Wende Pettit has long been recognized as someone who can be counted on when accuracy, organization, and dependability are needed most. With over 15 years of professional experience across education, healthcare, and small business, she has built her career around supporting leaders and ensuring operations remain steady and effective. Her approach has always been practical and thoughtful, focused on creating clarity so others can concentrate on their priorities while she manages the details behind the scenes.
A significant part of her career has been devoted to serving public school districts in Northern Bergen County, New Jersey. For nearly a decade, Pettit worked as an Executive Assistant to the Superintendents of Schools at the River Edge and Fair Lawn Boards of Education. In these roles, she managed a wide range of responsibilities, including organizing district-wide programs and events, preparing board agendas, and handling confidential human resources matters. She served as the primary liaison between teachers, principals, board members, and the broader community, ensuring consistent and reliable communication. Her ability to balance schedules, monitor budgets, and oversee reports made her a trusted and valued contributor to district leadership. She considered this work a form of stewardship, maintaining accuracy and order so others could remain focused on students and instruction.
Before entering education, Wende strengthened her skills in healthcare at Christian Health in Wyckoff, where she worked in the Organizational Development and Service Excellence Department. She supported initiatives aimed at enhancing the workplace and improving employee engagement. In 2015, she was awarded the Bright Idea of the Year Award for a project that repurposed gently used handbags to bring comfort to nursing home residents. Earlier, she spent more than ten years managing office operations for a local landscaping business, where she oversaw scheduling, billing, customer relations, and vendor management. That role required flexibility and quick thinking, traits she has carried into every role since.
Throughout her career, colleagues have described her as steady, reliable, and resourceful. Pettit has earned respect for her discretion, ability to manage complex responsibilities, and commitment to ensuring leaders and teams have the support they need. Her education at The HoHoKus School of Secretarial Sciences, where she graduated second in her class and regularly appeared on the Deanโs List, provided the foundation for her success. She has always embraced lifelong learning, adopting new tools and systems that have made her versatile in both education and healthcare environments.
Beyond her professional life, Wende has been devoted to her family and community in Wyckoff, New Jersey, where she and her husband raised two sons. Her family has a long tradition of volunteer work with the Wyckoff Fire Department, and she has taken on leadership roles, including First Vice President of the Lincoln School PTO, team manager for the Torpedoes Soccer Club, and treasurer for 074ATE1, a nonprofit organization dedicated to breast cancer awareness. She has also shared her creativity by crocheting hats for premature babies in support of Lilyโs Hope Foundation.
In her personal time, Pettit enjoys crochet, reading thrillers, exercising, and swimming. She also appreciates fashion, sewing, home decorating, and the excitement of finding a good bargain while shopping. Her favorite retreat is Long Beach Island at the Jersey Shore, where she finds peace in collecting shells, sitting by the water, and enjoying family time.
Wende Pettit is defined by her dedication, adaptability, and quiet strength. Through her work in education, healthcare, and business operations, as well as her community involvement, she has demonstrated that meaningful impact stems from providing consistent support and helping others thrive. Her career and personal life reflect a commitment to service, trust, and reliability, values that continue to guide everything she does.
