Kate Slosson

In my experience as a manager of a beloved non-profit folk school in the heart of downtown Olympia, I was able to make an impact on community members, faculty, and complete strangers, now, colleagues.

I am a self taught potter. I veered from taking art courses in my education and largely dedicated my learning to soil chemistry and food. While studying at Evergreen in the middle of the pandemic, I was hired at Arbutus Folk School. It was quiet but soon I was working the heart of a bustling art space desperate for connection. Before I managed Arbutus' ceramic studio, it was disorganized as a result of many individual efforts leading the space in many different directions. Metaphorically and literally, I gutted the studio and grew from it something beautiful. Chaos to organization. Disconnection to connection.

As I reflect on my skill, I am reminded that professionalism is not rooted in a task that can be completed but rather in a mindset.

In my profession, I strive to continue bringing connection to disconnected spaces. I am a hard worker but an even harder thinker with a deep desire to bring people together.