[1] MacLaren was born in Colorado Springs and studied journalism at university in California, where she began a career in journalism as the chief photographer and staff reporter for two small California daily newspapers, the Desert Dispatch and the Victor Valley Daily Press.

[2] After studying as a Rotary Youth Exchange student in 1979 in Albany, MacLaren relocated to Perth in 1982 and spent seven years in small business as a desktop publisher and technical writer.

[3] On 15 February 2005, she was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Council as a Greens Western Australia member for South Metropolitan Region, following Jim Scott's resignation to contest the lower house seat of Fremantle.

[4] MacLaren's portfolios included: planning, housing, community services, social inclusion, heritage, animals, volunteering, seniors, disability issues, food and GMOs, sexuality, tourism, arts and culture, small business and science and innovation.

While on the EPAC, MacLaren participated in an inquiry into the Transportation of Detained Persons which followed on from the death in a custodial van of Aboriginal man, Mr Ward, who was being transported in the hot conditions of northern Western Australia.