Deborah has over 30 plus years of experience in philanthropy at higher education institutions.  She most recently served as the Assistant Vice President of Alumni & Constituent Relations and held multiple positions with growing levels of responsibility at Western Washington University during her 23-year tenure.   Previous to WWU, she held positions at foundations with the University of Maryland and Edmond Community College.  Deborah is a seasoned executive-level leader with demonstrated experience in strategic planning, fundraising, board development, staff development, and community relations, all of which are critical to meeting our current needs.  

Please feel free to reach out to Deb or to visit the Foundation Building to greet her on campus. Email Deborah at ddewees@whatcom.edu

Altynay (she/her) originally came to WCC as an international student from Kazakhstan in 2016. In 2021, she graduated from WCC with dual degrees in Early Childhood Education and Accounting. As a student, she served as ASWCC Director for Academic Success at the Office of Student Life and Development. One of her legacies to WCC is the "Find Your Pod" annual winter conference that occurred for the first time with her leadership. She joined the Intercultural Center as IC Peer Navigator in 2020-2021 and hosted a breakout session during the Students Leading Change Annual Spring Conference where she shared her experiences encountering white supremacy as a first-generation US immigrant.

As a recipient of multiple WCC Foundation scholarships, Altynay is well versed in the student experience of the scholarship program. Her work with the WCC Foundation will be student facing with a focus on outreach to promote and explain the scholarship application process. She will also be providing administrative support to the WCC Foundation with gift entry, greeting office visitors, and managing the WCC Foundation inbox and phone line.

Email Altynay at ABekbossyn@whatcom.edu

Laurel (She/Her) joined the Whatcom community in 2016. She received a B.A. in Journalism-Public Relations and a minor in Environmental Policy from Western Washington University. Before joining the Whatcom Community College family, she worked as a Recruiting Coordinator Manager at Amazon. This role helped her learn how to cultivate long-term partnerships with various businesses and manage high-impact programs. Before making her way to corporate, Laurel worked as a student intern at Western Washington University in the Athletics department. She helped with events and donor fulfillment. Laurel is excited to be back at a higher-education institute and to continue to directly impact her local community.

Laurel is a lifelong Washington resident. She grew up in Olympia before making her move to Bellingham. Outside of work you can usually find her reading, writing, or soaking up the sun (when it decides to show up). She is a proud cat mom of one, Kermit, who she loves to dote on. Laurel considers herself a life-long learner and hopes to one day continue her education through a master’s program.

Email Laurel at LMessenger@whatcom.edu