Lynda Marie Zambrano

Lynda Marie Zambrano was born on January 29, 1965, to Ronald Allen Lechner and Lorelei Marie LaPlaca in Chicago Illinois. Lynda began her career in 1989 when she graduated from St Cloud State University with a degree in biology, minoring in chemistry. She performed her internship with the US Environmental Protection Agency at the Monticello Nuclear Plant in MN, researching the effects of selenium discharge in U.S. waterways. Lynda then went on to work for the U.S. Department of Commerce for three years before moving to Seattle, Washington in 1991, where she pursued a career in business and ran two of her own companies for the next seven years. In 1998, Lynda accepted a position at the Tulalip Health Clinic as the Administrator and oversaw clinical operations for the next five years. Lynda was transferred to the Tulalip Police Department where she assisted the Chief of Police in growing the department and created the Tulalip Tribes Office of Emergency Management. Lynda became the Chairperson for the Washington State Region I Homeland Security Tribal Committee. Lynda subsequently received many awards from the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office for her 15 years of work in community service, served as Tribal Health Director for several Tribal Nations, and Tribal Emergency Manager for two Tribes. These lifelong experiences gave Lynda a unique perspective to bring together many different disciplines to work together in emergency management. Lynda had an extensive background in finance, contracts management and audit compliance work. Lynda was a prolific grants writer, assisting with securing more than one hundred grants and several million dollars for Tribal Nations in the State of Washington. Lynda received recognition for her work in Indian Country from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, as well as FEMA. Lynda was inducted into the International Network of Women in Emergency Management’s Hall of Fame. Lynda was the proud wife of Richard Zambrano, who is a member of the Snoqualmie Tribe, mother of three, bonus mom to many and friend to most everyone.

Lynda lost her battle with cervical cancer on January 30, 2025, but not before battling it for more than 5 years. She didn’t give up, even when the doctors did, until she had nothing left to fight with.

She is survived by her husband Richard Zambrano, her daughter Harmony Holland, sons Joshua Holland and Jacob Harvey, her mother Lorelei LaPlaca, her sister Cheryl Dahl, and brother Joe Lechner, along with her grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Lynda is preceded in death by her father Ronald Allen Lechner and her sister Catherine Ellen Barbre.

One of Lynda’s last projects, and biggest honor, was the creation of the Lynda Zambrano Legacy Scholarship by the Cedar Spirit Foundation. Her spirit lives on to support and encourage education and leadership for those who take the reins now of making a difference in the world.

Services will be held at: Schaefer-Shipman Funeral Home in Marysville WA, on February 8, 2025, from 10:00-2:00pm with a Celebration of life at the Zambrano Residence.

The family requests, if you wish to make a donation it can be made to Lynda’s Legacy: The Cedar Spirit Foundation

The world is better because Lynda was in it. And as one friend said, this transition just means she’s somewhere else now…. networking, organizing and dancing!