Former Bend Mayor Bruce Abernethy was chosen to serve as the chair of Central Oregon Community College’s board of directors for 2022-23.

Abernethy represents Zone 6 of the college’s district, which covers north Bend and northwest Deschutes County, and will be chairperson  through June of 2023, when his four-year term as a board member comes to an end, the college said in a news release Thursday.

Abernethy served as Bend mayor and spent 12 years as a city councilor. He also is a former board member of the Bend Park & Recreation District. Currently, Abernethy is a grant writer for the Bend-La Pine Schools.

Additionally, Abernethy is a longtime advocate for affordable housing in Central Oregon, serving as a chairperson for the Homeless Leadership Coalition. He currently serves on the board of the Oregon Environmental Council and is a past board member of the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council. 

The board also appointed Joe Krenowicz, who represents Jefferson County, as vice chair.