PORT ANGELES — Gov. Jay Inslee has appointed Carrie Heaton to serve on the Peninsula College Board of Trustees.
Heaton, the vice president, risk management and security officer for Kitsap Bank, replaces board chair and North Olympic Healthcare Network CEO Mike Maxwell, who stepped down in July 2024. Maxwell had served on the board since July 2011.
Heaton moved to Port Angeles in 2006 and began her career at Kitsap Bank in 2019 as its Sequim branch manager.
Her desire to serve on the board comes from wanting to become involved in an institution that she has seen have a positive impact professionally and personally.
“I’ve had friends who are instructors at Peninsula College, and having hired staff when I was a branch manager [at Kitsap Bank], I recognized the importance of what the college does with workforce readiness for our community,” she said.
“A couple of years ago, my husband decided to go back to college as an adult learner. Just watching how supportive the staff was from a student perspective really spoke to me.”
Heaton approached Peninsula College early last year about becoming a trustee. After meeting with college President Suzy Ames and Maxwell, she submitted an application to the governor’s office. That was in March. Her appointment was approved Jan. 6.
Heaton joins board President Joe Floyd, Vice President Claire Roney and members Glenn Ellis and Celeste Schoenthaler.
Heaton also serves on the boards of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula, the Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship and the Sequim Food Bank.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Nebraska, a Master of Science in integrated health and wellness from Creighton University and a Master of Business Administration from Portland State University.
Peninsula College, like other community and technical colleges in the state, is governed by a five-member board of trustees appointed by the governor. Trustees oversee colleges’ policy development, administration and strategic planning.
Trustees meetings are open to public and held at 2 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month in the Cornaby Center on campus, 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd. The next meeting is Feb. 18.
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Reporter Paula Hunt can be reached by email at paula.hunt@peninsuladailynews.com.
