PORT ANGELES — Jody Potter is the new director for the North Olympic Peninsula Skills Center.
Potter, who started work mid-August, replaced Peggy Templeton.
Templeton resigned in June to begin work as the director of Career & Technical Education for the Bainbridge Island School District.
17 years of experience
Potter has worked in education for 17 years.
Her “extensive and varied work experience in education, her qualifications and knowledge provide a perfect fit for the skills center’s leadership position,” said Marc Jackson, superintendent of the Port Angeles School District.
Most recently, Potter held simultaneous roles — assistant principal, superintendent’s administrative assistant and business manager — for the Queets-Clearwater School District.
Background
Prior to this, she was employed as an education instructor in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Education Department for the Quinault tribe.
Potter also served as an instructor of adult basic education and prepared students for the General Educational Development test at Grays Harbor Community College.
In addition, she served multiple roles for the Taholah Education Center — among them, career and technical director and vocational director.
“I appreciate the opportunities I’ve been given and those I’ve worked hard to create — traditional and nontraditional,” said Potter, “and feel like I’ve come full circle in education.”
Potter credits Cape Flattery School District with her start in the career technical education field.
School district work
She worked for the district from 1999 to 2004.
“My work with [Superintendent] Kandy Ritter,” Potter said, “and the mentorship she provided while I was part of the Cape Flattery School District staff was invaluable, even to this day.”
The district was, and continues to be, a partner with the skills center.
Potter received a Master of Education in administration from Heritage University and certificate endorsements in career and technical education and career and technical education administration from Central Washington University.
