Thurston Co. school board member left to join police. Here’s his replacement
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- School board appoints Jeff Line unanimously to fill North Thurston District 2 seat.
- Line brings HR experience, regional board roles, and local youth soccer leadership.
- Line prioritizes budget management, inclusive support, and listening-to-learn approach.
Following interviews with five applicants, the North Thurston Public Schools voted unanimously to appoint Jeff Line to fill the District 2 seat, the district announced late Tuesday.
Line, who works in human resources for a health care company, also serves on the local Capital Area Regional Public Facilities District Board – the board that oversees the Hand’s on Children’s Museum in Olympia and the Regional Athletic Complex in Lacey –and is the board president of the Lacey-based Chinqually Booters Soccer Club.
The other applicants: Andrew Garate, who works for the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce in Olympia; Jeff Caley, an associate professor of computer science at Pacific Lutheran University; John Mangold, who works for the U.S. Naval War College; and former school director candidate Jeremy Ryan.
Ryan ran for the seat during the 2025 election, but lost to Tim Bullus, who ultimately decided he could not devote enough time to the position because of a career change to become a police officer. Ryan and Bullus ran against each other last year after former District 2 school director Tiffany Sevruk chose not to run for reelection.
All five applicants were interviewed by the board on Tuesday at district headquarters on College Street in Lacey.
“We are pleased to welcome Jeff to the Board,” said NTPS School Board President Esperanza Badillo-Diiorio in a statement. “With his experience and involvement with the district and community, the board is confident he will be an excellent addition and make strong contributions to our work.”
The Olympian requested the candidates’ application materials and cover letters. Here’s what Line had to say about his interest in the position. The statements and questions were posed by the district on the director application.
Please describe the major strengths of North Thurston Public Schools
“At its core, the NTPS stakeholder population is extremely diverse,” Line wrote. “I also believe NTPS supports curriculum that promotes and recognizes the district-wide diversity,” Line wrote. “In general, the staff, at every level, are also a major strength.”
Please describe any shortcomings of North Thurston Public Schools and what you believe the board’s role should be in addressing each of these shortcomings
“In my opinion, NTPS has three key opportunities: 1) Budget management 2) Supporting all students while not over-indexing on certain groups. 3) Supporting school staff as they deal with challenging student and parent behavior,” he wrote.
How would you go about developing collaborative trusting relationships with fellow School Directors, the Superintendent, and all members of the community?
“I would come in with a listen-to-learn mindset,” he wrote. “In order to represent District #2, I need to understand the opportunities and how they apply to the greater NTPS stakeholders,” Line wrote. “My own bias and/or opinions need to be set aside in order to understand the history, current state and desired future state.”
Line also spelled out his interest in a cover letter.
“I am committed to fostering an inclusive environment and promoting transparency among the board, staff, and families,” he wrote. “I look forward to the opportunity to work alongside dedicated educators and community members to help North Thurston Public Schools continue to thrive.”
Line is set to be sworn into his new role on March 24, according to the district.
