Resource Center women foster a healthy community

October 26, 2023 1:30 am
Some of the Resource Center’s amazing board members, staff and volunteers at a recent event. Back row, left to right: Judy Scott, Keri Duenn, Patricia Benton, Erin O’Dell, Megan Ehrmantruat, Jennifer Vollmer. Front row, left to right: Cindie McKenna, Holly Southern, Jody Pineda, Cheryl Helm, Margie Bangs and Jan Ehrlichman.
Some of the Resource Center’s amazing board members, staff and volunteers at a recent event. Back row, left to right: Judy Scott, Keri Duenn, Patricia Benton, Erin O’Dell, Megan Ehrmantruat, Jennifer Vollmer. Front row, left to right: Cindie McKenna, Holly Southern, Jody Pineda, Cheryl Helm, Margie Bangs and Jan Ehrlichman.

by the Orcas Community Resource Center.

In recent years, more and more women are breaking through the glass ceiling and taking on leadership roles in various fields. This increase is not only important for diversity and inclusivity in the business world, but also brings a variety of outlooks and new ideas to the table. The growing presence of women in business is a positive step towards gender equality and benefits society as a whole.

The Orcas Community Resource Center (OCRC) connects islanders with critical resources to help pay bills, put food on the table, and obtain essential medical and mental healthcare. We are fortunate to have an exceptional group of women rounding out our team with a multitude of backgrounds and unique perspectives. These women support and uplift each other, creating a positive ripple effect within our organization and the Orcas community.

What makes this particular group a force to be reckoned with? The following is a compilation of some of their diverse life experiences:

• Has an art studio in Olga

• Ran the 200-mile Oregon Hood-to-Coast Relay from Mt. Hood to Seaside

• Served in the Air Force for 22 years as a jet engine mechanic

• At age 40, was the only female executive reporting into a global Fortune 100 CEO

• Went skydiving for her 60th birthday in Australia with her two daughters

• Has visited 52 countries around the world

• Biked across the country (Seattle to Maine) with her dad

• Coached a world champion team in Math Olympiads for elementary schools

• Lived in Ecuador for 2 years volunteering in an orphanage

• Provided translation for an organization supporting refugees

• Lived and worked in a small rural community to rebuild native forest habitats

• Has family members spanning 4 generations living in her home

• Has traveled to 48 states

• Is a proprietor at a local historic inn

• Is trained as a birth doula

• Loves to play video games with her family

• Owned and operated a successful restaurant

• Was a body painting model

• Former rugby coach

• Former VP of Operations for Hewlett Packard

• Had a 40+ year career as a Labor Law Attorney

• Is a volunteer EMT with Orcas Island Fire & Rescue

• Camped on Mt. Rainier in a snow shelter she built with her dad and two brothers

• Was a middle school English & Music teacher and taught piano for 40 years

• Owns a local distillery

The women of OCRC, as well as our entire team of hardworking and dedicated professionals, consistently strive to foster a healthy community by connecting Orcas Islanders with the services needed to thrive and achieve equitable well-being. To learn more about OCRC’s services or support our work, visit www.orcascrc.org.