Cathy Donnellan is always doing something and never stands still! ‘Sometimes on the crazy side’ is a phrase her family and friends use to describe her because she is constantly pursuing new paths. Her most recent pursuit brought her to volunteer in the Benthic Macroinvertebrate (BMI) Lab helping to count and identify BMI samples collected at 16 sites along Deer Creek. As we welcome Cathy to the Sierra Streams community, I wanted to share her story with all of you!
After growing up in Los Angeles, she obtained her undergraduate degree in philosophy from UCLA and was working toward her Ph.D. in philosophy when she had a change of heart. In the midst of writing her dissertation she became involved in the Stanford Riding Academy, and, as Cathy puts it, “That was it, horses become my obsession, and so the dissertation just stood there.” As a result, Cathy changed courses and dreamed of becoming an equine veterinarian. Moving to Davis for veterinary school did not seem possible, so she settled for the next best thing and pursued a career as a clinical laboratory scientist while caring for horses in her personal time.
Cathy loved being a clinical lab scientist. She began her career at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, then moved to the Northern California Transplant Bank (NCTB) to help establish the sterility testing lab and finally finished her career with an exciting position at the Proctor Foundation, an ophthalmology research unit at the University of California San Francisco.
About two years ago, Cathy moved to Nevada County with her 3 horses and 2 Newfoundland dogs. Just two months ago she joined us in the Benthic Macroinvertebrate Lab! Needless to say, with her laboratory background, she is a natural. If you would like to meet Cathy for yourself or get involved in this important work join us during our regular volunteer hours Wednesday morning 8 – 11 am or during a special night session on Tuesday, February 27th from 4:30 PM – 7 PM. No experience necessary, we will teach you everything you need to know!
“A horse because they are loyal, free and there is no jump too big for them!”
What are you proudest of?
“My son, Ian*, I always thought I was to be a professional person but when my son came, which was late in my life, at first it was like oh my what is happening and then it was the most important thing in my world! This is what I was meant to do.”