Meet Danny

Danny Tarkenton grew up in Spokane. An Iraq War veteran and former Spokane County deputy prosecutor, she’s now completing a Master of Science in forensic psychology. Danny holds degrees in philosophy from Gonzaga and psychology, summa cum laude, from EWU. She’s also a member of the American Psychology-Law Society, dedicated to improving the justice system through behavioral science. In Spokane County courts, Danny has prosecuted cases and built a record of legal experience, military discipline, and insight into criminal behavior unmatched in this race.

A woman with red hair wearing a dark, cream-colored suit standing outdoors on a street during sunset, with cars and buildings in the background.

Danny Tarkenton grew up just north of the Y in Spokane. Her family relocated from Texas to Spokane in the early '90s, when her father was recruited as a toxicologist to help address Spokane’s meth crisis. Before that, he spent years as a forensic scientist, often working with the Texas Rangers. He spoke candidly with Danny about the impact of drugs on both individuals and the community, sparking her early fascination with human behavior and trauma.

After earning a philosophy degree from Gonzaga, Danny joined the Army National Guard. She served for six years, spending four on active duty. As a member of the Honor Guard, she provided funeral honors for fallen service members, and in 2016, she deployed to Iraq as a vertical engineer. When she returned home, she planned and led monthly training exercises to prepare new recruits for basic training, serving as both planner and instructor.

Danny saw firsthand the realities of cruelty, violence, and destruction during her military service. After leaving the Army in 2019, she enrolled at EWU and graduated summa cum laude with a degree in psychology with a minor in developmental psychology. She initially planned to pursue a doctorate, but changed course. Being a psychologist meant responding to the system—becoming an attorney meant working inside it. So, she chose law school.

At Gonzaga Law, she earned Pro Bono Distinction. In her third year, she practiced under a Rule 9 license in the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office, then left temporarily to take the bar exam. She soon returned as a deputy prosecutor, managing more than 568 misdemeanor cases as the only attorney in her District Court courtroom. She also handled Involuntary Treatment Act cases in the Civil Division, where law, medicine, and ethics heavily overlap.

She stepped away to pursue a Master of Science in forensic psychology at Arizona State. She was not finished with prosecution. She wanted to gain a deeper understanding of criminal behavior and return equipped to address it effectively and efficiently.

Spokane has always been her home. She’s watched the community confront challenges like drug addiction, public safety, and a justice system that people expect more from. Her career has been about building the skills Spokane needs right now: as a prosecutor, a veteran, and someone who has studied human behavior from the courtroom to the classroom.

She’s ready to lead the office she knows, in the County she grew up in.

My dad is the bees knees, Bloomsday, 1995
Joint Operations with the French Army, Baghdad, Iraq, 2016
Preparing presentation on Restorative Justice models supported by neuroscience, Gonzaga Law, 2024
Volunteering to teach high schoolers their Constitutional rights, Street Law, 2022
Somewhere in Iraq, 2016
Walking Pride Parade with the Veteran's Affairs, 2024

Danny’s Dedication to Spokane

  • Street Law

    Street Law is a national program that equips law students to bring legal education directly into communities that rarely have access to it. At Gonzaga, Danny participated all three years of law school, visiting local high schools to teach students their fundamental rights as young people living under the law. As Vice President, she helped plan and coordinate those lessons alongside fellow board members.

  • SCRAPS

    SCRAPS is Spokane County's animal shelter, providing care and shelter to thousands of animals each year. Danny volunteered regularly, walking dogs and socializing animals to support their wellbeing while they awaited placement.

  • Odyssey Youth

    Odyssey Youth serves LGBTQ+ young people in Spokane who need a safe place and steady support. Danny volunteered directly, showing up to cook, do laundry, and any chores that needed doing. She mentored before and during COVID lockdown, and provided legal guidance to trans youth navigating the name change process, so their documents reflect who they are.

  • Washington Attorney General's Office

    The Washington State Attorney General's Office serves as the legal counsel for state government and its agencies, enforcing state law and protecting the rights of Washington residents. As a volunteer legal extern, she researched hospital bylaws to assess whether state medical facilities were operating in compliance with ethical standards required by law.