WSSDA 2024 Annual Conference

Kirsten Fitterer serves as the Executive Director of Communications and Engagement for the Yakima School District. In this critical role, she sits on the Superintendent's Cabinet as one of seven executive managers, overseeing the education of 15,000 students. Kirsten started as a solo Public Relations professional in the district eight years ago and has risen to lead a dedicated team in various domains. These include Communications, Community and Family Engagement, Language Access, Student Voice, and Native American Family Engagement.
Kirsten and her team are deeply committed to the academic and personal success of every student. They focus on inclusive, multilingual, and differentiated support to engage all families in the district. Through strategic collaborations, the team ensures the timely dissemination of accurate information and aims to be a top influencer in the Yakima community, particularly in the realm of education.

Outside of work, Kirsten shares her life with her husband, Pat. Together they have a blended family of five adult children, five grandchildren, and two pets: Guido the Goldendoodle and Maggie the Tabbycat. Kirsten has a passion for travel and interior design. Her workday shines when she can optimize a process or when her team scores a win—occurrences that fortunately happen quite often. Kirsten loves her job and it shows in the success of her department and the positive impact it has on the community.