Kevin Brockbank, chancellor of Spokane Colleges, says he didn’t grow up wanting to lead a community college; it had never crossed his mind. Rather, he fell into the career almost by accident.

"The truth is that I partially fell into an opportunity to start my career at a two-year college and I then quickly realized how magical that work is every day," he says. "I just got lucky, and I never looked back."

Before taking the helm as chancellor in May 2023, Brockbank served as president of Spokane Community College from 2017 to 2023 and vice provost of strategic partnerships from 2015 to 2017 for Community Colleges of Spokane, the former name of Spokane Colleges, which includes Spokane Community College and Spokane Falls Community College. Brockbank oversees a staff of roughly 2,000 and about 20,000 students in Eastern Washington in his role as chancellor.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in business and information technology, master's degree in curriculum studies, and doctorate in educational leadership, University of Montana.

What’s the best career advice you’ve received? In a world that is increasingly about interacting through technology, being present is an advantage that gives you experiences and connections you cannot replicate in a virtual environment.

What job or career would you want to have if you weren’t in your current role? I suspect I would be a business owner in something related to outdoor activities and tourism. I nearly bought a partnership in a raft company in Glacier National Park years ago, but my feeling that I still had work to accomplish in higher education stopped me from pursuing that with my undivided attention.

What is a major professional accomplishment you're proud of? There are many, but the ones that stand out are the times where our accomplishments were the result of creating a great team. That shared success and connectedness of working with others to help students is what creates the most joy for me and creates the kind of memories and stories that last forever.