Born and raised in Washington State, Mayor Woodward believes in the value of hard work and giving back to the community. As Mayor, she is dedicated to working with citizens and community leaders to move Spokane forward with positive and impactful solutions to today’s most pressing issues.
With a passion for journalism and strong work ethic, Mayor Woodward worked her way through college, graduating from the University of Portland with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications Management. During her college years, she served on student government, was an editor on the student newspaper, an award-winning member of the debate team, and did video production work.
After arriving in Spokane in 1990, Mayor Woodward had a 28-year career as an award-winning broadcast journalist on local television. She passionately reported on Spokane issues – from the change in city government to a “strong mayor” system, the revitalization of downtown, and the challenges of growth and development in our neighborhoods. During her television career, she made the Spokane community the focus of her work and was awarded the prestigious Silver Circle Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, one of the highest honors television professionals can achieve.