Commissioner Valerie Fowler

Growing up in suburban Portland, Valerie fell in love with the Columbia River Gorge at an early age, regularly visiting the Gorge with her family to enjoy the hiking trails, wildflowers, and waterfalls. After three decades serving our country as a U.S. diplomat, she returned to the Columbia River Gorge to put down roots.

In 2018, Valerie and her husband Chip planted 16 acres of wine grapes on their 56-acre farm located between Bingen and Lyle, Washington. They farm organically, subscribing to the philosophy that we are custodians of the land, protecting it for future generations. They have a small flock of Old English Babydoll Southdown Sheep, who serve as organic lawnmowers in the vineyard.

Valerie’s career as a commissioned officer of the U.S. Foreign Service took her around the world on assignment, as well as service at the Department of State in Washington, D.C. Her diplomatic career included ten years in senior executive positions; she retired at the rank of Minister Counselor in the Senior Foreign Service.

Valerie led interagency teams and managed programs and budgets in domestic and international positions. In multiple assignments, she worked with U.S. and allied military leaders in civilian-military integration of effort, crisis planning, and implementation. Following a year-long assignment in Afghanistan leading the team of U.S. diplomats deployed on U.S. and allied bases across the country, Valerie received the U.S. Army’s Superior Civilian Service Award for her leadership and strategic vision.

Valerie concluded her diplomatic career as U.S. Consul General in Sydney, Australia. Prior to that fantastic assignment, she served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and then Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, where she was responsible for managing strategic communications, global media relations, and crisis communications for two Secretaries of State.

Valerie is delighted to continue her service, shifting from country to community, as Klickitat County’s representative on the Columbia River Gorge Commission.