Lovel was elected to the San Juan County Council in November, 2008. She has been actively involved in public service since moving to San Juan Island in 1991. She served on the San Juan County Planning Commission for 10 years (two years as Chair) and volunteers in the schools and with the San Juan Public Schools Foundation, and is a member of the San Juan Island Community Foundation’s Critical Needs Task Force Steering Committee.

Lovel serves on the Budget Subcommittee, the Board of Health, the Washington State Association of Counties Legislative Steering Committee, and is the Council’s liaison to the Islands Trust.

In addition to being Vice-Chair and representing District 1 on the County Council, Lovel is the Project Director for the San Juan Islands Agricultural Guild's Permanent Farmers' Market Project.

Join Lovel every 4th Monday at noon for a community meeting and brown bag lunch in the Legislative Building’s large conference room (55 Second Street).