DONNA SANDSTROM
Founder and Executive Director
Donna Sandstrom is the Founder and Executive Director of The Whale Trail. In 2002 Donna was a community organizer in the effort to return an orphaned orca, Springer, to her pod. She was inspired by that collaborative success to found The Whale Trail in 2008, with a core team of partners. Donna recently served as a member of Gov. Inslee’s Orca Recovery Task Force, where she championed solutions to reduce noise and disturbance around endangered southern resident orcas, including a recommendation to license commercial whale-watching.
Donna is the author of “Orca Rescue! The true story of an orphaned orca named Springer” (Kids Can Press 2021). The middle-grade nonfiction book tells Springer’s story as it happened, from initial discovery through rescue, rehabilitation, and reunions. Orca Rescue was a 2025 Sasquatch Award nominee, selected as Winner of Best Children’s Book 2022 (Science Writers and Communicators of Canada, and a finalist for the 2022 Washington State Book Award. Donna loves to share Springer’s inspiring story with classrooms, libraries and community groups. Please contact her to schedule a presentation.
Prior to founding The Whale Trail, Donna was a team and project manager at Adobe Systems. She lives in West Seattle, where The Whale Trail is headquartered. Reach her at: donna@thewhaletrail.org, 206-919-5397
Selected Writings:
WHALE TRAIL BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Past Board Members
- Jack Brenchley
- Ann Butler
- Kris Cooper
- Peggy Cummings
- Kathy Fletcher
- Chuck Gibilisco
- Jesse Henderson
- K.D. Lawrence
- Bob Livingston
- Mike O’Malley
- Naki Stevens
- Pia Van Hanen