In September 2001, the weekend before the World Trade Towers were demolished, Kaci attended her first Wooden Boat Festival in Port Townsend. The next day, she was "forced" to stay in PT due to travel restrictions back to Canada, where Tethys was moored. In the weeks to follow, Kaci decided to make Port Townsend her home and in March 2002, she was hired as the Wooden Boat Festival Coordinator. Through the years, she has served as Interim Executive Director of the Wooden Boat Foundation, expanded her role with both Festival and Programs, served as marketing director, operations manager and was one of six people serving on the Integration Committee for the merger of the NWMC & WBF. On February 8, 2006 Kaci Cronkhite took the helm as Managing Director for the integrated Northwest Maritime Center & Wooden Boat Foundation and continues to serve as Wooden Boat Festival Director.