Victoria Parker to head San Juan Nature Institute

The San Juan Nature Institute has a familiar face at the helm.

It’s Orcas Island Library Director Victoria Parker, who is absolutely thrilled about her new job. Parker accepted the half-time position after meeting with board members in Friday Harbor Thursday, June 10. She begins work at the institute on July 1.

In one respect, the position is right up Parker’s alley. As director of the Orcas Island Library, she has been a tireless advocate for LifeLong Learning, and under her guidance the library’s list of adult education offerings has grown with each passing year. Her job duties will include recruiting volunteers and raising money.

The San Juan Nature Institute’s mission is to educate local citizens about the unique environment of the San Juan Archipelago by offering a wide range of natural history courses and lectures. It is overseen by a Board of Directors, many of whom are scholars who are renowned authorities in the fields of environmental science.

To date, the bulk of the San Juan Nature Institute’s offerings have been limited to San Juan Island. That will change, Parker said, noting that the board members “want to extend (their reach) to the other islands,” and that they hope to make themselves available to schools, libraries, senior centers and community centers. To help reach that goal, the Orcas Island Community Foundation recently awarded the San Juan Nature Institute $900, with the money committed to providing educational programs on this island.

That reach extends to school curriculum development. The institute has already developed a science curriculum for grades K-12 that is now being implemented in the San Juan Island School District. Parker hopes that it will eventually be used throughout the county.

Several local people recommended Parker for the job, among them county Commissioner John Evans, who says his dream is to create a world-class center of serious scholarship about the island environment. Parker said her goal will be to help the commissioner realize his dream by networking with the many local experts who are working in the field.

Actually, Parker will have two jobs during July, and possibly part of August as well. Since the library has yet to name to a new director, she will stay on part-time in an interim role. The search for a replacement for Parker has been narrowed to three. Library trustees hope to interview the finalists and offer the job to the best qualified candidate by mid-July.

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