After more than a decade of leadership shaping higher education in the North Puget Sound, Washington State University Everett Chancellor Paul Pitre has elected to return to the faculty, where he will continue his long-standing commitment to teaching and student success.
Pitre’s career with WSU spans more than 20 years, including roles as a faculty member, founding dean, and ultimately chancellor of WSU Everett. Since 2016, he has led the campus through a period of significant change, establishing WSU Everett as a student-centered institution connected to the needs of its region.
“Dr. Pitre’s leadership has been instrumental in making WSU Everett into a campus that focuses on serving students, industry, and communities across the North Puget Sound,” said WSU President Betsy Cantwell. “His dedication has shown us what a generation-scale vision can do to benefit the region.”
Dr. Pitre’s leadership has been instrumental in making WSU Everett into a campus that focuses on serving students, industry, and communities across the North Puget Sound.
Betsy Cantwell, president
Washington State University
Pitre played a central role in establishing WSU Everett as a campus that is actively enhancing economic development in Everett, Snohomish County, and the broader North Puget Sound region.
From its earliest days, Pitre helped guide the transition of the University Center of North Puget Sound into a fully realized WSU campus, aligning academic programming with regional workforce needs and building strong partnerships with local leaders and organizations.
Under his leadership:
- WSU Everett became the region’s premier four-year university, expanding access to high-quality degrees close to home.
- A $65 million, state-of-the-art campus facility — Snohomish County’s first LEED Gold academic building was developed to support innovation and student success.
- Eleven academic programs were launched, including mechanical engineering as the flagship program in the region.
- Lasting partnerships were established with local governments, K–12 systems, healthcare providers, and economic development organizations.
Pitre also cultivated a strong network of community and industry advisors, ensuring the campus remained responsive to evolving regional needs while maintaining WSU’s commitment to academic excellence.
Before becoming chancellor, Pitre served as founding dean for the Everett campus and as a key liaison for WSU in the North Puget Sound region, helping lay the groundwork for the campus’s long-term success.
Throughout his career, he has remained deeply committed to teaching and mentorship as a faculty member in educational leadership, preparing future leaders in both higher education and K–12 systems. His return to the faculty marks a continuation of that mission — this time with the perspective of a leader who helped build a campus from vision to reality.
The university will continue building on the strong foundation established under Pitre’s leadership.
Sandra Haynes will assume leadership of the Everett campus alongside her existing responsibilities for the Tri‑Cities and Vancouver campuses. Haynes is familiar with the Snohomish County community and has worked with regional partners to advance initiatives such as the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) program and strengthening the presence of WSU at Paine Field.
WSU is implementing a broader statewide leadership structure designed to enhance coordination across campuses, strengthen academic collaboration, and support long-term sustainability. This evolution reflects WSU’s ongoing commitment to serving students and communities across Washington with impact.
