Elected/Appointed:12/11/2017
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
“I have worked for the U.S. Department of the Interior for 12 years, and that’s why I relocated to Hockinson. My wife Anna and I have been married for 31 years and have three children, two of whom graduated from HHS (in 2012 and 2017). Our youngest son is an 8th grader at HSD. My wife, children, and I are all members of the Makah Indian Tribe.
I am also a member of the district’s Equity Team. I strongly believe that equity should be a part of every decision or program we create, which is really easy to say, but often difficult to implement. My own experience as a Native American means that I’m often the only person of color in a room or group. As a school board member, I feel I can educate others through my experiences. Like any other place, we all have a little bit to learn to make this a better place for everyone. We want all of our students to have a good experience and to be able to make things more equitable for all of our students and community members.”
2. What drives your passion for education and for serving on the HSD Board?
“I’m a strong believer in public service and helping out where you can. I’ve served in other elected positions and prior to moving to Hockinson, I worked with Cape Flattery School District, so it’s something I’ve long had an interest in. I do like to bring my experience to support public education. I’m a firm supporter of public education and the good it does for our society. We all have different roles to play, and at this point in my life, I want to bring my experiences and talent to serving our schools and community.”
3. What contribution to HSD schools are you most proud of?
“I feel really proud to be serving with so many other individuals who are passionate about public education. We are a well-rounded team, with talented people that have a real love for not only education but for serving the community. I’m glad to be a member of a team that’s doing such good work.”
4. What about the Hockinson community inspires you?
“I’m always so inspired that despite the small size and rural nature of our district, we have still accomplished so much. To think we can be as small as we are and still offer the programs and services we do is amazing. We’re different and we’re unique compared to other districts in the region. The amount of work the whole community puts in makes it a really special place.”