Wenatchee Valley College has appointed Dr. Bethany Sansing-Helton as the new dean of Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, and Mathematics (STEAM). Her first day is Aug. 17.
As the STEAM dean, Sansing-Helton will be responsible for supervising the exercise science, math, science, transfer engineering, agriculture, and natural resources programs, as well as the WVC STEM Center. She will provide leadership in the planning, organization, administration, development, and assessment of instruction programs, projects, and initiatives.
“I am thrilled to be joining the WVC community as dean,” said Sansing-Helton. “My 16 years of experience as a community college faculty member have shaped my philosophy and deepened my commitment to student success. I look forward to working alongside faculty and colleagues to support our students and help them thrive.”
Sansing-Helton’s leadership philosophy centers on cultivating trust, aligning people and resources with a clear vision, and empowering faculty and staff to innovate. She believes that sustainable improvement emerges when people feel supported, valued, and connected to a shared purpose.
WVC Vice President of Instruction Tod Treat said, “Bethany is a welcome addition to our team and adds deep faculty experience, a continuous improvement skillset, and appreciation for the conceptual and instructional complexities in teaching and learning in STEAM, especially symbolic, laboratory, and field-based learning. We are super excited to welcome her to the team."
Prior to joining WVC, Sansing-Helton served as a mathematics faculty member, interim department chair for engineering, math department co-chair, and lead data partner at Madison Area Technical College in Wisconsin. While there, she was also program director of electrical engineering technology and electronics, and she served as an Equity and Inclusion Fellow.
Sansing-Helton also worked for nearly seven years at Lockheed Martin Astronautics as a senior test engineer and thermal analysis engineer.
She earned her PhD in 2025 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education’s Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis. She has a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from New Mexico State University, a Master of Arts in Mathematics Teacher Education from Chatham University, and a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Antioch College.
About Wenatchee Valley College
Founded in 1939, Wenatchee Valley College enriches North Central Washington and delivers relevant, innovative, and experiential educational opportunities for thriving and healthy communities. Learn more at www.wvc.edu.
Equal Opportunity Statement
Wenatchee Valley College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity in employment and student enrollment. All programs are free from discrimination and harassment against any person because of race, creed, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a service animal by a person with a disability, age, parental status or families with children, marital status, religion, genetic information, honorably discharged veteran or military status or any other prohibited basis per RCW 49.60.030, 040 and other federal and state laws and regulations, or participation in the complaint process.
Learn more at www.wvc.edu/publicdisclosure.
Published Aug. 13, 2026
Media Contacts:
Dr. Tod Treat, Vice President, Instruction, 509-682-6605, ttreat@wvc.edu
Marcine Miller, Executive Director, Public Information Office, 509-682-6582, mmiller2@wvc.edu