OLYMPIA, Wash. — Mayor Julia Johnson of Sedro-Woolley 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. Johnson, who was first appointed to the AWC board in February, will represent the 19 cities and towns in Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Whatcom counties.
“I’m honored to represent the 19 cities and towns in my district and work with my fellow board members on behalf of all 281 cities and towns of Washington state,” said Johnson. “Helping our sister cities be successful results in us benefitting and experiencing our own success.”
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.
“Mayor Johnson has earned the respect of her peers through her thoughtful leadership, collaboration, and track record of accomplishments,” said AWC CEO Deanna Dawson. “I look forward to continuing to work with her on the AWC board as we work to build strong cities and a great state.”
Johnson is currently serving her second term as Mayor of Sedro-Woolley. Prior to becoming mayor, Johson served two years on the Sedro-Woolley City Council. She has chaired multiple county boards including Skagit Transit, Skagit 911, Skagit Governance Board, and Skagit Council of Governments. Johnson also sits on AWC’s Legislative Priorities Committee and holds AWC’s Certificate of Municipal Leadership.
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.