Elizabeth Chen, of Federal Way, has been appointed by Gov. Chris Gregoire as the newest member of the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

Chen has served on the Highline Community College (HCC) Board of Trustees since 1995. She was the HCC Board chair in 2001-2002 and 2006-2007.

"Elizabeth Chen's extensive experience and deep commitment to the community and technical college system will be extremely valuable to the State Board as we continue pursuing initiatives that will help more people reach higher levels of educational attainment in Washington," said Jim Bricker, SBCTC board chair.

Chen has been appointed to serve a four-year term as one of nine members of the Board, responsible for overall policy, leadership, and strategic direction of the community and technical college system. She replaces Lyle Quasim, who left the board in January.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my many years serving Highline Community College," Chen said. "I am so grateful for this new opportunity to serve the entire community and technical college system at the statewide level."

Chen is a visiting instructor of Chinese at the University of Puget Sound. She has served on the Highline Community College Foundation board, the City of Federal Way Diversity Commission, and now serves as an advisor to the Overseas Compatriot Affairs Commission of Taiwan, R.O.C.

She was named "Trustee of the Year" by the Washington state Trustees Association of Community and Technical Colleges in 2006, honoring her years of service to HCC and higher education. In September 2007, she was elected to a two-year term as Pacific regional director of the national Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT). She also served as chair of ACCT's Diversity Committee from 2005-2007.

Chen earned both her Master of Science and Ph.D. in Statistics at the University of Wyoming.