OLYMPIA — Deputy Mayor Amy Howard of Port Townsend has been reelected to the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) board of directors. The election was conducted by city leaders from across the state at the AWC Annual Conference in Vancouver, Washington, held from June 18-21, 2024. Howard will represent the 23 cities and towns in Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason, Pacific, and Wahkiakum counties.
“It’s an honor to continue serving on the AWC board,” said Howard. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue collaborating with leaders from across the state to advocate for more inclusive, effective governance for all Washington cities and towns.”
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.
“Howard’s deep understanding of community issues combined with her dedication to service and ability to bring people together are an asset to the AWC board,” said AWC CEO Deanna Dawson. “She is a leading voice in AWC’s work to improve civic health and collaborative leadership, and I look forward to continuing to work with her to advance these efforts on behalf of all 281 Washington cities.”
Howard was first elected to the Port Townsend City Council in 2015. Howard’s inspiring path to community involvement is a testament to her resilience and dedication to service. She first relocated to Port Townsend in 2000 as a youth experiencing homelessness, poverty, and substance abuse. She credits the support of the Port Townsend community for helping set her on a path to her current leadership roles within the city and beyond. Howard has since become an active and influential member of the local nonprofit community committed to enhancing community welfare. She has earned a certificate of Nonprofit Executive Leadership from the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington and currently serves as the Manager of Volunteer Engagement at Habitat for Humanity of East Jefferson County among other regional leadership roles.
Howard was first elected to the AWC board in 2022. She has earned an Advanced Certificate of Municipal Leadership through AWC and has also served on the AWC Audit Committee and Nominating Committee.
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.
Founded in 1933, 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 of directors is available on the association’s website.