I worked with Lori Oviatt on the Riverview Board from 2006 until spring of 2015. During that time, Lori served as a board member at large, as board vice president, and also as board president. I endorse Lori for re-election to the RSD board because she:

* has done the hard work of learning the issues, jargon, and players in public education in WA State and our community - something that can take years to accomplish.

* refuses to deal in speculation; she wants to know what the facts are and where they came from.

* is open to new ways of looking at a problems.

* listens to community input and then choses what her experience and perspective believe is right.

* and has learned to understand the very distinct roles of the school board, the superintendent, staff, and the community as they relate to providing public education.

And while Lori is a really big sports fan, I can see her pride in the success of our students in the wide variety of other academic and extracurricular events and activities!

I’ve known Lori Oviatt for nearly twenty years. Through my professional work as a content strategist at Microsoft, through my service to Lake Washington Institute of Technology, and through my volunteer work in the community, my work and Lori’s in meaningful ways. I was the Chair of the Board of Trustees for LW Tech last year when we worked with the Riverview School District on a sale of property with benefitted both institutions. The Riverview School District Board of Directors was forward-looking about growth and new ways to improve their children’s educational experience.

At Microsoft, forward-thinking, collaborative types tend to find each other and work together, despite organizational boundaries. This was true for Lori and me. We often found commonalities that aligned our work goals, and our shared sense of the need to meaningfully contribute to global digital equity through access to engaging and effective learning curriculum. Lori was consistently inspiring, energetic, and proactive.

Lori was an inspiration to me in my volunteer work. I followed in her footsteps by becoming a Microsoft Loaned Executive to the United Way of King County. I’m never surprised to bump into her at different volunteer or diversity retreats, as we share the same philosophy about giving back to the community, and helping others find their paths towards volunteerism and community engagement.

The Riverview School District is very fortunate to have Lori on their board, as she is truly dedicated to improving the educational experience, access and equity in learning, and is committed to the hard work of defining the pathways to success, as well as the vision. She is a talented collaborator and a veteran convener, with the ability to bring diverse and disparate parties together to achieve meaningful results.

Vote LoriO!

As a student representative on the Riverview ​School District Board of Directors from 2005-2007, I had the privilege of serving with and learning from a phenomenal group of education advocates, including Lori Oviatt. Riverview being the small community district it is, I knew Lori as a board member, my neighbor, and mother to a few students I knew well. It was, and still is, so clear to me that Lori spreads her passion for education and uplifting the voice of young people in everything she does. During my time on the Board, Lori immediately made both the other rep and me feel like welcome and valued members of the team. She joined in with the other directors in asking our opinions, introducing us to legislators on trips, and explaining more complex issues in clear, student-friendly terms. Lori always greeted me with a smile and continues to give me those home town good-feels when I run into her on Lake Joy or at the annual Cedarcrest High School Reunion (Carnation 4th of July parade). I feel so grateful for the experience I had as a student rep, and Lori's mentorship is one reason I value that time so much. With a different perspective now, as a school counselor at a middle school, I would love to see Lori Oviatt on the board in my own district. Alas, I doubt she'll move away, so I'm left full heatedly endorsing her to keep doing great work for my fellow kids from the Valley.