CONNIE POULSEN  

Connie is the Director of Leadership and Management Education at Peninsula College. In this capacity she develops and delivers management training seminars to businesses and public sector organizations on the Olympic Peninsula. Connine joined Peninsula College three years ago and has delivered over 100 workshops. She moved to Sequim after a 30 year career with Xerox Corporation. During her tenure with Xerox, she held positions in sales and sales management, corporate training, and worldwide marketing. Her education includes both bachelor and master’s degrees in Business Administration. Connie has traveled extensively for both business and pleasure and loves exploring new places.

She and her husband, Soeren, have been married for 18 years and Connie is the proud stepmother of two grown girls. Soeren and Connie live on five acres in Happy Valley where they built their home. Soeren is a retired law enforcement officer with 27 years experience and is currently a candidate for Sheriff of Clallam County.

Her personal passions are gardening and her golden retriever named “Emily”.

Connie says, “I joined Soroptimists because I wanted to meet other professional women and give back to the community.”

Thelma and her husband, Barry retired here in 1996 from Los Angeles. They have been visiting Sequim since 1977 when her parents moved here from Alaska. She has four children, two stepchildren, four grandchildren and one great grandchild. Her English husband thinks (as does she) that this is one of the most beautiful, hospitable places on earth. Thelma likes the saying, “While I wasn’t born in Sequim, I got here just as soon as I could!”

After retirement Thelma missed being busy, so she volunteered to tutor eighth grade students in reading skills and English for Mr. Tom Saffold. She served on the Board of Directors of Sequim Town Partners for three years and is now a Board Member of the Olympic Theatre Arts. She’s also a member of St. Anselm’s.

Thelma says, “It is an honor and an opportunity to join Soroptimist International. I hope to be able to contribute to the organization and to our community. There is such a choice of areas in which to be helpful and there is so much to be done.”

LUCY DUKES

Lucy Dukes is a reporter at the Sequim Gazette. She moved to the Olympic Peninsula with her 4-year-old daughter, Darian, from Spokane, Washington, in August 2001.

She has four girls and seventeen grandchildren. Some are here close to her; some are in Tucson, Arizona.

Darlene has an embroidery company. She does digitizing and designing of embroidery work. She is one of those people who love what they do. Her company name is Dinky Doodle Design.

She enjoys her job, and believes the best part of journalism is being able to communicate with an entire community about things that affect real lives every day. She loves to spend time with her daughter, and likes to read literature in her spare time.