At Western WashingtonUniversity she studied speech pathology and early childhood education and was a member of the rowing crew team. Her passion was for children’s literature and language development. This led to teaching with Head Start in inner Seattle.

When she met her husband, Daniel (also on the BBS staff), her focus shifted to working with children and youth in camp settings. She especially enjoyed helping campers engage with the natural world through kayak adventures on the Puget Sound. Working in camps brought the Petke family to Central Oregon where they have lived for over 25 years.

Both of her sons attended Black Butte School from kindergarten through 8th grade. During that time Jane was very active volunteer with the PTO. Jane is thrilled to be a part of the BBSD community and supporting a place based education with her behind the scenes work. She is a student in the 3-year School Finance Academy learning all the ins and outs of the school business world.

Jane appreciates the rich plant life in the Metolius Basin while hiking the local trails, or sipping a warm cup of tea and reading a good book.