Your future, our focus
POWELL, Wyo. ─ Lisa Watson of Miles Community College in Montana will step into the vice president for administrative services position at Northwest College.
Watson, who has served in a parallel role at MCC since 2010, was selected through a nationwide search to fill the post previously held by Kim Mills. Details about her start date will be worked out in a schedule that transitions her from Miles to Northwest.
“I’m pleased with the outcome of what was a very competitive national search,” NWC President Stefani Hicswa said. "I am confident in Lisa’s ability to provide the leadership we need for our administrative services departments and to partner with me and others in creating a climate in which the college will continue to thrive into the next decade and beyond. She will be integral in implementing our facilities master plan as well as our next strategic plan.”
Watson brings to NWC a blended background that draws on a history of small business, corporate and CPA experience. Included in that history is a stint as interim president at MCC from May 2013-January 2014.
“Growing up in Colorado", Watson said, "I spent many holidays in Riverton, Wyoming, and Wibaux, Montana. My grandmother taught English at Central Wyoming College until she retired so I was familiar with the Wyoming community college system. It wasn't until I started working in higher education that I heard about the diverse range of programs Northwest College offers and its role as an educational hub for the northwest corridor of the state. When I visited campus I saw so much more than what I’d heard about. Northwest is a hidden gem, and I’m looking forward to working there.”
Watson first established her professional career in Florida where she was a CPA. She held positions there as an institutional separate accounts manager, junior accountant and district resource manager/retail operations manager at Franklin Templeton, H.J. Jenzano and Company and TJ Maxx, respectively.
Her prior experience in Miles City includes positions as a part-time controller at Solaris Feeders and a seasonal tax accountant at Rowland Thomas and Company.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1990 from the University of Colorado. She followed that with an MBA in 2001 from the University of Miami and was certified as a public accountant in the state of Florida the following year.
Watson, 47, will live in Powell with her husband, Thomas, also a CPA, and son, Matthew, age 3.
Northwest devoted a year searching for the right person to fill the vice president’s position, bringing two sets of candidates to campus for extensive interviews before finding the right fit.
“I wish to thank search chair Mark Kitchen, vice president for college relations, and other members of the search committee for their commitment to excellence in conducting this search,” Hicswa said.
