Nicole (Warbis) Klein, BA ’02, MA ’04
President, Seattle Ducks Chapter
 

The Pacific Northwest is my forever home! Having grown up in the small logging and fishing town of Coos Bay, OR (home of Steve Prefontaine) and headed just north to UO for studies in Art History and Political Science, I didn’t wander too far from home.

I made some great friends while living in Hamilton smelling the wafts of Wonder Bread, working at Subway in the ‘Fish Bowl’ at the EMU, and even attempting to scrum playing rugby on the club team. I stayed for my MA in museum administration with hopes of someday finding my way into a gallery or museum in a big city.

After moving up to Seattle with big ambitions, I utilized my Duck network to make some critical first connections that made our big city seem smaller. I ended up finding my fit in fundraising at the University of Washington... Not knowing how much ‘distaste’ there was for water fowl up here! Still, I persisted (and now in my 15th year with the Huskies) I am in my most cherished role, and one at the very heart of one of their most beloved stories ‘The Boys in the Boat.’

I am leading the fundraising effort for restoring the WWI hangar that rests on indigenous land that was the home of Washington Rowing and George Pocock, including the legendary 1936 team! Finally, all of my passion and knowledge for building stories and sharing history is coming together in preserving and activating this local and national treasure, the ASUW Shell House. Not only is the book a huge hit, and the PBS Documentary, but now a major motion picture is set to start filming any day in London with directors George Clooney and Grant Heslov and MGM. Some of you may have caught our panel of Ducks for the UOAA Book Club last year, How a Book Can Save a Building: Ducks' Surprising Roles in Restoring the ASUW Shell House. Similar to the magic that Hayward Field still holds for us, this gritty hangar stands as a symbol of who we are in the PNW.

We have beat the odds, and we continue to... We all need a bit of hope right now, and I am lucky to be a part of such a community-centric project that will be part of inspiring our public memory again. I am also excited to help re-activate our Seattle Ducks: to come together and connect, share our common stories, and build new relationships. With over 9,000 Ducks in the area, we are already undoubtedly helping to lead the wave of recovery and resilience for our city! Keep your eye out for gatherings starting this summer and fall.