A 1979 Crater graduate, Krista Parent was an accomplished and involved student. As a scholar athlete, she had three years of varsity basketball and volleyball experience and two years of varsity tennis and track. She was a three-time All Conference First Team selection in volleyball and basketball and was chosen as the Southern Oregon Conference Most Valuable Player in basketball her senior year. She was named the Crater Female Athlete of the Year in 1979.

Upon graduation from Crater, Krista attended the University of Oregon, receiving a Bachelor’s degree in 1984 followed by her Master’s in Educational Administration in 1992. In 2004 she was awarded her Doctorate in Educational Leadership.

Krista’s first job out of college was as a teacher for the South Lane School District in Cottage Grove, Oregon. This first teaching job lasted until 1990 when she became the principal/athletic director for Cottage Grove High School. In 1993 she was named the school district Director of Curriculum and Instruction, a position she held until 1996 when she was promoted to the position of Assistant Superintendent, followed by being selected as the Superintendent in 2001.

Krista has received many awards during her 31-year career as an educator. Two such awards are the Soroptomist Women of Distinction in 2004 and the Excellence in Educational Leadership award in 2006.  But these were just preludes to the recognition that was to come, for in 2007 Krista was named the Oregon Superintendent of the Year and then subsequent to that was selected as the National Superintendent of the Year. She is the only Oregon superintendent to receive this high honor.

Besides her very involved professional schedule, Krista makes time for the Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce, her local Rotary Club and the Order of the O athlete alumni association with the University of Oregon.