Amanda Coyne Interviews First Lady Donna Walker

We’ve heard a lot about Bill Walker, but I wanted to hear more about his wife Donna. I wanted to meet her. I hardly knew anything about her. And if I didn’t, chances are I’m not alone. Most who have seen her on television, say, or on the campaign trail, would likely describe her as a strong, independent woman. And she is. She’s the first First Lady of Alaska with a law degree. Ask anybody who was involved in the campaign and they’ll tell you how involved she was, how keenly smart she is and how she kept everything organized and kept the wheels running.

But there are just some things you can’t fake. And this is the message I took away from my time with Donna, which I found surprising: Those grandchildren are her joy, and although she has plans for her role as a first lady—plans that tie nicely into her own personal experiences growing up, as well as the unity theme that her husband ran on–her bigger aspirations are to continue being a good mother and a good grandmother.

Armed with a degree in public administration from San Diego State, she made her way to Alaska during the pipeline boom days, where eventually she met Bill, who was unlike all the boys that she had known. Where they were interested in rock-and-roll and partying, he was interested in history and in politics, and full of ideas. And in his personal life, he was “an old school boy,” she said.

Donna said that she’s happy to continue Sandy’s work. But she seemed particularly enthusiastic when she talked about the possibility of wrapping the unity theme, the theme of her husband’s campaign, particularly of racial and ethnic unity, into something lasting. She’s a huge fan of Bridge Builders, the Anchorage group that brings cultural groups together. She wants to take that model statewide.

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