Bill West | Executive Director
Space Workforce Institute

Bill brings his passion for developing trusted relationships and advancing lives to his role as Executive Director of the Space Workforce Institute (SWI). SWI creates workforce standards and professional credentials to help build a resilient space workforce, enabling pathways in as well as ongoing professional development. Bill has spent the majority of his career in operational and sales roles for test administration and credential management organizations, as well as an NCCA-accredited non-profit credentialing association. Roles have included: customer service, program management, business development, operations; and strategy. In these roles, Bill launched and managed numerous national and global assessment programs across the higher education industry, U.S. federal government, local governments, corporate hiring & advancement, and professional credentialing sectors. While serving in these capacities, Bill assisted clients with expanding their programs, implementing strategic partnerships, and developing new markets. As a very active contributor to assessment industry associations, conferences and committees, Bill served on the board of directors for the Association of Test Publishers (ATP) and the Certification Network Group (CNG).  He currently serves on the National Advisory Board for the Credential As You Go (CAYG) initiative, on the Governing Board for the Council for Professional Recognition, and on the board of directors for the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE), owner of the NCCA accreditation standard. Bill holds an MBA from Augsburg University, a B.A. in English and Religion from St. Olaf College, and recently achieved the Institute for Credentialing Excellence Certified Credentialing Professional (ICE-CCP) certification. Bill has deep roots in his local community and enjoys anything that involves spending time with his wife and kids, the brisk Wisconsin winters, oh and yes, he is an avid sports enthusiast. Trusted relationships are vital to him personally and professionally, which is one of the top reasons why he loves the assessment industry and the people in it. Trust is built through integrity, competence, and doing what you say you will do.