PORT HADLOCK — The new executive director for the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding feels her hands-on experience will bring a new perspective to the school.
“I went to wooden boat school, and I learned a lot,” said Betsy Davis, who is leaving her post as executive director of Seattle’s Center for Wooden Boats for the new position.
“It really helped to shape me as a person because I learned how to problem-solve in a physical arena.”
She is scheduled to assume leadership of the school Oct. 1, taking over from Peter Leenhouts, who held the post for two years before leaving to prepare for his presidency of the East Jefferson Rotary Club in 2015.
Public reception
A public reception for her is scheduled for 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 15, at the school, 42 N. Water St.
Board President David Blessing, who served as executive director between Leenhouts and Davis, said she was chosen from a dozen applicants for the position because of her experience in boat-building as well as extensive experience in running complicated nonprofits.
That was “a combination that none of the other applicants had,” he said.
Davis, 57, was in Port Townsend on Friday with her own wooden craft, the 100-year-old Glory Be. She was attending the 38th annual Wooden Boat Festival, which began Friday and continues through today.
“Previously, I worked in the world of technology, with computers, and solving a problem in that environment is different than in the physical world,” Davis said.
“It takes practice and learning a new approach, where I could learn from my instructors from the words they said and also by watching them.”
Davis said that in the maritime trades, it’s important to not only read books but also to watch the experts in action.
New direction
Pamela Roberts, student services administrator, said Davis’ hands-on experience will set a new direction for the school, which has doubled its enrollment from 33 to 67 students in recent years.
“Who knows what else will be out there for us with Betsy at the helm?” Roberts said.
“She has visionary abilities and a way to get people talking and coordinating with each other that will create opportunities that we haven’t yet dreamed of.”
Davis worked at the Center for Wooden Boats in Seattle for more than a decade, supervising its growth from a small attraction to a vital part of an evolving downtown neighborhood.
“I feel so lucky that for 11 years, I got to do work that was so close to my heart and help the Center for Wooden Boats prepare itself to be an active member in the South Lake Union community,” Davis said.
“The funky little Center for Wooden Boats successfully navigated that transition and has become part of the civic framework.”
Davis is proud of her accomplishments but didn’t know how to do that job for less than 70 hours a week and now seeks an easier pace.
“It’s in my heart to be around wooden boats and see the way they transform individual lives and communities, so when this opportunity came up, I thought, ‘How cool. I can work in another facet.’”
Davis already is spending a lot of time in meetings at the school so she doesn’t need to spend time learning how it operates, Blessing said.
One of her first priorities will be to develop its volunteer network and fundraising abilities, he said.
The school offers two full-time degree programs: a one-year associate degree in occupational studies along with a nine-month diploma program.
It encourages students of all ages and backgrounds and is suited for everyone from recent high school graduates to retirees — anyone who wants to learn the artistry of wooden boat construction, according to the school’s website.
For more information, phone 360-385-4948 or visit www.nwboatschool.org.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
