PORT TOWNSEND — A 17-year Port Townsend resident and former schoolteacher is one of seven new members of the state Board of Education appointed by Gov. Chris Gregoire.
Kristina Mayer of Port Townsend fills a one-year term on the board, that also includes five returning members who oversee the state’s elementary and secondary education requirements and are responsible for developing a statewide accountability system.
With extensive experience in education both on the teaching side as well as the policy-making side, Mayer, 52, applied for the position and was appointed Jan. 30.
“It’s certainly an honor, and I’m really excited to delve into the state policy level,” she said.
Mayer taught at various elementary schools from 1977 to 1991, the last two of those years at Grant Street Elementary in Port Townsend.
She also was an assistant principal in the Central Kitsap School District in 1991-93 and principal at Wilkes Elementary on Bainbridge Island in 1993-96.
“The more years I taught, I realized I really needed to get more engaged in policy,” said Mayer.
“This appointment to the state board is like the ultimate policy job for me.”
Private consultant
Mayer currently leads the KLMayer Consulting Group that helps philanthropic and nonprofit organizations to clarify and achieve their goals.
She also created the Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession, a nonprofit organization which provides research and policy recommendations for improving teaching quality in Washington.
