Tricia Lubach named WSSDA director

OLYMPIA — Quincy School Board Member Tricia Lubach was offered the position of executive director of the Washington State School Directors’ Association on July 23, following a unanimous vote by the WSSDA Board of Directors, according to an announcement from the WSSDA.

“We’re thrilled to be hiring one of our own,” WSSDA President Sandy Hayes, of the Northshore School District, wrote in the announcement. “Tricia comes to us with decades of experience as a school board member and a WSSDA staff member. Because of her background, she is well equipped to take the position and hit the ground running.” 

Over 30 people applied for WSSDA’s executive director position, according to the announcement. The executive search firm KEES assisted the WSSDA Board with arriving at four finalists. Of those, two were offered an in-person interview at the WSSDA office with the board and WSSDA staff. The next day, the board delivered its decision.

“The board was impressed with Tricia’s deep understanding of WSSDA’s opportunities and challenges, and her well-thought-out plans for tackling both,” wrote Derek Sarley, WSSDA president-elect from the Walla Walla School District. “Her unmatched experience in leadership development sets WSSDA up to further advance its core mission of member training and support.”

Lubach brings 19 years of experience serving on her local school board in the Quincy School District and 10 years of gradually increasing responsibility as a WSSDA employee, according to the announcement. Her first exposure to WSSDA was in 2005 when she attended a candidate workshop for prospective board members, which WSSDA continues to offer during election season. 

After her election, Lubach went on to serve as the Quincy School Board’s legislative representative, vice-president, and then president for several terms, and became increasingly involved with WSSDA as a member. Intrigued by what she learned and the statewide connections she made at WSSDA’s annual conferences, regional meetings, and training opportunities, her involvement with WSSDA continued to grow.

In 2012, she was selected as a member of the WSSDA cadre of consultants, which gave her the opportunity to work with boards around the state by facilitating workshops, retreats, and leading Board Boot Camp and breakout sessions at the WSSDA Annual Conference.

In 2013, Lubach participated in the prestigious Leadership WSSDA program, the announcement said. The experience during this yearlong, intensive training for veteran board members cemented her growing interest in school board leadership and professional development. Shortly thereafter, she was elected to the WSSDA Legislative Committee by school board members in WSSDA’s Director Area 7, the north-central part of Washington state.

In her present role as WSSDA’s director of leadership development, Lubach’s key accomplishments include development of the OnBoard professional learning system for school directors, the revitalization of WSSDA’s Annual Conference, and the renewal of the Washington School Board Standards based on a years-long collaboration with researchers.

“I truly believe in the mission and promise of WSSDA to support the work of every school director and every board-superintendent team across the state,” Lubach wrote in the announcement. “And I’m inspired by them because I’ve seen firsthand the significant time and energy school board members dedicate. These largely unpaid elected officials make many sacrifices to champion public education and make decisions that benefit their students and communities.”

Pending the successful completion of a contract, Lubach will begin serving as the executive director in August, the WSSDA wrote.