Sislena Ledbetter Appointed Vice Provost for Student Affairs at Western Washington University
BELLINGHAM, WA, July 16, 2025 – is pleased to announce that Sislena Ledbetter has been appointed Vice Provost for Student Affairs, reporting to Provost and Executive Vice President Brad Johnson.
In this new role, Ledbetter will oversee the full spectrum of student support and engagement services, including Counseling and Wellness, Student Life, Multicultural Student Services, the Viking Union, and several co-curricular, health, and wellness programs.
She will serve as a member of the Academic Affairs leadership team, participating in both the Council of Deans and the Provost Council, helping shape policy and strategy to support student success at every level of the university experience through a systems and settings perspective. Her leadership will prioritize integrated, collaborative, and community-based solutions to advance student wellbeing and development.
“Sislena brings a rare combination of strategic vision, behavioral health expertise, and a deep understanding of the challenges today’s students face,” said Provost Brad Johnson. “She will play a key role in aligning student services with the core academic experience, strengthening mental health and wellness efforts, and continuing to build an inclusive campus culture where every student belongs and is positioned to succeed.”
Sislena Ledbetter said, “Western’s commitment to student success is reflected in more than graduation rates. We strive to center wellbeing, inclusion, and a sense of belonging as essential to learning and thriving. I’m honored to take on this role and excited to work alongside students, faculty, and staff to create a community where every one of our students and community feels seen, supported, and empowered.”
Ledbetter will oversee the following units and the departments overseen within these units
- AS Governance and Office of Civic Engagement
- The Centers for Student Access, Community, and Intercultural Engagement
- Counseling, Health and Wellbeing
- The Office of Student Life
- Viking Union
- Western Success Scholars
This structural change comes as , like many public institutions of higher education, addresses long-standing budget constraints and modernizes its administrative models.
The move to house Student Affairs within the academic side of the university reflects a national shift in higher education toward eliminating silos, strengthening collaboration, and ensuring that student support is closely aligned with academic success.
As part of these shifts, Career Services, which has traditionally been housed within Student Affairs, has been reorganized under University Advancement to leverage alumni, employer, and corporate networks in support of students' career development.
Before joining , Ledbetter held leadership roles in student development and wellness at institutions including the University of the District of Columbia, where she successfully secured over $5 million in behavioral health grants. Her scholarship interests include wellness and leadership among women of color, and relationship health in the Black community.
A social psychologist and educator, Ledbetter previously served as Western’s Associate Vice President for Counseling, Health, and Wellbeing, where she provided strategic, financial, and programmatic leadership for integrated student health services. She presently serves as Chair of the U.S. Health Promoting Campuses Network for the 2025-2027 term leading national efforts to advance whole-campus wellbeing through systems and settings-based alignment, policy development, and institutional transformation, Ledbetter brings a deep understanding of the intersections between student development, equity, and health.
Under Ledbetter's leadership, Western Washington University formally adopted the Okanagan Charter in 2021 affirming our commitment to weave health, equity, and sustainability into every policy, program, and place on campus, and to stand with the global network of health promoting universities advancing wellbeing for people, place, and planet.
Ledbetter holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from North Carolina Central University and earned her master’s and doctoral degrees from Howard University with additional leadership training at Georgetown University and Harvard University.