Lyndie Case named Campus Community Coalition coordinator

Lyndie Case has been named the coordinator for the Campus Community Coalition, a diverse partnership involving Western Washington University, the City of Bellingham and a number of community partners.

Through grant funding, the Coalition was founded in 1999 by Western Washington University and the City of Bellingham to address issues of mutual concern, such as student alcohol misuse. It has a strong history of promoting working relationships and shared responsibility through collaborative education and problem-solving. In 2008, the Coalition expanded its membership and scope to include other area colleges in dialogue concerning matters of health, safety, and quality of life.

Western, led by President Bruce Shepard, is highly committed to building relationships with the local community. The WWU President’s Office provided the ongoing funding needed to support the work of the Coalition and to ensure that its efforts would continue beyond the time covered by the grant.

"We are excited to have Lyndie assume oversight of the Coalition and its many activities. She brings a range of talents to the position that will keep their efforts moving in positive directions and continue to strengthen the relationship between area colleges and the Bellingham community,” said. Eileen Coughlin, vice president for Student Affairs and Academic Support Services at WWU.

Case will assume her new responsibilities at Western on April 5. Her role is to serve as a bridge to the larger community, to provide leadership to the Coalition, and to guide the implementation of Coalition projects, including the “Let’s Talk” forums, the Hospitality Resource Alliance, and advisement to Western’s Viking Community Builders Club.

“I have followed the efforts of the Campus Community Coalition and have been impressed by the work they have done. I am excited to have the opportunity to be a part of the Coalition and thrilled to be working with the Bellingham and campus communities,” Case said.

Since 2006, Case has coordinated a Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant for the community of Burlington. The purpose of the project was to reduce underage drinking by coordinating a local community coalition’s efforts to develop a comprehensive strategic plan, implement a variety of strategies, and evaluate efforts. From 2000 to 2006, Case was program manager/substance abuse project specialist for Northwest Educational Service District 189 in Anacortes. Prior to that, she was a Health Teacher at Chinook Middle School in Sea Tac.

Case has a bachelor’s degree from Western in Secondary Education. She has continuing teaching certification from the state in health and theatre.

Case succeeds former coordinator Lara Welker, who left the position with the Coalition to join the Whatcom Alliance for Healthcare Access, a Bellingham non-profit organization.