I have lived in Kootenai County for a lifetime and have proudly operated a successful business in the community for thirty years. Throughout my life, I have dedicated myself to serving on local nonprofit boards, striving to make Kootenai County the best place to work, live, and raise a family. Through this experience, I have gained invaluable insights into effective board governance.
I have been passionately involved in improving educational opportunities for local students. By investing in KTEC, I have enabled high school students to receive training for a certificate in a professional technical field or pursue a college professional technical certificate program or degree. Additionally, I have supported the partnership between local school districts and NIC to provide dual enrollment, allowing high school students to earn an associate degree while fulfilling their graduation requirements and creating a more affordable higher educational pathway.
Understanding the crucial balance between educational opportunities for local students and the needs of businesses and industries for skilled, trained employees, I have worked to foster a thriving economy essential for our strong community. Moreover, I recognize the potentially devastating impact on our local economy from the loss of accreditation and the closure of NIC – including the loss of 1300 good-paying jobs and a $60 million loss to the local economy.
It is imperative to remove politicized agendas that have jeopardized our college’s future this election. By doing so, we can ensure that wasteful spending, disrespect, and poor governance end, allowing NIC to thrive well into the future.