OLYMPIA, Wash. — Councilmember Jillian Henze of Waitsburg has been elected 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. Henze will represent the 34 cities and towns in Asotin, Benton, Columbia, Franklin, Garfield, Walla Walla, and Whitman counties.
“I’m honored, humbled and so excited to serve Waitsburg and its neighboring cities and towns in southeast Washington on the AWC board,” said Henze. “I look forward to working hard to move AWC forward and to collaborate with city partners to ensure all cities and towns, no matter their size, have the tools we need to make our communities outstanding places to live.”
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.
“Councilmember Henze is an active and engaged member of AWC, and her perspective representing a small, rural community in Walla Walla County will be a great asset as we work to bring together the diverse perspectives of all 281 cities and towns in Washington,” said AWC CEO Deanna Dawson. “By working together, we can create strong cities, and a great state.”
Henze was appointed to the Waitsburg City Council in 2021 before being elected to a full term later that year. She has served on the AWC Legislative Priorities Committee, Bylaws Review Committee, and Statement of Policy Committee. In addition to serving on the Waitsburg City Council, Henze serves as the Director of Communications for the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.
About Waitsburg: Waitsburg is located in Walla Walla County and has a population of 1,230. Waitsburg was pioneered in the early 19th century. Lewis and Clark passed through this area in 1806 on the return from their historic expedition. Years later, along the banks of the Touchet River, the first grist mill was established to serve farmers in the area. The enterprising owner of that mill, Sylvester M. Wait, was honored as Waitsburg's namesake when the town was founded in 1865. Waitsburg has a unique city classification in Washington state, being the state's only city which still operates under its territorial charter.
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.