EATONVILLE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Legislative Representative
Ashley Sova was elected for school board director in November of 2021, and was sworn in on December 8th of the same year.
She has lived in Eatonville area for 20 years. She loves her town and appreciates Eatonville's rich history and avidly supports the local businesses.
Ashley graduated from Bethel High School in 2002 with aspirations to start a family and form a strong home. After marrying her husband a few years later, she became a business owner alongside him, and the two still work to expand their many car businesses around the Pacific Northwest.
While her two oldest children were in Weyerhaeuser Elementary School, Ashley was involved with the PTA, and worked as a volunteer. Once she had made the decision to remove her kids from public school, she began her new job as a homeschooling mother and is actively involved in a co-op with her children. She spends her time working to shape them into exemplary members of society.
When not actively engaged with her family's homestead or her children, Ashley enjoys shopping for antiques, studying American history, painting, and entertaining guests at her home. She has always been an advocate for children, and a firm believer that the education of children in public environments should be based upon real world application.
Job Titles:
- Titles: 2ND GRADE TEACHER
Job Titles:
- Titles: 5TH GRADE TEACHER
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- WIAA Representative
Job Titles:
- ESD Support Services Director
- Executive Student Services
- Title IX Coordinator, Section 504 / ADA Coordinator & Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Titles: PRESCHOOL TEACHER
Job Titles:
- Titles: 3RD GRADE TEACHER
Job Titles:
- Titles: 1ST GRADE TEACHER
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- WIAA Representative
Karen Carr is a dedicated individual who has made contributions to her community in various capacities over the past two decades. With a diverse background spanning business ownership, real estate, finance, education, and community involvement, Karen's passion is to be an asset to her local area.
For 24 years, Karen has served as a Realtor, helping individuals and families find their dream homes and navigate the real estate market with care. Her deep understanding of the local housing market has made her a trusted advisor to many.
In addition to her real estate career, Karen has also successfully owned and operated her own Property Preservation/ Management Company and has been involved in finance within her community. Her entrepreneurial spirit and business mindset have allowed her to thrive in these fields.
Karen's commitment to education and her community shines through her eight-year tenure within the local school district. She has worked tirelessly at four of the area's schools, contributing her skills to various departments, including Technology, Library, STEM, and more. She has a dedication to education and a desire to support the growth and development of young minds.
Beyond her professional achievements, Karen Carr is a loving wife and a mother of four sons. Her passion for the outdoors, particularly fishing and being on water, allows her to connect with nature, the beautiful Pacific Northwest and with her family. Additionally, she has a strong affinity for the arts, embracing various forms of creative expression.
Job Titles:
- Titles: KINDERGARTEN TEACHER
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Titles: 4TH GRADE TEACHER
Matthew "Matt" Pederson has been teaching for over 20 years and has spent the last eight years at Weyerhaeuser Elementary School. For the past year, Matt has been a teacher on special assignment with a focus on mathematics. During this time, he has provided coaching and modeling lessons for teachers. He also taught enrichment and remediation lessons to students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Matt previously taught for seven years each at McKenna Elementary School and Mill Pond Intermediate School. Matt's passion for teaching in general, and engaging mathematics instruction in particular, extends beyond his own classroom. He regularly provides building and district professional development as well as presenting at regional and national conferences. For several years, Matt has served as a district mentor for new teachers, and has recently taken on responsibility for coordinating the district mentor program. He is also a member of the Washington State Mathematics Council and will soon begin serving on the council's Board of Directors. Matt earned a B.A. from Pacific Lutheran University and a master's in teaching from City University. He is certified as a kindergarten through eighth grade teacher.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board
- Member of the Board of Directors
- School Board Chair
Paulette has lived her entire life in the little town of Elbe, nestled in the foothills at the base of Mt. Rainier. In 1962, she married Bill Gilliardi and together they raised four children who are now successfully pursuing their own pathways.
Paulette attended Columbia Crest Elementary and graduated from Eatonville High School in 1962. Bill and Paulette have owned and operated Gilliardi Logging & Construction Inc. since 1969 and have been through all the many ups and downs that are part of a family owned business. Their son, Chad, is now the principle owner of their company, after having worked in the business with them for over 15 years.
During the years Paulette was raising her children, she was active as a volunteer in the schools, served as a bible study leader with Bible Study Fellowship, and served as Children's Ministry Teacher and Treasurer at their small county church. In 1985 she was a chaperone for Eatonville's Daffodil princess who happened to be her daughter, Shannon. She continued with the Daffodil Festival and went from chaperone to three years as Queen Mother, in charge of the royal court. For over 20 years Paulette attended and kept stats and scorebook for junior high and high school basketball. She served on the school board for 10 years, leaving in 1998 and returned to serve in 2008.
In her spare time she loves to read and have coffee or lunch with friends. What Paulette enjoys most is spending time with her kids and her wonderful and energetic grandchildren.
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Chairman
- Member of the Board
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Assistant to the Chair
Board member Ronda Litzenberger is a lifelong resident of Eatonville. She started her school career at Weyerhaeuser Elementary and graduated from Eatonville High School. She left Eatonville briefly to attend Tacoma Community College, then Brigham Young University to study economics, returning to the area to work in the real estate field as a title examiner and Escrow Limited Practice Officer. She and her husband have owned a small business for over 30 years.
She was appointed to the School Board in 2009 and has served as Board Chair, Vice Chair, Legislative Representative and WIAA Representative. She is on the Washington State School Directors Association's (WSSDA) Legislative Committee and is Chair of the WSSDA Small Schools Committee.
Ronda, and her husband Rowland, have five children that attended Eatonville schools. She feels their experience in Eatonville School District taught them the importance of leadership, community service and prepared them well for their future careers. Stefan, with a degree in Biochemistry, is a doctor at S.F.U. Veterans Hospital, Kyle is a prosecuting attorney for Pierce County, Annelise is a teacher at Columbia Crest A.S.T.E.M. Academy, Sarah is a Senior at B.Y.U. studying Global Supply Chain Management and Global Non-profit Management and the youngest, Andréa is a Junior at B.Y.U. studying Elementary Education.
Ronda currently teaches Pilates and strength training circuit classes, but her true focus is family and community and she exemplifies the volunteer spirit with her work. In addition to serving on the ESD Board of Directors for over a decade, she is involved in Graham Frederickson Eatonville Rotary, Graham Business Association, several youth advisory groups, and plays a major part in the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance.
Ronda's passion for education keeps her motivated in her board position and she is happy to be serving in an innovative district. She believes "Strong Schools = Strong Community."
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Board
Travis Rush currently serves as the EdTech Lead for the AESD. Throughout his career, he has held various roles in small districts in Washington, including teacher, librarian, technology education lead, and director of education technology. He holds a degree from Western Washington University and obtained his library information endorsement from the University of Washington Information School and his administrative certification from PLU. Travis has actively contributed to curriculum development and EdTech training at district and state levels. Travis helped elevate a rural district to the status of a Google Reference District, providing opportunities to students in a technology-deficient environment. His current focus is on extending EdTech and learning opportunities to every student in Washington State by developing programs within the ESDs. He has long been passionate about media literacy, education technology, and student learning in any environment.