West Hills College makes changes, approves new program directors

Conne Cleveland started working for the district in 2001 as a teacher for the child development center at West Hills College Coalinga. She was most recently the site supervisor in Coalinga. Cleveland was promoted to director earlier this month. She earned her associate’s degree in child development from WHCC, her bachelor’s in child development from CSU Fresno and 30 semester units in curriculum and education major requirements from Fresno Pacific University.

Kathryn De Fede is the new interim district director of health careers. De Fede has a longtime career in nursing education for the California State University system and Associate Degree level nursing programs. She will assume the role in place of Charles Freeman, who recently retired. She has also been approved as the director of nursing at West Hills College Lemoore. De Fede earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from CSU Bakersfield and her Master of Science in Nursing Administration from CSU Dominguez Hills.

Oscar Villarreal is the new director of Upward Bound/After School Programs at WHCL. He was formerly the Upward Bound math and science program coordinator. Villarreal has worked for the district since he was first hired as a tutorial specialist for WHCC Upward Bound in 2000. He earned his Associate of Arts degree from WHCC. Through the Employee Scholars Program, he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Fresno Pacific University and a Master of Arts Degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.