Meet these Realtors

Michael and Cassandra’s first  visit to the San Juans was on a family camping trip in 1996. They immediately fell in love with Orcas Island. They bought property during that visit and vacationed on the island every chance they had during the next two years. In July of 1998 they left their careers in Nevada and made Orcas their home.

Background

Cassandra was born in Walla Walla, Washington. Her father was in the Air Force and they moved 15 times before she graduated from high school in Rome, Italy in 1966. She moved to Nevada in 1972.

Michael was born in Vancouver, B.C. and permanently came to the U.S. in 1953. Eventually his family moved to northern Nevada where he lived for 40 years. They both graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with masters degrees in education, which became their first careers.

Michael spent 29 years in a variety of positions with the school district including high school teacher, counselor, activities director, assistant principal and principal.

Cassandra spent 13 years as a classroom teacher and clinical instructor in the College of Education at UNR. During her teaching career she taught first through third grade and an ungraded primary classroom. She also taught in a demonstration classroom at the University of Nevada and taught undergraduate classes in art and reading instruction to primary education majors.

Real Estate Experience

Michael and Cassandra began their second careers, in real estate, in the spring of 1999 with Windermere. In June 2003 they obtained their brokers licenses. Michael served as the Branch Manager for the Windermere Orcas office for four years but currently he and Cassandra are enjoying the flexibility of being Associate Brokers with Windermere. They are both active in the Orcas Island Association of Realtors and both served two year terms as Association Presidents.

Personal Background and Interests

Michael and Cassandra have been married since 1980 and have four grown children. All are married with three living in Nevada and one on Orcas Island. They are blessed with seven  healthy grandchildren. All they have at home these days to spoil is their  Havanese, Tucker.

Since coming to Orcas, Michael has become involved in a number of community activities. He recently completed his third 3 year term on the Board of OPAL, the community land trust, dedicated to building affordable homes for working islanders and is currently serving on their Resident’s Committee . Cassandra is the director of the religous education program at St. Francis Catholic Church on Orcas and has served on the Board of the Orcas Island Prevention Partnership. They love to spend their free time on their boat, the Island Pearl, exploring the diversity and beauty of the waterways of the Pacific Northwest, hanging out with family and if there is time left over there is always the never ending house building project.