Colette Pierce Burnette

Cleveland-native Colette Pierce Burnette has built a stellar career in business and higher education.  Currently serving as interim President at Pierce College in Puyallup, Washington, the former Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio also held posts as Vice President for Information Technology & Services and Chief Information Officer at Central State University, Dean of Information Technology at Pierce College in Lakewood, Washington, and Manager of Consulting and Project Management Services at the Washington State Department of Transportation in Olympia, Washington.

Colette knows the meaning of humble beginnings and has combined her IQ, EQ, entrepreneurial spirit and technical knowledge to forge successful careers in engineering, information technology and higher education.   Before moving into higher education, Colette worked as Senior Manager for the Washington State Department of Transportation and as a Computer Analyst at The Washington Post.  She was also an Operations Support Engineer at Proctor & Gamble, held the position of Director of Information Systems at Neighborhood Reinvestment Corp., and ran her own computer consulting firm, CompuMent.

A strong proponent of campus and community engagement, Colette is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the National Society of Black Engineers, Valley Arts United, the National Council of Negro Women, Puyallup Area Aging in Place Coalition, Texnikoi, and the Black Data Processing Association, to name only a few.  She has served on numerous boards and committees, including the Xenia Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Wright Patterson Air Force Base 2020 Taskforce Committee, National Association for Schools of Music Accreditation Committee, African American Male Leadership Institute Steering Committee, Ohio State University College of Engineering Advisory Committee, and Central State University’s Campus Climate Committee.  Her many honors include The Ohio State University Outstanding Engineering Alumnus Award, United States Army Distinguished Civilian Volunteer Service Medal Award, Thurgood Marshall Foundation Chief Information Officer of the Year Award, Dayton Business Journal Chief Fiscal Officer of the Year Award, and the National Diversity Council Glass Ceiling Award.

Colette received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from The Ohio State University and a Master of Science in Administration from Georgia College.  She is also a graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Management Development Program.  She is married and has two adult children, Daarel II and Daana. Colette’s greatest joy in her current position as interim President at Pierce College is contributing to providing opportunities for all students to realize their possibilities.