PORT ANGELES — A dean at the Lake Washington Institute of Technology in Kirkland will join the Peninsula College staff as the vice president of instruction.
Sharon Buck was chosen after an extensive national search for a replacement of Mary O’Neil Garrett, who retired in December 2014, the college said in an announcement Friday.
Buck will join the staff in January, the college said in its announcement, which did not include her salary.
“I have great enthusiasm for implementing many of the initiatives you are moving into, and I think my background provides a solid grounding that will contribute to the work we can do together to create the strength of the college’s future,” Buck said in her application for the position.
She now serves as the dean of instruction, transportation and applied technologies at Lake Washington Institute of Technology in Kirkland.
Luke Robins, Peninsula College president, said Buck “has a wealth of experience with both academic and vocational/technical programs, as well as broad-ranging experience within the state community college system.
“She’s a ‘systems thinker’ who can embrace our guiding principles and help us achieve the ambitious strategic goals we’ve set for the coming months and years.”
Technical dean
In her role at the Lake Washington Institute of Technology, Buck is the technical dean for the welding, machining, electronics, automotive, collision repair, diesel and motorcycle programs, as well as the applied baccalaureate degree in transportation and logistics management.
She previously served as an original member of the curriculum learning and design team at Cascadia College during her nine years with the school.
Later, as dean of instruction for Cascadia, Buck supervised professional and technical programs as well as developmental and transfer information technology, math, business, economics, accounting and science.
Other prior work experience includes serving as the dean of business at North and East County for Everett Community College.
She also designed courses for the Tulalip tribes; has implemented integrated basic education and skills training, or I-BEST, at each location where she has served as a dean; worked as part of collaborative learning teams; and was named Workforce Dean of the Year by the Washington State Centers of Excellence, the college said.
Buck received her doctorate in community college leadership from Oregon State University in 2004, a master’s degree in forest resources management from the University of Washington and a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from California State Polytechnic University.