Western appoints new trustee

If you asked Chris Witherspoon what a “trustee” was when he first stepped onto Western Washington University's campus as a freshman three decades ago, he wouldn't have been able to tell you. Last month, he became the university's newest trustee.

At the beginning of the year, Western trustee Bruce Harrell stepped down when he became the mayor of Seattle, leaving an empty seat on the eight-member board. 

Witherspoon applied for the opening, and Gov. Jay Inslee appointed him in March. 

“I'm excited, extremely excited about it,” he said. “I feel privileged, honored and somewhat humbled to be chosen by the governor to do this.”

Witherspoon has deep, personal connections to the university. While a student in the College of Business and Economics, he met his wife, and now their daughter attends the university. From 2012 to 2021, he served on, and eventually led, the board for the Alumni Association before transitioning to the board of the Western Foundation.