OLYMPIA, Wash.—Duvall Mayor Amy Ockerlander has been elected president of the Association of Washington Cities (AWC). The election was conducted by city leaders from across Washington state during AWC’s annual conference in Vancouver, Washington, held from June 18-21, 2024.

“I’m honored by the opportunity to serve AWC and advocate for cities across the state,” said Mayor Ockerlander. “From our smallest rural towns to our largest urban cities, we have unique challenges, but we are stronger when we can find common ground and work together. At the end of the day, we are all serving to make a positive difference in the lives of our residents.”

King County Executive Dow Constantine applauded the election. “Mayor Ockerlander’s proven leadership at the local and regional levels make her an outstanding choice to lead the Association of Washington Cities. Her experience and dedication will help advance important initiatives for communities across Washington state.”

AWC Past President Betsy Wilkerson said that she is excited to have Ockerlander as the association’s new president. “Her outstanding leadership as the mayor of Duvall, and at a statewide level on the AWC board, ensures she will excel in this role. I look forward to continuing our collective efforts to enhance the well-being of our cities.”

“I have known Mayor Ockerlander for nearly two decades, and I know her to be a passionate public servant who brings her tenacity and dedication to our board,” said AWC CEO Deanna Dawson. “We are proud to have her as president and look forward to working with her to address the issues affecting our 281 cities and towns.”

The president leads the AWC board of directors, 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.

More than 450 attendees representing over 130 cities and towns across Washington attended the AWC Annual Conference to learn about issues critical to the success of cities. The theme of this year’s conference was Livable, loveable cities, and keynote speaker Peter Kageyama shared his ideas on harnessing the passion people feel for the places they live to help build thriving communities. A highlight of the conference was a panel of distinguished leaders speaking to civic health and how cities are leading the way through divisive times. Sessions on infrastructure, emergency management, budgeting, legal requirements, the fentanyl crisis, and a wide array of other important topics rounded out the conference agenda.

Mayor Ockerlander has been involved with AWC for over 15 years and served on AWC’s Legislative Priorities Committee and Statement of Policy Committee before being elected to the board of directors in 2020, and vice president in 2023. She has also been a member of the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Executive Committee, the Sound Cities Association board of directors, and the National League of Cities Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. She served on the Duvall City Council from 2010 to 2017 before being elected mayor in 2017 and reelected to a second term in 2021.

“AWC is the bridge between all our cities and towns in Washington, providing services and advocacy that reflects our shared needs,” said Ockerlander. “I look forward to representing all of our cities and towns and am honored to give Duvall a voice in statewide issues.”

Founded in 1933, the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) is a nonprofit corporation that represents Washington’s 281 cities and towns. AWC’s mission is to build connections between Washington state’s diverse cities and towns, while providing their members with the support needed to thrive through delivery of data-driven education, nationally recognized pooling programs, and nonpartisan advocacy. Membership is voluntary; however, AWC consistently maintains 100 percent participation from Washington’s 281 cities and towns.

A complete list of AWC board directors is available on the association’s website.