Special to the Reporter
Mercer Island resident Jody Lee announced last week that she has registered to run for school board director position No. 5, the seat being vacated by outgoing director Tam Dinh.
“I believe in our Mercer Island schools. I want to make sure we are offering the best possible education for every student. I want all students to thrive, to achieve their best personal potential, and to graduate ready to become full citizens in the world around them. My children have attended four of the six MI schools. I have been deeply involved in each of these communities, whether as a committed volunteer and advocate, fundraising for mental health services or music programs, or working through Covid to help the schools get through that crisis and lay the groundwork for a stronger tomorrow,” Lee said in a statement.
Due to her active involvement in the schools, Lee is known and respected by many local parents. State Representative Tana Senn says, “Jody has learned the ins and outs of our school district by rolling up her sleeves and digging in. I know she will do the same on the school board. Her background in mediation and conflict resolution will be an added benefit as well.”
Lee’s master’s degree is in conflict management and cross cultural communication. After serving as a presidential management fellow on Capitol Hill, she worked at the U.S. Department of State as the dispute resolution specialist. Lee headed the training program in mediation and conflict management training for internal and interagency disputes at the department and at our embassies around the world. She also trained diplomats in mediation at the Foreign Service Institute. Lee believes that her skills and experience in helping organizations function more smoothly, and in mediating conflicts brought on by cultural differences overseas, will translate well to service on the board
Lee has served in various PTSA roles over the years, including new family coordinator for multiple years, parent representative at the high school, and membership on various committees at the school and superintendent level.
“It’s important to me that all families and students feel welcome and represented at our school. By nature I am a connector and convener, and my volunteer roles, whether as team manager for soccer or mountain bike teams, or as the voice of MI parents on the 15-month Learning Forward Committee during Covid, have been about bringing people together and making sure all involved feel heard and represented,” she said.
In addition to her school-related volunteer work, Lee serves on the board of the MI Youth and Family Services Foundation and the MI Schools Band Boosters board, fundraising for mental health services and the school’s strong music programs.
High school parent and advocate Gwen Loosmore, who has worked with Lee as a volunteer for years, says, “Jody is exactly the kind of person we want on the school board: educated, committed, informed, interested in upholding our strong academic standards and preserving student mental health. She has also demonstrated her service and commitment to the community and the district with years of quiet, selfless volunteering. She knows what it’s like to be an engaged parent, she knows our concerns, and she knows how our district works. She knows how to get things done and what our community values. She will be an outstanding school board member.”
With decades of experience working with people from all kinds of backgrounds, her strong track record of service to our schools, and her collaborative, community-driven approach, Lee believes she will be a welcome and effective addition to the school board.
