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Richard Serns
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About
Education and Career
Dr. Serns has spent more than 30 years working in Washington schools as a teacher, principal, District level Human Resources administrator, and Superintendent. He began his career as a teacher and taught classes including Washington State History, U.S. Government, and Contemporary Social Issues. During this time he completed a masters’ degree in School Administration from Walla Walla University and did masters’ level work in Public Administration at Eastern Washington University.
After moving to western Washington and serving as a high school principal for nine years, he completed a Ph.D. in School Leadership in 1997, with an emphasis in Policy Development and Analysis. For his dissertation he researched the history of education reform legislation in Washington State titling his findings - The Process and Politics of Education Legislation in Washington State.
In 1999, Dr. Serns graduated from the University of Washington School of Law. During law school he worked for the UW campus security office as a hearing officer, and he was the Coordinator for the law school’s Mediation Clinic, where he scheduled mediations and served as a mediator at the clinic and in King County’s small claims court.
After law school, Dr. Serns worked for public school districts as a Human Resources administrator for 12 years (see legally related experience), and as a school district Superintendent. During this time he also taught School Law for principal training programs at two different universities including Seattle Pacific University.
After moving to western Washington and serving as a high school principal for nine years, he completed a Ph.D. in School Leadership in 1997, with an emphasis in Policy Development and Analysis. For his dissertation he researched the history of education reform legislation in Washington State titling his findings - The Process and Politics of Education Legislation in Washington State.
In 1999, Dr. Serns graduated from the University of Washington School of Law. During law school he worked for the UW campus security office as a hearing officer, and he was the Coordinator for the law school’s Mediation Clinic, where he scheduled mediations and served as a mediator at the clinic and in King County’s small claims court.
After law school, Dr. Serns worked for public school districts as a Human Resources administrator for 12 years (see legally related experience), and as a school district Superintendent. During this time he also taught School Law for principal training programs at two different universities including Seattle Pacific University.
Family, Community Services and Hobbies
Dr. Serns and his wife Valerie have three adult children and five grandchildren. They enjoy many different sports and outdoor activities. Dr. Serns has summited Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helens and has hiked the 93 mile Wonderland Trail around Mt. Rainier.
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An avid runner his whole life, Dr. Serns is one of a small number of runners who have run all 43 Bloomsday runs in Spokane, founded by Olympian Don Kardong in 1977. They are proudly known as the Perennials, (because they Bloom every year). And he ran his personal best marathon in 1984 at the Capital City Marathon in Olympia, breaking 2 hrs.50 min. on the course used for the women’s Olympic trials that year.
Dr. Serns was a board member for the South King County/Seattle chapter of Habitat for Humanity when the two chapters merged and served on the committee that drafted that merger, and he has been a member of a number of community and professional organizations throughout his career, including; Rotary Club, Lions Club, the Winlock Improvement Network, the Washington Education Association - WEA (when a teacher), the Washington School Personnel Association - WSPA (when an HR administrator), and the Washington Association of School Administrators – WASA (when a superintendent).
Dr. Serns was a board member for the South King County/Seattle chapter of Habitat for Humanity when the two chapters merged and served on the committee that drafted that merger, and he has been a member of a number of community and professional organizations throughout his career, including; Rotary Club, Lions Club, the Winlock Improvement Network, the Washington Education Association - WEA (when a teacher), the Washington School Personnel Association - WSPA (when an HR administrator), and the Washington Association of School Administrators – WASA (when a superintendent).