Christine Traxler

Christine never thought she would become a high school teacher, but after being awarded the “Outstanding Cadet in English” at the United States Air Force Academy in 1988, she was hooked. It took more than a decade before she found herself with her own classroom, just days before the 9/11 attacks, and it was in that tender year that she found her calling working with teens.  

Upon graduating from USAFA, Christine served in Space Command. She remained closeted for a few years, but when Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer publicly challenged Department of Defense (DoD) policy on sexual orientation, Christine felt that it was important to join the fight.  After revealing her identity, Christine was forced to resign one year short of her required 5-year service commitment despite having top performance marks. When the DoD billed her for financial reimbursement for that one year, two top Seattle lawyers stepped up to take on the DoD’s circular logic. With the help of fifteen Congressmen across the country, her lawyers convinced the DoD to drop its case. It was a precedent-setting legal moment that helped influence policy change. 

While on active-duty Christine pursued a Master in Fine Arts in Poetry from Eastern Washington University and was an editor for the literary journal, Willow Springs. In Seattle, she earned her master’s degree in education with endorsements in English and US History from the University of Washington in 2001. 

Christine has taught high school English for almost 25 years, is a National Board Certified Teacher, and teaches analytical methods and writing instruction to other teachers.  She publishes poetry, has won poetry awards, and publishes peer reviewed articles about self-directed education and anti-grading practices.  

Christine is also a fiddler in the traditional Irish music scene in Seattle and records and performs with numerous bands.  You can find her every Wednesday night at a pub in Seattle playing tunes, and rehearsing on the weekends with her bands.  Christine has been married for 25 years and has two creative and delightful children.