Danielle Garbe Reser ’97: “Commit to Community”

Danielle Garbe Reser graduated Whitman in 1997. She earned an MPA from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and then spent a number of years in significant roles in the US State Department and the US Department of Energy as well as other organizations in the US and abroad. She returned to Walla Walla in 2015. 

Tell us about your participation in the Walla Walla Valley

I moved back to the area nine years ago to run Sherwood Trust, a private foundation that invests in community and economic development. I had been a Sherwood Scholar at Whitman, so it was a wonderful full circle way to repay their generosity and investment in my Whitman education. It was also a great way to get connected to the broader nonprofit sector across this region from Milton-Freewater to Dayton.

I’m currently serving as CEO of Blue Mountain Action Council (BMAC), which is our region’s community action agency tasked with ending poverty. Our primary services are running our local food bank, affordable housing, and job training, and we provide a big umbrella to support other community needs or initiatives like the Early Learning Coalition, Commitment to Community organizing initiative, and the farmworker outreach partnership with VITAL Wines.

How does what you do fit into or address larger issues in our region?

BMAC helps address emergency needs in our community and provides education and services to help households move to self-sufficiency. Some of the big issues we’re working on are affordable housing, services for unhoused residents, and food insecurity. In my role, I’m involved in the advocacy work of trying to fix the broken systems or policies at the local and state levels that are leading to food or housing insecurity.

What is something you’ve learned about this area that surprised you or that you weren’t expecting?

I grew up in Moses Lake, Washington so was surprised by the area’s beauty and history when I came to Walla Walla as a student. I also took for granted that it was a nice town and didn’t fully appreciate how deeply involved Walla Walla residents are in giving back to the community. Living here now, I’ve gotten to meet the amazing people in our vibrant nonprofit sector who work hard to make this a great place to live. It’s been wonderful to be part of efforts to make sure this is a great place to live and work for all residents and not just those who can afford it.

In what ways is Walla Walla diverse?

In my work, I see the diversity in socio-economic status and the growing discrepancies based on income. We also have a very diverse workforce and client base, particularly in terms of their race/ethnicity.

 What do you think this region will be like in five or 10 years?

I think we are at an inflection point now where we need to figure out how to attract and grow more living wage jobs in this region so people can afford to buy homes and have the financial flexibility to raise families and pay for childcare. If we do that successfully, we will see modest growth in five years and continue to support having our own hospital, airport, and school districts. If we don’t succeed, then we could lose community assets and see more of the area’s businesses outsourced to the Tri-Cities.

Is there anything else Whitman students should know about our community that you haven’t mentioned yet? 

Walla Walla is just big enough to have urban challenges but at a small enough scale to implement change and see the result of your efforts. If there’s a topic of interest to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to an organization working on that issue to learn more about ways to be involved. Chances are they need volunteers or might be hiring. There are Whitman alumni involved in every aspect of the community and we’re here to help connect you to those resources too.

Beyond the interview:

Danielle Garbe Reser '97 will be available for questions and further conversations on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at noon in Reid Campus Center, room 207. The Career and Community Engagement Center will provide lunch for the first 10 students in attendance. Please send your questions, ideas or requests for accommodation to Noah Leavitt at leavitns@whitman.edu.