Councilor McDonald was elected to the Pendleton City Council in 2014 and was re-elected in 2022 for a third term. Councilor McDonald is running for the position of Mayor of Pendleton in the May 2024 election. She serves as Council President and sits on the Pendleton Airport Commission, Development Commission, Library Board, and Budget Committee. Councilor McDonald is an LOC Board Director and Women's Caucus Board Member. Her commitments also include a full-time job with the InterMountain Education Service District as the Oregon Trail REN Coordinator, volunteering in the community, being a wife and mother. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Portland, a Masters in Teaching from Eastern Oregon University, and most recently a Principal License from Lewis & Clark College.