Four Central Oregon community members have been appointed to serve on the Oregon State University – Cascades Advocacy and Advisory Board by Interim Vice President Andrew Ketsdever.
- Amber Broadbent, senior director of portfolio and product development at Bend Bioscience. Prior to joining Bend Bioscience, Broadbent worked in product and commercial development at Bend Research-Capsugel-Lonza. She earned a doctorate in engineering and a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Montana State University.
- Iman Nazeeri-Simmons, chief operating officer of St. Charles Health System in Bend. Prior to joining St. Charles, Nazeeri-Simmons served as chief operating officer of Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, where she had also served as chief quality officer. Nazeeri-Simmons grew up in Oregon and earned a master’s degree in health behavior and health education from the University of Michigan. Nazeeri-Simmons has taught in higher education for more than 17 years, most recently at the School of Public Health at University of California, Berkeley.
- Mike Wallenfels, senior vice president of global sales for Helen of Troy’s home and outdoor division, where he oversees North America sales teams for Hydro Flask, OXO and Osprey brands. Wallenfels earned a bachelor’s degree in management at San Diego State University and has devoted a 30-year career to the outdoor industry and to advocacy in support of outdoor recreation issues. He has served as president of the board of the Oregon Outdoor Alliance and currently serves on the advisory board of the OSU Center for the Outdoor Recreation Economy.
- Wade Westhoff, who leads the Westhoff Group of Raymond James Financial Services in Bend. Westhoff served as chair of the OSU Alumni Association board of directors from 2016 to 2017. In 2021, he was awarded the Alumni Association’s Jean and C.H. “Scram” Graham Leadership award. Westhoff earned a bachelor’s degree from OSU and is a third-generation alumnus.
The OSU-Cascades Advocacy and Advisory Board is made up of community members who provide advice and support to the vice president of the campus. For more information, visit OSUcascades.edu/board-advisors.
About OSU-Cascades: Oregon State University’s campus in Bend brings higher education to Central Oregon, the fastest growing region in the state. Surrounded by 2.5 million acres of mountains and high desert, OSU-Cascades offers small classes that accelerate faculty-student mentoring and engages in top tier research as part of Oregon State University. Degree programs meet industry and economic needs in areas such as innovation and entrepreneurship, natural ecosystems, health and wellness, and arts and sciences, and prepare students for tomorrow’s challenges. OSU-Cascades is expanding to serve 3,000 to 5,000 students, building a 128-acre campus with net-zero goals.