Cathy Lehman has resigned as Futurewise’s Whatcom County chapter director, a position she had served in since 2008.

Lehman intends to focus marketing and communications for small and medium Washington State businesses at the Center for Economic Vitality, run through Western Washington University’s College of Business and Economics, according to a April 4 press release.

She is also a current member of the Bellingham City Council, representing the city’s 3rd Ward.

Futurewise Whatcom is the first and only local chapter of Futurewise, a statewide nonprofit group that advocates for local governments to manage growth responsibly, according to the organization’s website.

“Cathy helped to create the foundation of our Whatcom chapter,” said Jean Melious, Futurewise Whatcom’s Steering Committee president. “Luckily, we’re in a great position to continue advocating for wise land use, stopping sprawl and protecting the environment.”

Lehman’s last day with Futurewise will be April 13. Since announcing her intentions, staff members have been working with the steering committee to create and implement a transition plan.

“We are completely committed to delivering results in Whatcom County,” Hilary Franz, the group’s executive director, said. “We have accomplished so much in the last five years thanks to Cathy’s great work, but we still have a lot of opportunities ahead of us to build transit-oriented communities and protect working lands.”