When the pandemic hit, Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) had to quickly reassign and hire people just for the response. One of those people hired for the response was Carma Fuhlendorf. She was hired to work as an administrative assistant in Disease Prevention and Response which, as the name tells you, is right in the middle of the fight against the pandemic in our region. Carma says that as a new team member she had no clue about the stress level, dedication, commitment, and love for the community her coworkers would have. Carma references the 60+ hour weeks and often seven-day work weeks a lot of the team has put in throughout the pandemic. She stated, “While everyone else was staying home, each and every one of the team got up daily to tackle the work that had to be done to provide accurate, timely information.”

Carma jumped right into the team effort by working with data. The data used comes from many different sources and can often have overlapping or missing information. To make sure the public is getting the most accurate look at disease activity in our region, Carma makes sure the information is entered, verified, and confirmed. Carma has been a huge asset to SRHD as accurate COVID-19 data continues to be in high demand.

When Carma is asked what her favorite thing about working at SRHD is, she again speaks about her team. “I love the team that I am able to work with. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming,” she explained. “It quickly becomes a family more than just a workplace. I know we are doing great things even if it isn’t front and center to the world.”

So, what is Carma blasting in her car on her first post pandemic road trip? “Shotgun by George Ezra,” she answered. “It is a great, feel-good song that I discovered on a road trip a few years ago about riding shotgun on a road trip and just enjoying the experience.”