Port Townsend woman to head up state Board of Education

OLYMPIA — Kristina Mayer of Port Townsend is the new chairwoman of the executive committee of the state Board of Education.

The state board announced positions last week. New and returning board members will each serve a four-year term beginning Jan. 13.

Mayer, who was originally appointed to the board in January 2007, is heading the new executive committee.

Deborah Wilds of Issaquah is the vice chairwoman.

The pair, elected independently during the November board meeting, will serve for at least two years in these roles.

They will be joined on the executive committee by three at large members: Kevin Laverty of Mukilteo, Judy Jennings of Bonney Lake and Isabel Muñoz-Colón of Tacoma.

Mayer leads the KLMayer Consulting Group of Port Townsend, which works with nonprofit organizations and foundations.

New members of the board are governor appointees Jeff Estes of Richland and Holly Koon of Deming, as well as Dan Plung of West Richland, who was elected by Washington state local school board members to represent eastern Washington.

Returning members include Peter Maier, J.D., of Seattle — elected by Washington state local school board members to represent western Washington — and governor appointee Muñoz-Colón.

Mayer developed the Jefferson County Community Foundation, spearheaded the Washington Initiative for National Board Certification and co-created the Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession, the state said.

Mayer, who has a Ph.D, holds degrees from Seattle University, Gonzaga University and the Fielding Graduate Institute.

The State Board of Education, which has 16 members, provides advocacy and strategic oversight of public education.

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