New director, $250,000 grant prepare KeyBank Professional Development Center for next 10 years

UW Tacoma’s KeyBank Professional Development Center prepares to enter its second decade with a new director and a vote of confidence in the form of a $250,000 grant from the KeyBank Foundation. The foundation provides charitable support to organizations that serve the public interest and address critical needs within the community.

Lisa Reeves, a 1992 graduate of UW Tacoma’s Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences program, was named director in early March. She comes from Pierce College where she spent most of her 29-year career as director of continuing education.

The KeyBank Professional Development Center — first opened in January 2003 — is a joint venture between the South Puget Sound community and the University of Washington Tacoma that extends the resources of the University to the community. It delivers advanced non-degree education to public and private sector professionals in the form of specialized courses, seminars, workshops, conferences and services.

Since the Center was funded 10 years ago by KeyBank and the Dimmer Family Foundation, more than 6,000 individuals have completed 61 certificate programs, workshops and short courses such as project management, environmental law and digital forensics.

Reeves, returning to UW Tacoma 20 years after graduating, is coming home to fulfill a mission. She is eager to build on the Center’s success in helping community residents earn professional certification, embrace new careers, strengthen their resumes and stimulate a lifelong love of learning.

She hopes to supplement the already popular nine-month certification programs with more short-term training and new courses designed to meet local business training needs.

The new quarter-million-dollar gift from the KeyBank Foundation will support operations and update the center’s brand. Course fees alone are not sufficient to cover all the costs of high-quality professional development programs.

KeyBank’s South Puget Sound District President Steven Maxwell is enthusiastic about the Center’s work. “Our philanthropic giving program focuses resources on education and workforce initiatives that help people achieve. Now more than ever, given our current economic climate, attracting and retaining workers is a vital part of ensuring that our communities continue to thrive. And an educated workforce is central to a prosperous regional economy.”