Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Sylvania kicks off fall term with several new appointments

Photos and Story by Kate Chester

Familiar faces in new administrative roles marked the launch of the fall 2010 term at the Sylvania Campus this week:

Heather Lang was selected as the Dean of Student Development. Most recently,

Heather served as the Associate Dean of Student Development at the Rock Creek Campus, a position she held for three years beginning in 2007. Prior to that, she spent several years at Mt. Hood Community College – as its coordinator of Tutorial Programs, as the director of The Learning Assistance Center, and from 2002 to 2007, as the director of Learning Assistance and Testing Services.

Heather has a master’s in education, specializing in Adult Education with an emphasis in Workplace and Adult Skills Development from Oregon State University, as well as a bachelor’s in Hispanic Studies from Lewis and Clark College. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in Community College Leadership at Oregon State University.

Dieterich Steinmetz, M.D., was chosen as the permanent division dean for Science & Engineering at the Sylvania Campus after having served as the interim dean last year.

Dr. Steinmetz earned his medical degree from Oregon Health & Science University in 2001 after obtaining his master’s degree from the University of Oregon in 1996, in its Interdisciplinary Studies Program focused on Planning, Public Policy & Management; Biochemistry; and Physiology. He started his teaching career with PCC as a part-time instructor in 1997, leading laboratories in anatomy and physiology. In 2002 he transitioned to a full-time teaching position, also in anatomy and physiology. Three years later he assumed department chair responsibilities for the Life Sciences at the Sylvania Campus.

During his tenure at PCC, Dr. Steinmetz has served on a variety of committees including the Education Advisory Committee. He has accumulated an extensive list of awards, fellowships, presentations and publications during his career, and last year was elected to the position of president of the Oregon Academy of Science.

Katy Ho was appointed as the interim division dean of Student Support Services and

Adult Basic Skills. Since 2006, Katy has served as the Associate Dean of Student Development at the Sylvania Campus. Her introduction to PCC came in 2002, when she worked at the college first as an academic advisor and then as a retention coordinator. Prior to PCC, Katy worked at the University of Portland, serving as the assistant director of Student Activities and coordinator of Multicultural Affairs.

Katy has a master’s in education, specializing in College Student Services Administration from Oregon State University, as well as a bachelor’s in Journalism and Public Relations from the University of Oregon. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in Community College Leadership at Oregon State University.

Mary Severson was named to the position of interim Associate Dean of Student Development at the Sylvania Campus. Mary has been with PCC for 18 years and brings with her a wealth of experience and depth of knowledge in the student

service areas that she is overseeing this year: Advising, Health Admissions, Information Services, Testing, Outreach and Orientation, Adult High School Completion, and retention services.

Mary has served in interim management positions at PCC including the Associate Registrar and the Associate Dean of Student Development at the Sylvania Campus. She provided exemplary district leadership from 2000 to 2007 as the Chair of the Student Development Committee (SDC), a subcommittee of the Educational Advisory Council (EAC). Her primary role at PCC has been that of an academic advisor, working closely with students, faculty and staff to support student success and overall efficiency and effectiveness of our system of services.

Prior to PCC, Mary worked at the University of Iowa, College of Nursing in various coordination and advising capacities for both undergraduate and graduate programs.