Bettina, Hoesel

I have been married to my husband, Jim, for almost 28 years, and our family currently calls Sequim home. We have two children, both WSU graduates—our daughter with a degree in Animal Science and our son with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. My husband and son share a passion for building hot rods, bird hunting, and skiing, while my daughter and I share a love of horses, especially roping and barrel racing. You could say our whole family is pretty passionate about horsepower!

I currently coach the local high school equestrian team and serve on the Junior Rodeo Board. Our family enjoys hiking, skiing—both snow and water—and spending time with friends and family. Life is also pretty busy caring for our three dogs and three horses!

In addition to all of our outdoor adventures and time with animals, I enjoy dabbling in photography, primarily taking photos for friends, and I love to scrapbook. I used to teach scrapbooking and card-making classes at our local craft store. Over the years, I have also developed a love for technology, and I feel fortunate that I get to combine that passion with my work.

I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Education and a Master’s degree in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. During my 16 years as a teacher, I taught kindergarten and first grade and later worked in an ALE program in Sequim. During many of those early years, I also worked part-time for PEARL. Eventually, I decided to “hang my hat” in the traditional classroom and join PEARL full-time.

PEARL has given me the opportunity to continue growing both personally and professionally while staying connected to my family and friends and meeting some truly incredible people along the way. I am grateful for the flexibility, relationships, and experiences this program has provided, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything!