Growing up on a farm near the small community of Pratum (between Salem and Silverton), I learned the value of hard work, the importance of family and family roots, and the responsibility of giving back to one’s world. I attended a 2-room, 8-grade school, an experience I look back on with gratefulness and appreciation. After high school I attended Willamette University for 2 years and then graduated from the University of Oregon where I focused on working with children with developmental delays.
A desire for adventure led me to Tucson, Arizona, where I lived for 15 years. During that time, I got into Deaf Education, completing an M.A. and an M.Ed. and beginning my 48-year (and counting) career in this wonderful field. Highlights of my career include 3 years as Assistant Superintendent at the Oregon Department of Education, serving as the first woman superintendent (director) at the Oregon School for the Deaf (OSD), and being the first woman superintendent at the Washington School for the Deaf (WSD). I founded a consulting business, Planning for Student Success, in 2006 and have continued doing consulting work in the areas of school improvement, leadership development, administrative mentoring, and strategic planning since my retirement from WSD in 2016.
Moving to Lincoln City was a dream come true. This area of the Oregon coast has been my “place of belonging” my entire life. My husband, Kevin Hohnbaum, our two dogs Clive and Jennie, and I enjoy living on the Siletz Bay with its amazing bird life and ever-changing views. We enjoy hiking and are currently 6 legs short of walking the entire Oregon Coast Trail. I also play pickleball, bike, am an avid reader, and am very involved with our 10 grandchildren. To my mind, there is never a bad day at the Oregon Coast and I feel so blessed to live here.
I am excited to be a member of the League of Women Voters of Lincoln County (LWVLC). My parents instilled in me the importance of voting and of caring about local, state, and national leadership. Being part of the LWVLC gives me the opportunity to help ensure people have the information they need to make informed decisions. I am proud of the work this group has done for so many years, and I look forward to being part of the ongoing work in the future.