Women Who Build, Hire, Teach—and Move Kitsap Forward
By Terry Ward | CEO & Publisher
Welcome to the October edition of Kitsap Business. This month we spotlight women whose work strengthens the backbone of our regional economy—on job sites and in boardrooms, in classrooms and closing rooms, at chambers and in shops. Their stories remind us that prosperity isn’t abstract; it’s built person by person, decision by decision, relationship by relationship.
Clark Construction CEO Rachele Turnbull shows how leadership scales when it’s shared. Her company’s “partner-up” model centers transparency, craft, and trust—values that deliver projects and widen the pathway for women and underrepresented workers in the trades.
At Land Title Company of Kitsap County, Chamber Board Chair Susan Larsen turns a behind-the-scenes profession into a people-first practice. She teaches, translates, and de-stresses complex transactions so families—and the professionals who serve them—can move forward with clarity.
In a tight labor market, West Sound Workforce’s Monica Blackwood connects employers with talent and job seekers with opportunity. Her message is practical and hopeful: durable skills, flexible workplaces, and human connection still win the day—even as technology reshapes how we work.
Real estate broker Tara Scouten brings a counselor’s ear to a changing housing market. Her story, from first-gen homeowner to investor and mentor, underscores what good agents really deliver: preparation, patience, and pathways to stability.
Education is economic development in real time. North Kitsap Superintendent Rachel Davenport is building programs that send students into the world with diplomas—and industry-recognized skills. From culinary arts to health sciences, from AI literacy to partnerships with sovereign tribal nations, her focus is relevance with purpose.
And in our Executive Q&A, Greater Kitsap Chamber President & CEO Irene Moyer outlines a regional agenda rooted in collaboration: grow membership, amplify advocacy, and make sure local businesses are ready for what’s next—from global events to everyday challenges of staffing, finance, and growth.
Taken together, these leaders illustrate a simple truth: when women have the tools, the voice, and the opportunity, communities get stronger. Supply chains get steadier. Projects finish better. Classrooms connect to careers. Customers become neighbors. The multiplier is real.
Thank you for reading—and for supporting the organizations, educators, builders, and businesses that make Kitsap work. If this issue sparks an idea for a partnership, mentorship, or first job shadow, act on it. That’s how we turn good stories into better outcomes.
Terry Ward
Publisher, Kitsap Business
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