Wilsonville High School is welcoming a familiar face this fall with the arrival of its new interim principal. For the new leader, stepping into this role feels a little like coming home—her own son once attended Wilsonville, and she brings with her decades of experience and a passion for fostering both student and teacher growth.

Though she never imagined becoming an educator at first, her path into the field began with wise advice from her mother. Originally planning to pursue physical therapy, she applied to a master’s teaching program at her mother’s suggestion and quickly found her fit in the classroom. What started as a practical choice turned into a 20-year career as a high school science teacher.

After two decades in the classroom, she shifted her focus to supporting educators as a Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) in the North Clackamas School District. “The importance of leveling up teachers and giving them a broader understanding of what teacher leadership means is a passion of mine,” she explains. “It allows teachers to show up in a way that brings leverage and movement in schools.”

Her administrative career began as assistant principal at Estacada High School—right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Navigating both a new community and the challenges of pandemic schooling was no small feat. She later served as assistant principal at West Linn High School for four years, where she thrived on conversations with students preparing for life after graduation. 

“Without a doubt, being around young people keeps me young,” she said. “I love the high school level because it’s a different conversation—I get to help students as they step into that independent world for the first time.”

As an administrator, she sees her role as an extension of what happens in the classroom: fostering a culture of learning, not just for students but for adults as well. She values inclusion, collaboration, and listening. 

“I like to spend ample time listening and learning. I don’t want to assume that things need to change,” she shares. “Wilsonville has been successful for a long time. My role is to support the great work that’s already happening here.”

She emphasizes the importance of working alongside families, who she calls “the baseline of who our students are.” By partnering with parents, she believes schools can provide the best possible support tailored to each student’s needs.

For students, she hopes to instill a simple but powerful message she once shared daily with her own children: Be a leader today. “That can show up in a variety of ways,” she says. “If you see yourself as a leader, you’re going to be confident in what you’re doing. You’re going to act differently, talk differently, and show up to school in different ways.”

As she steps into her new role at Wilsonville, she feels a deep sense of honor and connection. “It feels good, like I’m coming home,” she reflects.