Our Place in Walla Walla
Our Place in Walla Walla is a periodic column published by Noah Leavitt, Co-Director for the Career and Community Engagement Center for External Affairs and College Liaison for Community Affairs. It was created as a tool to help Whitman students learn more about the Walla Walla Valley, many of whom are living in Walla Walla for the first time. Each piece examines a different element of the area, from annual events to landmarks to community leaders.
Our Place in Walla Walla is published bi-weekly during the academic year as a featured column in the Whitman Today newsletter and here on the website.

February 10, 2025
Preston Frederickson ’02: Whitman and Walla Walla
Interview with Preston Frederickson ’02, Deputy City Manager, City of Walla Walla.
Learn More

January 27, 2025
Jennifer Northam ’91: Arts Outside the Whitman Bubble
Interview with Jennifer Northam ’91, Director of Alumni Relations, and an active member of several nonprofit boards of directors.
Learn More

December 16, 2024
Nathan Brannon: #EatHealthySaveMoney
Interview with Nathan Brannon, manager of the Farm to School Garden Education initiative of the Sustainable Living Center, and stand-up comedian.
Learn More

December 2, 2024
Abby Muro: “Coming Home”
Interview with Abby Muro, Executive Director of the Walla Walla Immigrant Rights Coalition.
Learn More

November 18, 2024
Danielle Garbe Reser ’97: “Commit to Community”
An interview with Danielle Garbe Reser ’97, Executive Director of Blue Mountain Action Council.
Learn More

November 4, 2024
Joshua Huh: “Making Friendships Through Entrepreneurship”
An interview with Joshua Huh, owner of Carte Coffee.
Learn More

October 21, 2024
Andrew Trogstad-Isaacson ’11: “Get out and explore”
An interview with Andrew Trogstad-Isaacson, Interim Director of the Water & Environmental Center at Walla Walla Community College.
Learn More

October 7, 2024
Michelle Jamison Adams: Indigenous Heritage of Walla Walla
An interview with Michelle Jamison Adams, a key member of the Planning Committee for the Pasxapa Powwow.
Learn More

September 23, 2024
Amy Ly ’06: Envisioning Possibilities
An interview with Amy Ly ’06, Project Manager for the Gates Foundation-funded Horizons initiative with United Way of the Blue Mountains.
Learn More

September 9, 2024
Sandy Garcia ’08: Community Connections
An interview with Sandy Garcia ’08, supervising attorney for Legal Counsel for Youth and Children.
Learn More

May 20, 2024
Our Place in Walla Walla #18: Summer!
Our place knows how to enjoy summer vacation. Long days and no school mean that it’s time to take full advantage of the Valley.
Learn More

May 6, 2024
Our Place in Walla Walla #17: Wine
Our place loves grapes. This past weekend, you may have noticed extra traffic in town and around our community as Walla Walla hosted the annual Spring Release weekend, with thousands of people visiting town to participate in dozens of special events, tastings and other wine-related festivities.
Learn More