Mel C. Netzhammer

Mel Netzhammer has served as the second chancellor of Washington State University Vancouver since July 2012. He is passionate about growing the number of students who successfully complete their academic degrees and expanding access to higher education—especially for the underrepresented. He values campus and community engagement, and has developed a number of strategic partnerships to support economic development and grow the workforce in southwest Washington and the greater metropolitan area.

Netzhammer’s civic engagement is extensive. Locally, he serves on the boards of the Columbia River Economic Development Council, Greater Portland Inc., the STEM Governance Committee for Southwest Washington, and the Vancouver Public Schools’ Management Advisory Task Force. Nationally, he is a member of the AASCU Board of Directors, the LGBTQ Presidents in Higher Education Board, and the National Steering Committee for AASCU’s American Democracy Project.

Netzhammer previously served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Keene State College (NH). A native of New Orleans, he earned a bachelor’s degree in communication at Loyola University, and master’s and doctoral degrees in communication from the University of Utah.