Professional Development Center
Main page content
Meet t
he Instructors: Dariush "DK" Khaleghi, Human Resources
Instructors at the UW Tacoma Professional Development Center come from different backgrounds, professions and industries – and in the case of Dariush Khaleghi, from across the world. DK, who teaches in the PDC’s Leadership Essentials, Human Resources Management and Certified Public Manager® programs, came to the U.S. as a religious refugee from Iran in 1985. His journey since then has profoundly influenced the teacher he is today.
Read more of DK's story here.
Meet the Instructors: Angel Latterell, Project Management
Project Managment is coming to Tukwila in June with instructor Angel Latterell. Latterell is a Senior Project Manager with Seattle Children's, an attorney and a Guinness World Record holder. We are excited to introduce her to you in this latest installment of Meet the Instructors. Read her feature here.
Mastering Beer Styles student shares experience
Mastering Beer Styles graduate Kelvin Keown is a homebrewer, a beer blogger, a BJCP beer judge and an all-around craft beer aficionado. We sat down with Keown recently to talk about his passion for craft beer and his experience at the Professional Development Center. Read his story in this new student feature here.
Mastering Beer Styles returns April 18, meeting Wednesday evenings at 7 Seas Brewery and Taproom in Tacoma.
Meet the Instructors: Nathan Navarro, Lean Six Sigma
With Lean Six Sigma: Black Belt kicking off March 6 in Everett and March 19 at UW Tacoma, it's a good time to get to know the people behind the program. In our latest edition of Meet the Instructors, we talk to Black Belt instructor Nathan Navarro, whose continuous improvement career includes work with The Boeing Company and Seattle City Light. Click here to read Nathan's story.
Master Your Craft
at UW Tacoma
UW Tacoma staff writer Eric Wilson-Edge sat down recently with our team to talk about Mastering Beer Styles and other craft beer courses at the Center. Read his story at the link below:
"The craft beer industry is big business. As of 2016 there were 334 craft breweries pumping millions of dollars into the Washington State economy. The growth has been rapid. Five years ago, there were only 136 craft breweries in Washington State. Despite the surge, breaking into this market can be difficult. Amateur enthusiasts face stiff competition and might not be well-versed in the specific challenges of the industry. The Professional Development Center (PDC) at UW Tacoma has a plan to address these issues..."
Read UW Tacoma's full feature on our program here.
Mastering Beer Styles starts April 18. Register today!
PDC alumni uses experience to succeed at Seattle Goodwill
If you met her today, you’d have a hard time believing Rebekah Hand grew up in Florida. Now living in Fircrest, Wash., with her husband, three sons and their bulldog Mudge, Hand has all the characteristics of a native Pacific Northwesterner. She wishes she had more time for exploring the outdoors, but finds plenty of fulfillment keeping up with her family. And like most of us, she’s a big fan of Star Wars and local craft beer. Hand fits-in one other way, as well: she’s ambitious.
Despite having a good idea of what she wanted to do, Hand wasn’t sure how to get there. After nearly a decade in the retail world, switching fields seemed impossible. Even though Hand was skilled enough to receive several interviews for HR positions, she was never able to land a position. Deciding she needed something to help build the bridge over her career change, she started considering courses at the UW Tacoma Professional Development Center.
In 2014, while continuing her position as an associate store manager at Pottery Barn, Hand enrolled in the center’s Human Resources Management Certificate program. Delivered over nine months, this program is designed for the professional who want to either enter the field of HR or learn the advanced skills necessary to advance to the next level. Read the full story.
Meet the Instructors: Trevor Nichol, Mastering Beer Styles
Mastering Beer Styles: Exploration and Evaluation is the PDC’s first venture into the world of craft beer. According to the Brewer’s Association, there are nearly 4,300 craft breweries operating in the U.S. That number is only growing, and Tacoma’s thriving beer culture is a testament to that. Looking to serve the growing body of craft beer professionals, this course is designed to take students on an exploration through the world of beer.
At the helm of the course’s first iteration is BJCP Master Judge Trevor Nichol. Nichol is an industry veteran, knows beer much better than anyone at The Center, and took some time recently to answer some of our questions. Read the full story.
