Who is Carrie?

So who am I anyway?

I'm a Grays Harbor native who has spent the majority of my life in Aberdeen and Hoquiam. I attended Hoquiam High School and I earned two degrees from Grays Harbor College: an Associates in Applied Science for Criminal Justice in 1998, and a Bachelor's in Organizational Management in 2023.

I've worked at Harbor Architects LLC for over 25 years, and in my role as Office Manager, I wear many hats. I handle finance, HR, marketing, grant management, IT, contracts, licensing, project support, and so much more. Basically, the only thing I don't do is actual architectural design work. That I leave to my very talented co-workers and our amazing Principal. I love what I do and I'm one of those lucky people who truly looks forward to going to work every day.

I am a proud PEO sister, and I serve as the Treasurer of one of our local chapters, as well as helping out with the scholarship committee. I am honored to be part of this group of loving, dedicated women who are so focused on empowering women and helping them succeed.

I also dedicate quite a bit of time to the Society for Design Administration, which is a professional organization for administrative professionals in the A/E/C (Architecture, Engineering, Construction) industries. I serve on the Pacific Northwest Chapter Board of Directors, where I assist with membership and marketing of our continuing education events. I am also on the National Certification Committee, where I work with others to manage the CDFA program. This program trains and tests members to allow them to earn their CDFA (Certified Design Firm Administrator). I have also created and presented the training seminar for the Operations section of this certification program, as well as leading roundtable discussions and giving talks regarding the use of AI in administrative work.

And of course, the group that sparked this entire adventure for me - the Downtown Aberdeen Association's Design and Economic Vitality Committee. The biggest challenge I faced was memorizing that long name! I have really enjoyed the conversations we've had about things we can do to improve the downtown area, and I'm looking forward to putting these ideas into action. It was here that I learned about the council seat vacancy for my ward, and decided to dive in and take my hope for Aberdeen's future to the next level.

I own a small home in the Finch Park area of town, which I share with two spoiled cats, a lot of books, and even more half-finished quilting projects. I like to pretend I'm good at yard work and home renovation, but the truth is I'm just winging it and watching tutorial videos trying to figure out the latest thing I've tackled.

And, I serve on the Aberdeen City Council, Ward 4, Position 7. I wasn't sure what to expect, honestly, but I am loving every minute of it. I thrive when I have something to tackle, a goal to chase. Our city has had some tough times, but lately things have really started to turn around and I am excited to be part of the planning stage for the future. We've had some workshops focused on economic development and direction for our city's future and I am so excited to see this progress further.

So, that's who I am in a nutshell. I'm happy to answer any questions you have, so please feel free to reach out to me either here on the website or via facebook or email me at carrieforward4@gmail.com.

Going forward, I will post more about why I want to serve on council, what my priorities are, and other topics. I also really want to hear what your priorities are, so reach out and let me know!