Term
January 2025 - December 2028
Biography
Kari McVeigh, is the second of 8 children of a bar owner and a registered nurse. As the child of modest roots, Kari learned at an early age the value of a dollar and the importance of hard work. With so many siblings, she also learned the importance of listening to many voices (often speaking at once!) and the art of cooperation and conciliation, skills that have served her faithfully throughout her life.
Kari worked her way through college, completing her undergraduate degree at San Francisco State University and began her career as a 5th grade teacher, in Clark County, Nevada. She later completed a Masters of Educational Administration from University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
After teaching for over a decade, Kari sought greater challenges in administrative roles of increasing responsibility, culminating in public school district superintendencies, for which she was responsible for everything from improving student literacy to managing multi-million-dollar school budgets.
In addition to serving locally as Superintendent of San Juan Island School District and Shaw Island School District, Kari has been active in community service, having served on the board of Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor, of the San Juan Island Public Schools Foundation, and of the League of Women Voters of the San Juans.
Kari’s expertise in leadership, administration, and managing large budgets is the backbone supporting her vision and desire to help improve services for the people of San Juan County and to secure the islands’ future for generations to come.
Kari and her wife Cynthia share a home on San Juan Island with their two doodles, Gracie and Seamus. She is honored and humbled to have been entrusted by the people of San Juan County to serve these islands as their County Councilmember.