Tawny Dotson

2020-21 Aspen Rising Presidents Fellow
Dr. Tawny Dotson joined Clover Park Technical College in Washington in September 2012 and serves as the vice president for strategic development and executive director of the CPTC Foundation. In this role, she implements and executes CPTC’s strategic growth initiatives and strategic plan. Dotson oversees accreditation, communication and marketing, legislative and government relations, the foundation, human resources, institutional research and grant development, institutional outcomes assessment, and shared governance. She serves as the co-lead of CPTC’s guided pathways core team, chief negotiator of the college’s four collective bargaining agreements, and the college’s accreditation liaison.

She began her career as an active-duty Air Force public affairs officer and still serves as a lieutenant colonel in the Washington Air National Guard.

Dotson holds a bachelor of arts in communication from Washington State University and a master of arts in journalism and strategic communication from the University of Missouri. She received her doctorate from Oregon State University in their community college leadership program.

She is a proud and active civic leader in the Lakewood/Tacoma area. She is a past president of the Rotary Club of Tacoma South, incoming assistant governor for Rotary Area 11.5, member of Lakewood United, past president of the Public Information Commission for the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, and a current coach for the SBCTC guided pathways efforts.