The Rundown:
- Rural life with limited health care inspires Ruth Anderson’s lifelong commitment to service.
- Twenty-one years in the United States Air Force cultivates Anderson’s innate leadership skills.
- Ongoing challenges in county government include budgets, land use management issues, and a continued need for community engagement.
- Countless opportunities exist for citizens to get involved and make a difference in their community.
- Making an impact occurs by focusing on one mission at a time and being involved on a local level.
Ruth Anderson didn’t have your typical childhood, but mushing a dog team in Alaska and watching communities struggle with a lack of health care inspired her to become a nurse and pursue a lifelong commitment to service. After 21 years in the Air Force, Anderson became the Occoquan District Supervisor. She provides actionable tips for citizens to become involved with their community and political process.
Show Notes
[0:00] Ruth Anderson is the Occoquan District Supervisor.
[0:59] Anderson discusses a childhood of growing up in five rural Alaskan villages.
[1:43] A unique upbringing, Anderson recalls mushing a dog team and doing homework by the light of a kerosene lamp.
[3:30] Observing her mother in the medical field, Anderson commits to becoming a nurse.
[6:08] Anderson’s family moves from Alaska to Minnesota, where Anderson obtains her degree in nursing and joins the Air Force.
[8:10] Time in the military as an officer both fosters and demands leadership skills.
[9:35] Nursing and a military background lend themselves to humanitarian aid administered after natural disasters.
[10:30] Post-military life, a position opens up for the Occoquan District Supervisor.
[13:00] Challenges for a District Supervisor include managing the county budget and deciding land use issues.
[14:22] To get involved and have a voice, citizens should explore boards, committees, and civic associations.
[15:58] It is hypercritical not to focus on national politics while ignoring what’s occurring locally and the opportunities to get involved.
[19:20] Contact Ruth Anderson at randerson@pwcgov.org to get involved and make an impact.
