Association of Washington Cities

We have a great group of newer Washington city officials and AWC Board members with us today at the Elected Officials Essentials Forum in Tacoma! This is a great opportunity to gain critical knowledge, connect with other new-to-office officials, and ask questions of seasoned city leaders. Thank you, everyone, for showing up with so much curiosity and commitment to municipal service! #EOEforum2025

We are pleased to announce that Vancouver Councilmember Ty Stober has been appointed to AWC's Board of Directors. Stober represents District 5, which encompasses 26 cities and towns in Clark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Lewis, and Skamania counties. “I’m committed to ensuring that Southwest Washington continues to have a strong voice on the AWC Board," said Stober. Learn more about our newest Board member in our online newsroom: https://lnkd.in/gX5fvXbi

Today we honor Lakewood's Claudia B. Thomas, the first black woman mayor in Washington state. Thomas was a lifelong educator and activist. After entering college at the age of 15, she went on to be a high school chemistry teacher-turned-principal and a contributing writer to Ebony Magazine. In 2006, Thomas was selected Mayor of Lakewood by the seven-member city council, becoming the first African American woman mayor in Washington State. Learn more about this history-making city leader: https://lnkd.in/gEHTxHBK

AWC celebrates the newest recipient of the Advanced Certificate of Municipal Leadership—Mayor Shanna Styron Sherrell of the City of Milton! Join us in congratulating Mayor Styron Sherrell on this achievement, which reflects her dedication to professional development and community service. #ACML

Thank you to everyone who joined us last week for City Action Days! It was amazing to gather as a group, share priorities and perspectives from across the state, and make our voices heard at the Capitol. Relive the memories through our CAD 2025 Flikr album! Feel free to download and post the photos, and to tag friends and colleagues. https://lnkd.in/e7pwVHpY

And that's a wrap on #AWC2025CAD! It's been a blast to spend these past couple days with so many dedicated city leaders and staff. Thank you for everything you do for Washingtonians! We hope you enjoyed City Action Days as much as we did!

We're proud to host Washington Attorney General Nick Brown this morning at #AWC2025CAD. "My dad was on the Steilacoom council and I was always so proud of him and the feeling that the impact he was having was meaningful. The rubber meets the road at the local level. You are the first phone call," Brown said. "We can only do our jobs as the state's lawyers if we understand local issues."

Mayor Gretl Crawford joins us in extending an invitation to AWC's 2025 Annual Conference, June 24-27 in Kennewick. In addition to inspiring sessions, engaging conversations, and endless networking opportunities, this year's conference offers access to one of Washington state's most beautiful and innovative regions—the Tri-Cities. Register today! https://lnkd.in/dPbch3J

Members of the inaugural cohort of the Washington Collaborative Elected Leaders Institute (WA-CELI) reconnected this morning at City Action Days 2025. They talked about their experiences in WA-CELI, the relationships they built, and the valuable skills they developed. This immersive training program equips city officials with the collaborative skills to govern across differences. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g4dFcmMd #AWC2025CAD #WACELI

Today, we honor Washington state's first Black mayor. William Amos Craven was serving on the Roslyn city council in 1975 when his fellow members appointed him to the open position of mayor. On September 16, 1976, he was elected to the position by public vote. On February 20, 2021, then-Governor Jay Inslee proclaimed the day “William Craven Day.” Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gEqcDJQ9