She may be new to the job of city planner, but with her deep family roots in the area, Lauren Macdonald is not new to Whitefish.  

After graduating from Whitefish High School with the class of 2018, Macdonald attended Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff and earned a degree in geographic sciences and community planning while enjoying some warm southern sunshine. 

She said her involvement in the FREEFLOW club in high school introduced her to the study of Geographic Information Science (GIS) through a dual enrollment course with Flathead Valley Community College. 

At Northern Arizona University, GIS is combined with community development and though she initially thought she would just power through those courses, she grew to like planning. 

“I really liked the involvement we got to have with Flagstaff and real-world applications,” she said. “Maybe this is actually what I want to do.” 

Upon her return to Whitefish, she got an administrative position at the front desk of City Hall and worked that job for about six months before securing the planning position in October. 

“It was really awesome to be able to watch it from the side, learn some of the vocabulary and whatnot from a not-in-it but kind-of-in-it perspective,” Macdonald said of her new job. “It's definitely a big workload and it’s nice to have built a relationship with everyone in the office beforehand.” 

She said she is excited for the challenge of her new job. She likes the fact that each project is unique and said it is the kind of job that will keep her on her toes. 

“When I went away for school and was in community development courses, I [realized] Whitefish was really unique and it was the topic of a lot of my essays about our cultural ... community that’s here,” she added. 

Whitefish City Planner David Taylor said Macdonald is a wonderful asset to the department.  

“It’s pretty neat that a local Whitefish kid can go out and get a professional planning degree and be able to come back to their hometown and put it into action helping her community,” Taylor said. “That deep knowledge of Whitefish and all the issues we face is invaluable.” 

He added that having Macdonald on the team has been a win-win. 

MANY PEOPLE IN TOWN knew her as one of the two blonde twins, as she and her younger sister looked alike when they were children. 

Her sister Kelsey also attended NAU and moved back to Whitefish after graduating a year ago. 

“We've been enjoying sharing our room together again,” Macdonald said with a laugh. 

The girls’ parents, Kristi and Lindsay, are well known in the community. Lindsay owned Colter Coffee in Kalispell while the kids were growing up and later, owned Zucca’s Bistro in the Stumptown Marketplace in Whitefish.  

“It was always kind of funny going to the supermarket in a small town, [my parents] just always getting recognized,” Macdonald recalled. “I'm bored as a kid, listening to this adult conversation. Can we keep on shopping?” 

Now, she is making the most of her connections and finding them helpful in her new position. 

“It's nice to have family members who are so well connected to the community and because of that now, I'm working in the heart of the community,” she said. “I feel like I have a lot of connections. It'll be easier to remember names, which is huge.” 

The Big Mountain has changed since Macdonald left for college, so she has been enjoying exploring the Flower Point area and Chairs 4 and 5. When summer comes, she plans to be hiking with friends and family, in and out of Glacier National Park.