OL Reign Legend: Nancy Backus – Mayor of Auburn

The Legends Campaign, a partnership between OL Reign and Starbucks, honors women for their extraordinary contributions to our community in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Prior to OL Reign’s final home match of the year against Angel City FC on October 20, OL Reign recognized Nancy Backus, Mayor of Auburn. 

As Auburn’s first female mayor since its 1891 incorporation, Mayor Backus is serving her third term as the city’s mayor. She first began her mayoral term in 2014 after spending a decade as an Auburn City Councilmember. Mayor Backus also has 25 years of experience working as a Financial Manager at Boeing. In 2011, she was named the BCFP Manager of the year for her hard work and contributions. 

Mayor Backus, a product of the Auburn School District, holds a degree in accounting and is also a proud mother and wife. Born in the Wichita, Kansas area, Backus moved to Auburn around the age of six, fostering a natural passion for the city from a young age. 

In the community, she has received many awards including the Soroptimist International's Women Helping Women (2002), Miss Auburn Scholarship Program's Lifetime Achievement (2013), the 2014 BPW Woman of Achievement and the AMA Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Government Service.  

In her work as mayor, Backus is known for regional consensus-building and serves on nearly 20 boards as an advocate for Auburn’s interests. She co-convened One Table with King County Executive Dow Constantine and former Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, an organization that unites various stakeholders to address homelessness and housing affordability issues.  

Throughout her life, she has dedicated herself to women’s empowerment and community service and continues to hold these values in her role as mayor. Each and every day, Mayor Backus works to ensure that the community in Auburn is at the forefront of decision making and that Auburn is a place that they can be proud of to live, work and play in.