Patricia N. Willoughby is a North Carolina

North Carolina

North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...

 educator. She was appointed by Governor Mike Easley

Mike Easley

Michael Francis "Mike" Easley is an American politician who served as the 72nd Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina, from 2001 to 2009. He is member of the North Carolina Democratic Party and became the first North Carolina governor to admit to a felony in a deal that halted a lengthy...

 as the interim North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction

North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction

The North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction is the elected head of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and oversees the public school systems of the state. The Superintendent is currently an elected member of the North Carolina Council of State, chosen in a partisan...

 in September 2004, following the resignation of Mike Ward

Michael E. Ward

Michael E. Ward was Superintendent of Public Instruction for the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1996 to 2004.Born in Franklin County, North Carolina, Ward attended North Carolina State University. Upon graduation, he was employed as a public school teacher and later a principal before serving as...

, and served the remaining months of Ward's term.

A new superintendent was to be chosen in the Council of State elections

North Carolina Council of State election, 2004

Elections to choose members of the North Carolina Council of State were held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004....

 in November 2004. She was not a candidate in that election. Her term lasted until August 23, 2005, when her successor, Democrat June Atkinson

June Atkinson

June St. Clair Atkinson was elected North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction on November 3, 2004, in a race that was decided by the North Carolina General Assembly on August 23, 2005. She was re-elected in 2008. Dr...

, was sworn in.

Willoughby, a North Carolina native, attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...

 and worked as a public school teacher. She earned a master's degree in education from Meredith College

Meredith College

Meredith College is a liberal arts women's college located in Raleigh, North Carolina. For the 2010-2011 academic year, there were approximately 2,300 students enrolled, including about 350 graduate students, making Meredith the largest women's college in the southeastern United States...

 in 1990, and was appointed to the North Carolina State Board of Education

North Carolina State Board of Education

The North Carolina State Board of Education, established by Article 9 of the North Carolina Constitution, supervises and administers the public school systems of North Carolina...

 by Gov. Mike Easley in July 2001. Willoughby was an instructor in elementary education at Meredith College

Meredith College

Meredith College is a liberal arts women's college located in Raleigh, North Carolina. For the 2010-2011 academic year, there were approximately 2,300 students enrolled, including about 350 graduate students, making Meredith the largest women's college in the southeastern United States...

 in Raleigh, North Carolina

Raleigh, North Carolina

Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...

. Currently, she serves as the director of the non-profit North Carolina Business Committee for Education in the office of the North Carolina governor. She is married to Wake County

Wake County, North Carolina

Wake County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 900,993 making it North Carolina's second most populated county...

 district attorney

District attorney

In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...

 Colon Willoughby and has two daughters.