North Central ESD Board

The NCESD Board is comprised of the following Directors:

District 1 Representative

Dr. Richard Johnson
Okanogan, WA

Dr. Johnson comes to the board of directors with over 40 years of experience in elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education in Idaho and Washington. In 2018, he retired from his role as Superintendent of Okanogan School District after serving for 30 years. He is also involved with Okanogan Chamber of Commerce and Okanogan Kiwanis. He represents Okanogan, Omak, Oroville, and Tonasket School Districts, and began his service in June 2021.

District 2 Representative

Dr. Michael Musick – Board Vice Chair
Leavenworth, WA

Prior to moving to Leavenworth, Dr. Musick served as the Superintendent of the Lake Oswego School District where he successfully led programs and initiatives to boost student achievement. He began his career in education as a Business and Marketing Education teacher in 1982 before moving into various administrative roles. He represents the Cascade, Cashmere, Entiat, Lake Chelan, Manson and Stehekin School Districts.

District 3 Representative

Cathi Nelson
Waterville, WA

Cathi Nelson comes to the NCESD board of directors from a longtime career in education, including serving 26 years at the Waterville School District as an elementary teacher, principal, and then Superintendent until her retirement in 2018. Cathi represents Brewster, Bridgeport, Coulee-Hartline, Grand Coulee Dam, Mansfield, Nespelem, Orondo, Palisades, Pateros, Methow Valley, and Waterville School Districts, and began her service in January 2022.

District 4 Representative

Larry MacGuffie
Ephrata, WA

Larry MacGuffie is the Chair of the Board, recently retired from Canfield and Associates in Ephrata. Before that, he served 31 years as a classroom teacher, school psychologist, director of special services, director of Columbia Basin Alternative High School and superintendent of Ephrata School District before his retirement in 1997.  Larry represents Ephrata, Quincy, Soap Lake, Warden, and Wilson Creek School Districts as District #4 Representative.

District 5 Representative

Mary Kunkle
Moses Lake, WA

Mary Kunkle, who serves as the District 5 Representative, is retired from Grant County PUD in Ephrata, where she served as Treasurer. Mary represents Moses Lake School District. She has served on the ESD Board over 20 years.

District 6 Representative

Marcia Henkle – Board Past Chair
East Wenatchee, WA

Marcia Henkle serves as Board Vice-Chair, as well as NCESD District 6 and AESD/Legislative Representative.  Marcia represents Eastmont School District and the southern portion of the Wenatchee School District. She recently retired from her position as regional director of the WA State Employment Security Department, which administers Employment Security Departments’ employment and training programs in WorkSource offices in NCW.  Marcia was raised in Douglas County on a wheat ranch. She has taught high school and community college, including Wenatchee Valley College, and also operated Trend College in East Wenatchee.

District 7 Representative

Susan Albert – Board Chair
Wenatchee, WA

Susan Albert was elected to serve as NCESD District 7 Representative and began her service in January 2018.  This position represents the northern portion of the Wenatchee School District. She retired from her 42-year educational career in 2015 where she served as teacher, administrator, professor and principal.  Susan remains involved in a variety of volunteer activities.

Superintendent

Dr. Michelle Price
430 Olds Station Rd., Wenatchee, WA 98801

Dr. Price began her service as NCESD Superintendent on July 1, 2017. Michelle’s background includes experience as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent as well as Moses Lake School District Superintendent, where she served 27 years.

Michelle holds a Doctorate Degree from Washington State University and served as President for the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA) in 2014-15. She is currently a member of the National Executive Committee of the American Association of School Administrators.