Celebrating Seattle Public Schools 2023-24 Retirees  

Seattle Public Schools is celebrating the remarkable achievements of more than 100 extraordinary individuals from across the district who have reached the pinnacle of their professional journeys: retirement.

These esteemed educators, administrators, school support staff, and district employees who are bidding farewell to their cherished roles worked a collective tenure of more than 2,600 years.

To commemorate their time with SPS, the district is hosting a retirement ceremony on Tuesday, June 11, in the John Stanford Center.

These remarkable individuals have shaped the lives of countless students. We want to express our heartfelt gratitude for the contributions made by these employees.

50+ years 

• Marletta Iwasyk, Kindergarten Teacher – Orca K-8 (56 years) 

41-49 years 

• Sandra Smith-Kennewick, Teacher – Arbor Heights Elementary (46)
• Jennifer Anderson, Teacher – Laurelhurst Elementary (43)
• Carole Lynch, Teacher – Garfield High School (41)

31-40 years

• Charles Hunter Jr., Teacher – Franklin High School (39) 
• Gretchen Unseth, Teacher – Catharine Blaine K-8 (39) 
• Abraha Zerai, Teacher – Maple Elementary (39) 
• Samara Hoag, Manager – Student Health Services (38) 
• Mary Lanza, Teacher – Mercer International Middle School (38) 
• Serena Quynn, Teacher – Madison Middle School (38) 
• Diane Trudnowski, Teacher – Maple Elementary (38) 
• Laurie Roseto, Teacher – Kimball Elementary (37) 
• Kek Ngy, Grants Support Analyst (36) 
• Shelly Sharp, Teacher/Bilingual – Bailey Gatzert Elementary (36) 
• Leslyn Jones-Petitt, Manager – Employment Services (35) 
• Ngoc Hoang, Bilingual Instructional Assistant – Franklin High School (35) 
• Shirley Swarts, Teacher/Bilingual – Fairmount Park Elementary (35) 
• Terri Stone, Teacher – Eckstein Middle School (34) 
• Blaise Chappell, Special Education Assistant – Wing Luke Elementary (33) 
• Lula Ghebreab, Warehouse Office Specialist (33)
• Barry Tsoi, Accounting Manager – Comptroller’s Office (33) 
• Patsy Burgess, Teacher – Broadview/Thomson K-8 (33) 
• Linda Overlie, Special Education Assistant – Nathan Hale High School (32) 
• Robert Smuidrins, Special Education Assistant – Lowell Elementary (32) 
• Katherine Nestler, Special Education Teacher – Ingraham High School (32) 
• Mary Parkhurst, Teacher – Sanislo Elementary (32) 
• Edwina Washington, Elementary School Assistant – Broadview/Thomson K-8 (32) 
• Kevin Kent, Manager – Financial Forecast Budget Office (31) 
• Yvonne Dunn, Teacher – Middle College High School (31) 
• Jacqueline Calloway, Culinary Services Central Kitchen Lead (31) 
• Raymond Zittlau, Custodial Engineer – North Beach Elementary (31) 
• Andrew Richards, Senior Landscape Lead Grounds/Sports Complexes (31) 
• Susan Grant, Curriculum Specialist – Career & Technical Education (31) 

21-30 years 

• Diane Cagot, Transportation Control Center Rep – Transportation Business Operations (30) 
• Jody McClain, Audiologist – Special Education Sensory Services (30) 
• Stacy White, Elementary School Assistant – Gatewood Elementary (30) 
• Mary Craig, Admin Secretary – Maple Elementary (30) 
• Carole Sealey, Teacher – Genesee Hill Elementary (29) 
• Carlen Luke, Teacher – McDonald International Elementary (29) 
• Ever Eugenio, Bilingual Instructional Assistant – Franklin High School (28) 
• Patricia Whitmore, Specialist – Speech Language Pathologists (28) 
• Mohamed Roble, Student and Family Advocate, Customer Service (27) 
• Kathy Johnson, Analyst K-12 Planning, Capital Planning (27) 
• Sandra Smith, Counselor – Broadview/Thomson K-8 (27) 
• Kathleen Ablott, Special Education Teacher – Pathfinder K-8 (27) 
• James Diobilda, Security Specialist – School Security (26) 
• Catalina Villanueva, Teacher/Bilingual – Olympic View Elementary (26) 
• Gregory Feise, Teacher – Ballard High School (26) 
• Joe Rivers, Custodial Engineer, Hamilton International Middle School (25) 
• Aschenaki Lulu, Academic Intervention Specialist – Bailey Gatzert Elementary (25) 
• Jeffrey Callahan, Special Education Teacher – Hamilton International Middle School (24) 
• Jeff Hilliard, Electrician – Maintenance Services (24) 
• Cheryl Parker-McLane, Attendance Specialist – Robert Eagle Staff Middle School (24) 
• Kin Lam, Mechanical Coordinator, Retro Commissioning (24) 
• Wendell Hutchings, Security Specialist – School Security (24) 
• Ernestina Casas-Carvajal, Bilingual Instructional Assistant – Hazel Wolf K-8 (23) 
• Edwing Mendez, Assistant Custodian – Ingraham High School (23) 
• Gloria Fay, Kitchen Assistant – Culinary Services Deli (23) 
• Tony Renouard, Teacher – Nathan Hale High School (23) 
• Kevin Gallagher, Teacher – Bryant Elementary (23) 
• Frances Holme, Special Education Assistant – Ingraham High School (23) 
• Carol Burton, Teacher – Hay Elementary (23) 
• Karen Podbela, Admin Secretary – Nova High School (23) 
• Sheila McBeth, Teacher – Lafayette Elementary (23) 
• Patricia Nord, Braillist – Special Education Sensory Services (22) 
• Leslie Addington-Ferris, Teacher – Genesee Hill Elementary (22) 
• Margaret Meister, Special Education Teacher – Transition/Vocation Education (22) 
• Scott Anderson, Custodial License Assistant – Pathfinder K-8 (22) 
• Mary Bannister, Librarian – Boren STEM K-8 (21) 
• Kathryn VonBrandenfels, Teacher/Bilingual – Wing Luke Elementary (21) 
• Mary Law, Teacher – Olympic View Elementary (21) 

11-20 years

• Tamara Smith, Teacher – Mercer International Middle School (19) 
• Rebecca Lee, Teacher – Cascadia Elementary (18) 
• Linda Adler, Special Education Assistant – Transition/Vocation Ed (17) 
• Emily Coulter, Security Specialist (17) 
• Phillip Harper, Mechanical Coordinator – Environmental Services (17) 
• Katherine Shelton, Admin Secretary – Fairmount Park Elementary (17) 
• Marcia Lalonde, CTE Teacher – Ballard High School (17) 
• Donna Gilligan-Miller, Special Education Teacher – Aki Kurose Middle School (17) 
• Tuyet-Hong Vuong, Custodial License Assistant – Dunlap Elementary (16) 
• Corey Goldstein, Counselor – Franklin High School (16) 
• Gary Easton, Steamfitter – Maintenance Services (15) 
• Christofer Hoff, Building Laborer – Major Preventative Maintenance (14) 
• Patricia Cooke, Teacher – The Center School (14) 
• Terry Dickerson, Painter – Major Preventative Maintenance (14) 
• Kathleen Otteson, Teacher – Viewlands Elementary (13) 
• Earl Bergquist, CTE Teacher, Garfield High School (13) 
• Tina Urso, Nurse, Health Services/Nursing Program (13) 
• David Parker, Teacher – Mercer International Middle School (12) 
• Artis Anderson, Assistant Custodian – Cleveland STEM High School (12) 
• Karen Hamilton, Teacher – West Woodland Elementary (12) 
• James Masterson, Electronic Tech – Major Preventative Maintenance (12) 
• Ngon Bui, Assistant Custodian – Boren STEM K-8 (11) 
• Debra Smith, Culinary Services Bulk Satellite Manager – Boren STEM K-8 (11) 
• Jason Lee, Custodial Engineer – Greenwood Elementary (11) 
• Mekete Shiferaw, Bilingual Instructional Assistant – Bailey Gatzert Elementary (11) 
• Carol Woolford, Special Education Teacher – Ingraham High School (11) 
• Daniel Sato, Teacher – Interagency Programs (11) 

1-10 years

• Ariadna Aguirre De Alvarado, Bilingual Instructional Assistant – Sand Point & Thorton Creek elementaries (10) 
• Kathryn Griffith, Special Education Teacher – Boren STEM K-8 (9) 
• Sara Bonneville, Manager School Budget – Schools & Programs (9) 
• Karen Doxey, Teacher – Highland Park Elementary (9) 
• Barbara Renfrow-Baker, Certificated Senior Substitute – HR Services (9) 
• Joseph Marchand, Senior Gardener – Grounds/Sports Complexes (9) 
• Susan Alotrico, Certificated Substitute – HR Services (8) 
• Colleen Carlson, Librarian – West Seattle High School (7) 
• Jody Hapgood, Elementary School Assistant – Boren STEM K-8 (7) 
• John Odegard, Senior Gardener – Grounds/Sports Complexes (7) 
• Cheryl McCoubrey, Preschool Instructional Assistant – Bailey Gatzert Elementary (7) 
• Nhu Le, Assistant Custodian – Lowell (6) 
• Bridget DuRuz, Academic Intervention Specialist – Thornton Creek Elementary (6) 
• Kam-Leng Chow, Elementary School Assistant – Beacon Hill International Elementary (6) 
• Kris Wold, Special Education Teacher, Salmon Bay K-8 (3)