Mayor Marla Keethler of White Salmon was recently appointed to the Board of Directors of the Association of Washington Cities (AWC). Mayor Keethler will represent small cities in Eastern Washington on the Board.
Keethler has been mayor of White Salmon since 2020, having previously served two years on the city council. She also serves on AWC’s Small City Advisory Committee and has earned AWC’s Advanced Certificate of Municipal Leadership.
“Serving on the AWC Board is an opportunity to bring a voice from a unique location in the state and share the perspective of a small, rural city that is navigating many of the same challenges that our larger or more centrally located Washington cities are dealing with,” says Keethler. “What I value most about being part of AWC is the opportunity to learn from examples in other communities and connect with other local leaders.”
Infrastructure funding is an area of particular interest to Keethler, who served on the Hood River–White Salmon Bridge Replacement Bistate Working Group from 2020 to 2023, and now serves as commissioner on the newly established Hood River–White Salmon Bridge Authority. “This work has given me the opportunity to speak and connect regionally as well as nationally to elevate awareness for this local priority project.”
Keethler has worked successfully with White Salmon’s state legislative delegation to secure funding for the bridge and on city policy priorities related to affordable housing and childcare access.
In addition, Keethler serves on the boards of the Washington Gorge Action Programs, West Klickitat Community Housing, and the Klickitat County Public Economic Development Authority.
“I am excited about the fresh perspective and new ideas that Mayor Keethler will bring to the AWC Board,” said AWC President Betsy Wilkerson. “I look forward to working with her in the coming year to achieve great things for our 281 cities across Washington state.”
“By serving on the AWC Board, Mayor Keethler will be able to ensure that the voice of White Salmon and small cities all across Washington state are appreciated and understood,” said AWC CEO Deanna Dawson. “Marla brings a passion for service and a strong knowledge of the issues facing small cities to the table, and I know she will be an outstanding addition to the AWC Board.”
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% 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.
A complete list of AWC Board of Directors is available on the association’s website.