Camilla A. H. Westenberg

Vice President

Camilla A. H. Westenberg was elected to the Phoenix AKARAMA Foundation, Inc. Board of Directors in April 2004, assuming the office of Vice President. Born in Nashville, Arkansas and growing up in Helena, Arkansas, Camilla Westenberg earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education and English from the University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff, formerly Arkansas A.M. & N. College in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Her Master of Arts degree is in Communication, focusing on code switching from the Black dialect to Standard English from Arizona State University and her Doctor of Education is in Higher Education, focusing on Curriculum Development from Nova University. She has also received her certification as a Developmental Education Specialist from the Kellogg Institute at Appalachian State University.

Dr. Westerberg taught in Arkansas, California, and Illinois, until her family decided to make Arizona its permanent residence. In Arizona, she has taught music in the Murphy School District, has taught English in the Phoenix Union High School District, and currently is a tenured professor of over 20 years in the English Department at Phoenix College, one of the Maricopa Community Colleges. At Phoenix College she is the coordinator for Developmental English, advisor for Black Student Union, and faculty advisor for the African-American Alumni Association. She is also a member of the Maricopa Council of Black American Affairs where she serves on the scholarship committee.

Dr. Westenberg is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. where she currently serves as the vice president and chair of the Historically Black College and University Fair. She has served on the Education Committee working with the Young Authors Program, the Arts Committee, and the Scholarship Committee.

Additionally, Dr. Westenberg is publication chair for the 2005 National Association for Developmental Education Conference, chair of the Phoenix College Developmental Education Assessment Committee for NCA Accreditation, and festival publicity chair for the new Arizona Caribbean Association.

Her husband of 26 years was the late Dr. Irwin S. Westenberg. She is extremely proud of their daughter Erica Lucinda who completed her undergraduate degree from Harvard University magna cum laude, her master's degree from the London School of Economics with honors, and currently has returned to secure her law degree from Harvard Law School.

Dr. Westenberg is the daughter of Mrs. Alice Young Hester and the late Mr. Guy Edward Hester.