Pflugrad to Join NPUC Education Team

Golda Pflugrad has accepted the invitation to serve the North Pacific Union Conference (NPUC) as a full-time coordinator for early childhood education and care (ECEC) and K–12 education projects. Upon joining the NPUC Office of Education team in July, she will fill vacancies left by the retirements of Sue Patzer and Carol Dodge.

Pflugrad comes to this position highly qualified through education and experience. She holds a Master of Arts in early childhood education and has spent nearly two decades as a teacher of young children, including seven years as director of an ECEC center in California. She has been teaching primary elementary grades within the Upper Columbia Conference for the past six years, most recently at Upper Columbia Academy Elementary School in Spangle, Wash.

Most importantly, Pflugrad comes highly recommended for her capacity to connect and collaborate with colleagues and for her passion to extend quality Christian education for the youngest of God’s children.

“I am excited to be joining the NPUC educational team as a leader in the field,” she says. “Early childhood education lays the foundation for each child’s educational journey, and the quality of this foundation depends on the quality of the young child’s learning environment. Quality Christ-centered early childhood centers are so valuable and essential. I look forward to visiting our Northwest centers and meeting the directors and staff.”

The NPUC Office of Education plans to increase its ECEC emphasis with Pflugrad’s arrival. She will spend two-thirds of her time on ECEC leadership. The remainder of her efforts will be focused on coordinating specific programs and projects for K–12 education such as the Don Keele Award and Caring Heart Award programs, publishing projects, and other similar assignments.

“We are delighted to welcome Golda Pflugrad to our team,” says Dennis Plubell, NPUC vice president for education. “Her presence and passion will help us immensely as we seek to effectively manage the mission of Adventist education throughout the Northwest.”