Donna Loken March 2nd 2020

What do you do?

I retired and moved to Bellingham in 2016 with my husband of 35 years. I am a volunteer Mediator for the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center, a member of the WDRC’s Board of Directors, a volunteer at the Bellingham Foodbank, and I’m on a patient advisory panel at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA). I am also the mother of two awesome young adults. These activities are all enriching in their own ways. Through the WDRC, I can use my professional skills while making a positive impact on the lives of the individuals we serve. Working at the Foodbank helps me engage directly with my community. My work with SCCA provides an opportunity to stay intimately connected and give back to a place that is a critical part of my life. I am also very involved in local politics because I know local governance can have a significant impact on our lives. I am invested in learning as much as I can about our city and county governments: this election cycle I met and visited with all the candidates and intend to stay in contact with our elected officials as they serve in office. I believe strongly in the benefits of healthy relationships and as a result, I love connecting the people I know to one another both personally and professionally. It makes our lives richer!

Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you’d like to pass on?

If you want the world to look and be a certain way, you must step up and work to create it. This is particularly important for women, because we are often discouraged from shaping politics and public life. Women often report not feeling ‘ready.’ Believe that you have all that you need to go after what you want and if you hit a hurdle, find a way over it or around it. It may not always be pretty, but you will get there.