Leadership Development

NWACC CIO Council Members
Bridget Barnes, Oregon Health & Science University
Dan Terrio, Whitman College
Borre Ulrichsen, Gonzaga University


The Leadership Development Program (LDP) includes three components:

Mentorship – A key component of leadership development is the ability to connect with peers for advice and counseling in a safe environment.  Trusted mentoring relationships bring value to both emerging and experienced leaders. NWACC supports mentoring opportunities for incoming members of the CIO Council and, during the 2024-2028 program cycle, will provide a mentoring framework for IT staff members at NWACC institutions and for participants in NWACC sponsored programs. Lead: Bridget Barnes.

Cohort Camps – For IT staff members who aspire to CIO positions or who simply wish to improve their leadership skills, NWACC offers an intensive program for a cohort of up to fifteen IT staff members. Cohort members attend three multi-day camps over a six month period, hosted by three different NWACC institutions. Activities include meetings with campus executive leaders, group problem-solving exercises, opportunities to polish presentation skills, team-building, and one-on-one mentoring from experienced CIOs. Participants in the program are selected by the Council LDP Committee, in response to a call for nominations. Lead: Dan Terrio

CIO Leadership Retreat – NWACC hosts a four-day professional development retreat for current CIO Council members to help them improve their leadership skills through individual reflection, experience-sharing, and team activities. Lead: Borre Ulrichsen