Debra Friedman will begin work as the chancellor of the University of Washington Tacoma just after the 4th of July holiday. She will be UW Tacoma’s fourth chancellor, following retiring Chancellor Patricia Spakes, who guided the university for six years.

Friedman comes to Tacoma from Phoenix, Ariz., where she was vice president of Arizona State University and chief administrator of its Downtown Phoenix campus, which serves more than 8,000 students. Simultaneously, she served as dean of the College of Public Programs, which anchored the Phoenix campus. Her academic rank was professor of public affairs.

No stranger to the Puget Sound area, Friedman was born and raised in Seattle. She earned master’s and doctoral degrees in sociology from the University of Washington in Seattle. She later worked at the UW from 1994 to 2005 in administrative positions, including assistant dean and associate dean of Undergraduate Education, associate provost for academic planning and director of special projects in development and alumni relations.

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City declares ‘Patricia Spakes Day’ in honor of UW Tacoma chancellor (05/31/11) — http://www.tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1983429&more=0

UW Tacoma selects new chancellor (04/21/11) — http://www.tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1962864&more=0

UWT Chancellor Spakes to retire in 2011 (05/07/10) — http://www.tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1766241&more=0