Staff

Craig Ashford was hired as General Counsel for Western Oregon University in March of 2025. Craig has extensive experience in Oregon higher education, government, and private legal practice. He has unique expertise in taxation, real estate, business transactions, corporate and public entity governance, employee benefits, retirement plans, executive compensation, secured transactions, finance, public records, and legislation.

Craig has also served as a university administrator supervising a purchasing and contracting department consisting of more than 25 employees, processing approximately 5,000 transactions annually for an institution with a $1 billion annual budget.

Craig earned a BA from Brigham Young University and a law degree from the University of Oregon School of Law. He graduated first in his law school class and was honored with membership in the Order of the Coif. Craig previously worked for the Office of Chief Counsel for the Internal Revenue Service, the Office of General Counsel for the University of Oregon, and Miller Nash LLP before joining Western Oregon University as General Counsel.

ashfordc@wou.edu

Karen joined the General Counsel’s Office in April 2024 and has over 13 years of experience working in the legal field.  Karen moved to the Willamette Valley in 2013 from Truckee, California where she worked from 2000 to 2009 in the areas of public agency representation and management-side employment and labor law. From 2009 to 2013 Karen worked as a paralegal in the Office of Richard Young in Reno, Nevada. There she assisted with criminal and divorce litigation matters, from initial consultation, discovery, to document and trial preparation.

Karen has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from Oregon State University and a paralegal certification from the University of Nevada, Reno. Karen worked at Oregon State University for 10 years in their Dean of Students Office before joining the General Counsel’s Office at WOU.

Areas of Service: public records management, risk management, insurance, policy development.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

sloank@wou.edu

Barb has worked at WOU for almost 35 years. She has worked in the Housing Office, Campus Dining, and Student Conduct. Barb was the Contracts Coordinator in Facilities Services before joining the General Counsel’s Office in September 2025 as the Contracts Administrator. Prior to coming to WOU, Barb was a Public Service Representative for the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office – Election’s Division where she audited campaign finance reports and assisted with the preparing of the Oregon Blue Book and Voter’s Pamphlets. She has also worked for the Oregon Public Utility Commission and Oregon Farm Bureau. Barb attended Chemeketa Community College with a focus in accounting and office management. Outside of work, Barb enjoys camping in their RV, riding her e-bike, reading and spending time with her grandkids.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

penab@wou.edu