October 2020 - WACUBO News

Mentoring Program Update: Mentee News!

Jennifer Williams
WACUBO Mentoring Program Chair
Administrator Emeritus, Cal State San Marcos

The 2020/21 WACUBO Mentoring Program is underway, and we’re delighted to share some exciting mentee news! 

Julie Crea has been named Vice President for Finance and Administration at Lewis-Clark State College. Julie has served the campus for 21 years in various capacities, starting out as a customer service representative for Workforce Training in 1999. Through her career progression, she has held roles as an administrative assistant, helpdesk supervisor in IT, director of the Student Union Building, director of auxiliary services and senior director for budget and financial planning. Julie’s experience and accomplished career have prepared her for this moment. In her new role, she oversees the budget office, controller’s office, human resources, physical plant, purchasing, risk management, and auxiliary services. 

We’re thrilled that Julie’s advancement into this new role has come early in the Mentoring Program, as this will provide her with continued monthly opportunities to leverage her mentor’s knowledge and expertise to further gain valuable insights and support as she transitions into this position.

“The WACUBO mentoring program paired me with an exceptional mentor, Arch Asawa. Arch has been instrumental in coaching me since the beginning of the program, through my interview process, and post-job offer when I truly needed and sought his guidance and support for this new role. He has introduced me to people who are experts in topics of interest, helped me to set personal goals, and shared his experience and expertise. He has been generous with volunteering his time to explore questions, issues, and ideas, and even to practice my presentation skills. The WACUBO mentoring program has provided me with this wonderful and invaluable opportunity to connect with an expert in my field during a time in which I have transitioned roles and can really benefit and learn from someone who is knowledgeable and supportive.”

Julie Crea
Vice President for Finance and Administration
Lewis-Clark State College

Mentoring Program participants go through a rigorous application process and review. Selected mentees are strategically paired with mentors in an effort to create a successful pairing. From the time of her application to her participation in the program, Julie has been a dedicated, engaged, and exceptional participant. 

In the words of her mentor, Arch Asawa, “I was quite fortunate to be matched with Julie who brought not just years of experience and knowledge, but an eagerness, enthusiasm, and openness to learn which made my role as mentor quite easy. Each time we would meet, she was always prepared with insightful questions and real-life situations which demonstrated to me her strong desire to improve and build upon her capabilities and strategic thinking, key ingredients for success at the CBO level. On top of that, she readily picked up on all the subtle nuances and managerial and leadership insights and techniques that I could share with her, especially in preparation for her big job talk and interview rounds. For example, Julie now knows that at times, it is not simply enough just to answer the question asked, but to always put yourself in that person's shoes, be it the president or a trustee, and understand why they may have asked that question; with that insight, you will know when to form a response that not only answers the question but looks at the big picture and addresses the real issue behind that initial question. I am so proud of Julie of what she has been able to accomplish to date and what she will accomplish in the future.”

Please join us in congratulating Julie on this tremendous achievement and wishing her well in her new role and continued success in the WACUBO Mentoring Program. 

 Return to October 2020 WACUBO News