Warriors Writing on Warriors Featuring: Jody Azevedo
Jody Azevedo was born and raised in Sandpoint, Idaho, where her parents owned a dairy farm and the local John Deere dealership. Like many small-town girls, she had dreams of bigger things, like moving to Seattle or Portland to continue her education after she graduated from Sandpoint High School in 1994.
Azevedo, however, made the decision to stay close to home for college, so that she could assist her family with the dairy farm. At 18, she began her college career at North Idaho College. Life happened, and she was married with a young son. She returned to NIC and graduated with her associate degree in Business Administration in 1997. Azevedo then decided to pursue her bachelor’s degree at the LC State Coeur d’Alene Center.
“After moving to Coeur d’Alene, I really loved it here,” Azevedo said. “I also was newly married with a newborn, so I became a non-traditional student. LCSC was the perfect fit since it allowed me to get my bachelor’s and stay in Coeur d’Alene. I also really enjoyed the small class sizes I had become accustomed to at NIC. They had a great selection of night classes that would allow me the flexibility I needed to continue with the demands of life.”
Azevedo worked her way through school while caring for her young son. She graduated with a bachelor’s in Business Administration in 1999.
To complete the trifecta in 2016, Azevedo obtained her master’s in Business Administration from Gonzaga University.
Over the years, Azevedo has enjoyed living in Coeur d’Alene and raising her son, Tyler, who is now 23 and a recent graduate of Gonzaga. Her husband, Mike White, owns the Ford dealerships in Coeur d’Alene and Sandpoint. She and Mike are active members of the North Idaho business community.
Azevedo is a strong believer in philanthropy and has volunteered in the past as president for the NIC Foundation Board and president for Coeur d’Alene Rotary. Currently, she is on the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and is the Lakeland Education Foundation treasurer.
Azevedo says education is incredibly important to her.
“Education is a door that can never be closed. It is an investment in yourself that no one can take away. Having an education allows you to be who you want to be without limitations. You can apply for that job that you have dreamed about because you have your degree, you can become an inspiration to others because of your hard work and dedication, and most importantly you can enjoy the pride that is felt when you take the last exam or turn in your last paper and walk across the stage,” Azevedo said.
Presently, Azevedo is the Assistant Vice President of Corporate & External Relations for Numerica Credit Union.
Azevedo says it is an excellent career, which she has worked hard for. In addition, she credits LC State for helping her find her career path.
“LC prepared me for what the real work world is like. It was not a traditional classroom setting; it was hands-on work. We solved real business problems. The work I did at LC has been used multiple times throughout my career,” Azevedo stated.
Due to her excellence in her career and volunteer work, Azevedo was recognized as the 2019 Alumna of the Year for the LC State Coeur d’Alene Center.
Being an LC State Warrior has left Azevedo feeling a sense of accomplishment.
“I was a first-generation college student,” she said. “When I attended NIC, my plan was to stop there. My counselor at the time helped me see the value of continuing my education and challenged me to keep going. As a result, I have accomplished so much more by achieving my bachelor’s degree and master’s degree.”
Written by CDA Work Scholar 2020-21 Jenny Duncan
