OLYMPIA – The Association of Washington Cities (AWC) announced that Spokane Councilmember Betsy Wilkerson was recently elected AWC secretary. The secretary serves on the association’s board of directors and executive committee and is in line to become vice president, then president.

“I look forward to expanding my journey with AWC by taking on this leadership position,” said Wilkerson. “I believe I will bring a perspective to the board that will help ensure that every leader in every city and town here in our state will feel welcome and realize their full potential with our association.”

Wilkerson has served on the AWC board since June of 2021, representing Spokane, a single-city district.  She was elected to the Spokane City Council in 2020 and is the second African American Councilwoman serving on the council. Wilkerson grew up and raised a family in Eastern Washington.

The AWC Board of Directors is the association’s governing body. The board is comprised of 25 directors, 23 of whom are mayors or city councilmembers from Washington cities or towns, and two non-elected city officials who also serve as the president and past president of the Washington City/County Management Association.

AWC serves its members through advocacy, education, and services. Founded in 1933, AWC is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan corporation that represents Washington's cities and towns before the state legislature, the state executive branch, and with regulatory agencies. Membership is voluntary. However, AWC consistently maintains 100 percent participation from Washington’s 281 cities and towns. AWC also provides training, data and publications, and programs such as the AWC Employee Benefit Trust, AWC Risk Management Service Agency, AWC Workers’ Comp Retro, AWC Drug and Alcohol Consortium, and AWC GIS Consortium.