Shawna Beese Mayor-elect Millwood

Living today, with tomorrow in mind…

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Data scientist, community researcher, wife, mom, and lifelong Millwood resident.

  • Shawna Beese to become the 10th Mayor of Millwood

    Millwood WA, Nov. 7 – With over 62% of the votes, Shawna Beese, PhD RN, is anticipated to become the 10th Mayor of Millwood, WA on January 1, 2026. As a life-long citizen, with over eight years of experience as a city council member, Beese shares that this run for mayor was less political and more of a call to service, “For 51 years, I have been privileged to call Millwood my home. I was blessed to raise my son under the watchful eyes of a multigenerational village of family, friends, and trusted neighbors. I want that to be an option for all.” 

    Dr. Shawna Beese is a community health researcher at Washington State University (WSU), focusing on creating healthy neighborhood environments and preventing chronic diseases. “As our own municipal water district and self-governed town, the policy choices made by our council and mayor are among the strongest determinants of our overall well-being. Add to that the choices we make about how we treat each other as neighbors, and together they weave the fabric of belonging and resilience. I want to preserve all the best that our small town has provided to its citizens as we move forward into these changing times.”

    When asked by the Spokesman in a recent interview (unpublished to date) what her plans for the first month of her term are, she responded, “Stabilizing staffing for the city; establishing routine communication through a monthly newsletter in the water bill and ‘Morning Coffee with the Mayor’ drop-in office hours; and setting annual strategic themes with the council to focus the small-town resources. The first annual strategic theme will be around our water system.”

  • National Blog Features Shawna Beese’s Neighborhood Research

    On November 15th, I woke up to find that award-winning neighborhood blogger David Burton had written about my team’s work in neighborhood research! What a delightful surprise!

    While I have shared on this site about my ‘Good Neighbor’ day work here in Millwood, and touched on my church’s efforts in the City of Spokane Valley, untold until now was the story of my research team working with Mayor Mary Lou Steward on a proclamation for Blaine, WA. Our story was featured this month in the local Blaine and Birch Bay community newspaper, The Northern Light, along with a promotion for my upcoming classes on how healthy neighboring translates into a solid public health strategy. The Northern Light article sparked David Burton’s blog post!

    According to David Burton, “The Blaine experience offers five clear takeaways for any city, county, or neighborhood:

    • Lesson 1: Health is hyperlocal. Where people spend their time—and who they interact with daily—matters profoundly for long-term health.
    • Lesson 2: Neighboring must be rebuilt intentionally. After 50+ years of social retreat, the skills and habits of “being a good neighbor” need to be relearned and practiced.
    • Lesson 3: Neighboring reduces chronic stress. Warm, reliable relationships in a neighborhood lower allostatic load, which reduces risk for chronic disease.
    • Lesson 4: Prevention science belongs in everyday life. Community health isn’t something that happens only in clinics; it happens on sidewalks, porches, driveways, and parks.
    • Lesson 5: Collaboration makes neighboring scalable. Coalitions like BBB Collective and Birch Bay-Blaine Thrives create the infrastructure that allows individual neighborly actions to become community-wide culture shifts.” (Burton, 2025)*

    * We Are Neighbors Blog Post: Good Neighbors, Good Health: What Blaine, Washington Is Teaching the Rest of Us

    The Northern Light Article: WSU Extension focuses on Blaine for good neighboring research

  • Spokane Neighborhood Summit

    On October 25, I attended the Spokane Neighborhood Summit for the second year in a row! While Millwood is not a Spokane neighborhood but instead its own municipality, the Spokane Office of Neighborhood Services has allowed me to attend to learn about regional developments and gain a better understanding of the Neighborhood Council system of the City of Spokane. This year, I had the added bonus of being invited by the Spokane Food Policy Council President, Stephanie Watson, to co-present on the topic of Neighborhood Community Food Systems. It was a fantastic day of meeting with Spokane City Council members, candidates, and sharing fellowship with community-minded citizens across the region.

    Thank you, Amber Groe, Community Programs Coordinator, for hosting another outstanding Spokane Neighborhood Summit!

  • Good Neighbor Weekend

    There is a growing recognition of the importance of community among the people we interviewed. Even in popular culture, people instinctively understand that the strength of their social connections greatly impacts their health, well-being, and sense of purpose. The value of local (or IRL) relationships has been gaining attention. In that spirit, a group of us worked to launch Millwood’s first annual Good Neighbor Weekend, providing an opportunity to build community with neighbors, local friends, and family.

    Neighborhood impact:

    • 150 neighbors participated in Millwood Impact’s Harvest Party
    • HOPE Farmstead Pizza Company provided 45 pizzas for the movie night, local pubs, and the surrounding neighbors
    • Pasadena Nazarene Church collected over scarves, hats, and socks for over 200 local children and adolescents
    • Zion Lutheran Church offered Millwood lunch, activities for children, and a wonderful piano concert
    • And countless neighborhood discussions were had about the community we want to build

  • Millwood Daze

    In Millwood, the community comes together to celebrate the last days of summer with our annual Millwood Daze celebration! Thank you, Millwood Community Association, for another fantastic event. I was tabling alongside Zion Lutheran Church, promoting neighborhood development and our upcoming Millwood Good Neighbor Weekend.

  • Inland Empire Paper Mill (IEP) Tour

    I was delighted to join Millwood Neighborhood Advocate’s own LaDonna and Kyle on a tour of the Inland Empire Paper (IEP) mill. We learned about the community’s rich history, as there would have been no Millwood without the mill. We discussed current operations and recent changes, including a renewed focus on fostering a safety culture. Coming from a hospital operations background, it was inspiring for me to hear about IEP’s strides as a highly reliable organization. Lastly, I was very impressed by the technological investments IEP has made, including the filtering system (pictured) that can filter over three million gallons of water daily. The company’s dedication to river stewardship was truly encouraging.

  • Fellowship Breakfast

    The wonderful folks at Zion Lutheran Church invited me to speak at their July Fellowship Breakfast! We had a meaningful conversation about “Good neighboring is a health intervention.” Participants shared personal stories highlighting tangible health improvements that came from simply having someone listen during a crisis. We discussed the improvements in quality of life and better health that result from belonging to a community.

    The Zion Lutheran Church council approved hosting an event during our upcoming ‘Good Neighbor Weekend’, scheduled for September 26-28. On Sunday, September 28, at noon, Zion will open its doors to the entire neighborhood for a ‘Good Neighbor’ brunch. Food will be served, kids’ activities will be available, music will be played, and I will be there with books and resources for anyone interested in learning more about the benefits of good neighbors.

  • Certificate of Municipal Leadership

    In July, I was recognized by the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) as having earned my AWC Certificate of Municipal Leadership. This distinction acknowledges I have earned more that 30 credits across five core areas:

    • Legal requirements, roles and responsibilities, and ethics (Legal)
    • Budgeting and financial management (Budget)
    • Infrastructure, transportation, and land use (Land use)
    • Building safe, healthy, and thriving communities (Community)
    • Effective local leadership (Leadership)

    “Being a city leader in Washington is a complex job,” said AWC CEO Deanna Dawson. “Through our CML program we are providing our elected officials with the knowledge they need to effectively operate within the law, plan for the future, secure and manage funds, foster strong relationships, and work to build more equitable communities.”

  • Deputy Ride Along

    Today, I had the pleasure of riding along with our Deputy Ball! Last year, the Mayor and City Council adopted a model with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office that provided a designated Deputy for Millwood, in addition to contracted provisions for enhanced services when needed. The feedback I have received indicates that the increased neighborhood patrolling is welcomed.

    The Deputy and I discussed topics including traffic issues, overall crime rates (Millwood’s crime rates are typically lower than those in other areas), the vital work of our West Valley SCOPE office, and the level of neighbor engagement in enhancing the safety of Millwood. After my ride-along, I feel very confident that we are in great hands with Deputy Ball!

  • STAR Club!! Presentation

    At the June 10 City Council meeting, Jeremy Clark, the students, and I presented an update on the STAR Club capstone project. I provided an overview of the topics we have been discussing since January (e.g., leadership, project management, and public presentation; summary below). The students showcased their final project, the installation of the ‘Millwood Neighborhood Garden’ off the parking lot of the Millwood Impact office. The garden was designed with accessibility in mind, ensuring that participants in Project ID can enjoy it just as much as our Millwood neighbors.

    Leadership

    • Leadership is an action, not a position
    • Anyone willing to organize group action around a need is a leader
    • Finding opportunities & projects to engage civically is a critical need in all neighborhoods
    • Leadership is just as much about wanting to help as it is about the skills we learn to be effective

    Project management

    • Do-able projects
    • SMART goals

    Communicating Success

    • Garden Board
    • Community Dinner
    • City Council