Bonnie Darwin, executive director of the California Culture Change Coalition, was born and raised in Bakersfield and began her career “with a worthless degree in liberal arts.” She explained, “At that time, women could become secretaries or teachers or nurses, and I didn’t want to do any of those things.” She started off, instead, as an activities director in a nursing home, which launched her 30-odd year career working toward better long term care. Read more about her below.
Q. If you could live in any other time, when would it be and why?
A. The future. I’d love to see what happens, especially with electronic communications and what we’re doing in healthcare. There will be so many breakthroughs in the very near future.
Q. Who was your childhood hero?
A. Nancy Drew.
Q. What do you consider the greatest simple pleasure?
A. Having friends over.
Q. What do you do to clear your mind?
A. Walk.
Q. What do you wish you had the nerve to do?
A. Travel all over the world by myself.
Q. What have you changed your mind about?
A. My thinking evolves about all kinds of things over time.
Q. What music have you listened to today?
A. Christmas carols.
Q. What do you wake up to?
A. My iPod, whatever it shuffles to.
Q. What is your favorite word?
A. Integrity.
Q. What is your greatest extravagance?
A. Books.
Q. Who is the one person living or dead you would most like to meet for dinner?
A. Theodore Roosevelt.
To read more about Darwin’s panel on long term care, click here.
*Photo by Aaron Salcido.