educational opportunity, strengthening community partnerships, and aligning academic programs with workforce needs.

Through partnerships with Olympic College in Bremerton and Poulsbo and Peninsula College in Port Angeles, Western on the Peninsulas helps students earn a WWU degree close to home while preparing graduates for careers that strengthen the region's workforce. The program plays a vital role in expanding access to higher education across the Olympic and Kitsap peninsulas and supporting employers in fields critical to the region's economy.

"I am pleased that Rebecca is joining us to lead our programs on the Peninsulas; she understands that expanding access to higher education means building strong partnerships, supporting students every step of the way, and ensuring academic programs meet the needs of the communities we serve," said President Sabah Randhawa. "Her experience building partnerships, expanding opportunity for students, and aligning academic programs with regional needs will help strengthen Western's impact across the Olympic and Kitsap peninsulas."

At Northeastern, Steffenson provided strategic and operational leadership for academic affairs, student support services, career services, co-op, and experiential learning. Previously, she held leadership positions at the University of Alaska and Illinois Institute of Technology, where she led initiatives focused on academic program expansion, transfer pathways, curriculum development, experiential learning, and regional partnerships. Throughout her career, she has worked to connect universities with employers and community organizations while translating institutional strategy into student-centered programs and operations.

"As a first-generation student, Western on the Peninsulas' mission to expand access to higher education resonates with me," said Steffenson, who grew up in a rural farming community outside Chicago. "But I know access is only the first step. Universities also need to provide students with the support they need to thrive. That's where Western really stands out. I'm honored to join a team so deeply committed to student success, and I am excited to help expand high-quality academic programs that strengthen the regional workforce."

Steffenson earned a doctorate from the University of Glasgow and a master's degree from University College Dublin. She completed postdoctoral appointments at the European University Institute and Queen's University Belfast before beginning a career dedicated to expanding educational opportunity and strengthening the connection between higher education, regional economies and the communities they serve.

Steffenson joins Western as the university continues to invest in the Olympic and Kitsap peninsulas, expanding workforce-responsive academic programs. In addition to a Master of Science in Nursing, Western on the Peninsulas is launching a Master of Social Work along with a new Industrial and Systems Engineering degree program, and planning a dedicated instructional facility in Poulsbo to support the region's growing demand for WWU degrees.