A new superintendent was to be chosen in the Council of State elections in November 2004. She was not a candidate in that election. Her term lasted until August 23, 2005, when her successor, DemocratJune Atkinson, was sworn in.
After leaving office, she began serving as the director of the North Carolina Business Committee for Education in the office of the North Carolina governor. She is married to Wake Countydistrict attorney, Colon Willoughby, and has two daughters.