SALEM — The Oregon Community Colleges Association has hired a familiar face to lead its communications department.

In an Oct. 19 press release, the association announced it was hiring Casey White-Zollman as its communications director. The move will reunite White-Zollman with association Executive Director Cam Preus, a former Blue Mountain Community College president who hired White-Zollman for a similar role in 2015.

“We’re so excited to have Casey join our OCCA team,” Preus said in a statement. “Casey brings the background, skills and drive that we need to bring awareness to the value and importance of Oregon’s community colleges statewide.”

White-Zollman began her new role the same day as the announcement, and she’ll be in charge of managing the group’s communications, marketing, website and social media. She will continue to be based in Pendleton, where she lives with her husband and 4-year-old son.

The Oregon Community Colleges Association represents the state’s 17 community colleges and advocates on their behalf in front of lawmakers and other partners.

After five years as BMCC’s vice president of college relations and advancement, White-Zollman was laid off in July due to budget cuts. She came to BMCC after a decade at the InterMountain Education Service District, where she was also a communications director.

Prior to crossing over into public relations, White-Zollman worked as a reporter for the East Oregonian. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Portland, and serves on the boards for the Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame and the Round-Up Tough Enough to Wear Pink.