BFA Leadership Team
Vice President for Business & Financial Affairs
Joyce Lopes
Vice President
Joyce Lopes, Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs, is the chief financial and business officer of the University and is primarily responsible for the leadership of:
- Associate Vice President divisions: Business Services, Financial Services, Business & Financial Systems
- Budget and Financial Planning
- Capital Planning & Development
- Environmental Health and Safety
- Facilities Management
- Human Resources
- Public Safety
Finance & Business Services
Brian Sullivan
BS, Associate Vice President for BFA
Brian.Sullivan@wwu.edu
The Associate Vice President is the principal accounting executive, chief controls officer and designated tax official, and provides oversight and management for bond issuance and compliance. The Associate Vice President for BFA oversees various functions of the University, including:
- Business Services: Print, Copy & Mail Services, Purchasing/Contracts, Transport, Inventory & Surplus, and Travel Services
- Financial Services: Accounting Services, Division Budget Director, Student Business Office (Cashiers, Loans and Collections, Parking, Student Accounts), and Treasury Services
- Business & Financial Systems: Project Management, Business Systems Analysis & Support, and management of BFA Business Process Improvement Initiatives (BPII)
Vice President's Office
Nancy Phillips
Executive Assistant to the VP for BFA
Phillips@wwu.edu
The Executive Assistant to the Vice President serves as the confidential executive assistant to the Vice President and manages the day to day operations of the Vice President’s Office.
Budget and Financial Planning
Faye Gallant
BA, MPA, PMP, CRA, SSGBC, Executive Director
Faye.Gallant@wwu.edu
Responsible for planning, development, implementation, and administration of Western's operating budget. Central elements include the preparation and submission of the institution's biennial operating budget request, annual allocation plans, and establishing a process to ensure financial resource decisions are in concert with the institution's defined strategic planning objectives.
Facilities Development & Operations
Avinash Rahurkar
Associate Vice President
Facilities Development & Operations (FDO) is a new unit comprised of the two areas formerly known as Facilities Management and Capital Planning and Development. FDO provides services including facility maintenance, repairs, engineering, and planning expertise to campus customers. Maintenance & Operations and Building Services are the front-line staff who provide daily repairs, grounds keeping, and custodial services in and around campus facilities to keep them looking and running their best. Asset Management provides preventive maintenance coordination and scheduling, long-term renewal planning, energy management, and quality assurance to ensure Western utilizes its maintenance and renewal resources efficiently. Financial & Business Services provides customer service, accounting, purchasing, process improvement, IT, and fleet and equipment management support to FM and campus customers to ensure work can be requested, completed, and closed out in the quickest way possible.
Human Resources
Geno Defa
Interim Associate Vice President
The primary function of Human Resources is to provide human resource services for Western employees. The staff is committed to providing courteous, efficient service supportive of employees and Western's mission and goals, in compliance with Federal, State and University regulations. These functions include: employee and labor relations; classified staff labor negotiations; supervisor counseling/training; payroll processing; benefits processing and counseling; organizational and professional development; employment administration; classification/compensation management; employment inclusion; and disability management.
Public Safety
Clifford Cook
Interim Director
Clifford.Cook@wwu.edu
The Department of Public Safety incorporates University Police, the Police Emergency Communications Center, and Emergency Management. Our goal is to serve our students and the public and provide a safe environment for all those who come to Western, whether to study, work, or just to visit. Every day we strive to become a model campus law enforcement agency and to make our community proud.
Risk, Ethics, Safety & Resilience
Darin Rasmussen
BS, MBA, Assistant Vice President
Darin.Rasmussen@wwu.edu
The Assistant Vice President for Risk, Ethics, Safety, and Resilience leads a previously separate set of functions, now combined to help ensure our campus is a safe, resilient, and supportive place to live, learn, and work. These functions include environmental and occupational health and safety, fire safety, emergency preparedness, business continuity, risk management, compliance, and ethics. The AVP participates as a member of the BFA leadership team and holds the designation of University Ethics Advisor.
Strategic Planning & Implementation
Anne Gilbert
BS, Director
Anne.Gilbert@wwu.edu
Leads and directs Business & Financial Affairs division strategic planning to ensure the plan supports the University’s strategic plan. Oversees and supports the planning and implementation of divisional initiatives and projects. Leads the divisional communications, change management and performance metrics efforts.
