Karen enjoying a beautiful day along the Wenatchee River.
Karen Francis-McWhite joins Inatai Foundation as Strategy & Impact Program Officer. We asked Karen ten questions to learn more about her background, community, and how she connects to our work.
Name: Karen Francis-McWhite
Pronouns: she/her
Role: Strategy & Impact Program Officer
Home County: Chelan County
1. What are three words that describe you?
Curious, Personable, Geeky.
2. What is the “long story short” of how you landed at Inatai?
I changed careers from higher education to law and government in 2012. I have worked to support B-corporations and aligned economic development in New York and Colorado, before finding home in Central Washington. There I focused on rural economic development before joining state government for six years, navigating COVID-19 recovery support and the roll out of the state environmental justice law. My career throughline has been and continues to be: “How can I work to help individuals and communities heal from past harms and stop repeating them?” Inatai answers that question for me in an innovative, yet humble way.
3. What excites you most about being part of Team Inatai?
I look forward to learning about and from, and supporting the incredible work being done around Washington and the Pacific Northwest, by and for marginalized communities.
4. Tell us about the community or communities you belong to.
I am a Black middle-aged mom living and raising my child in rural Washington, where I fell in love with the landscape for gardening, Nordic skiing, wine tasting, and hiking. I carry with me a childhood split between California, South Carolina, and Arizona, and academic and professional homes in North Carolina, Michigan, France, and Russia. I’m a cosmopolitan country girl convinced that she can help change the world for the better.
5. Inatai’s strategies are underlined by a 50-Year Vision informed by communities. What is it about your community that keeps you hopeful for the future?
We do not give up, especially not on each other. We are creative and resilient problem-solvers and opportunity makers.
6. Finish this sentence: The Inatai value the most resonates with me is…
JOY!
7. Who is your favorite Washingtonian?
Mary Posey. She and her husband were the first African Americans to settle in Leavenworth in the late 1800s. When her husband was murdered, leaving her with young children and a homestead to run, she chose to stay and build the best life she could for her family, including running a respected homestead orchard!
8. Where is your favorite place in Washington?
A lovely eddy on the Wenatchee River, especially on a clear, crisp fall day.
9. What is the last thing you read, watched, or listened to that you would recommend? Why?
I love the podcast series, “What Roman Mars Can Learn About Con Law” (formerly, “What Trump Can Teach Us About Con Law”). The most recent episode weaved together a thoughtful lesson using “Lady Chatterley’s Lover,” “Ferris Bueller,” and tariffs!
10. What do you like to do when you’re not at work?
I like to spend time with my daughter: trying new restaurants or recipes; watching quirky TV shows; and traveling. I also enjoy gardening and doing the final tasks on our house build.
