John Harter
Board Member

I spent my childhood years in Beloit Wisconsin, a small college town. I managed to escape Midwestern winters by getting an undergraduate degree at the University of Miami Florida. I then went to Wisconsin for a master’s degree and to the University of California at Berkeley, where I received a doctorate focusing on high school reform and labor relations.

My teaching years covered assignments from preschool to the university. I then became a school principal in the Sierra California foothills, later becoming curriculum director and assistant superintendent. For over a decade I was school superintendent in Mill Valley and later in Woodside, California.

My wife Marcia and I have enjoyed living in California, British Columbia, and Hawaii. We are now happy full-time residents of Bellingham. I love music, especially classical, although I also enjoy jazz and world music. I believe music is a universal language, bridging time and cultures. It’s a pleasure to share my enthusiasm for music as a Bellingham Festival of Music board member. I welcome all to share this love of music and connection.