Keith Ussery

Keith is privileged to work with talented educators and leaders from twenty-one school districts in Oregon’s wine country—the Willamette Valley. The districts we serve range in size from two-hundred to forty-thousand. His wife of twenty-nine years is a caring, dedicated classroom teacher. They have two nearly perfect children—Ian, twenty-three and Sarah, twenty. He began his career as a high school teacher and entered his second decade of service as a high school principal. Eight years ago, he joined the Willamette Education Service District and now serves as the agency’s Deputy Superintendent--responsible for technology, human resources, migrant education and school improvement. The tread that connects all parts of his professional life is an enduring commitment to first-generation college graduates. As a first generation graduate himself, he has been determined to open that door for others. Social and emotional learning has been the focus of our school improvement efforts for two years. He is convinced we cannot succeed if we fail to value and teach the whole person.