Washington Collaborative Elected Leaders Institute

Enhance your skills in collaborative leadership—learn how to build trust and govern across differences.

The AWC Center for Quality Communities and our partners are excited to open applications for the second cohort of the Washington Collaborative Elected Leaders Institute (WA-CELI).

This immersive, three-month training program equips small teams of city elected officials with the leadership skills to tackle real-world challenges collaboratively. Under the guidance of expert facilitators, teams learn and practice a broad range of strategies to engage with differing viewpoints and build consensus.

In addition to receiving valuable training, participants learn about challenges facing other communities and build meaningful connections with peers from across the state who are invested in bridging divides to govern more effectively.

The WA-CELI program is offered by the AWC Center for Quality Communities and the Association of Washington Cities (AWC), in partnership with the William D. Ruckelshaus Center (a joint effort of Washington State University and the University of Washington) and the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy & Governance.

See who participated in the 2024 inaugural WA-CELI cohort, read what they’re saying about the training, and reach out to ask about their experience!

“If you are even thinking about attending WA-CELI, just do it. It will be one of the best decisions you make as an elected official.”
– Mayor Roger Bell, Selah

“I highly recommend the WA-CELI experience for elected officials both new and seasoned. The WA-CELI experience has had a profound impact on how I approach the work I do on behalf of my city, and I hope the next cohort is full of amazing leaders who are committed to the tradition of positive public service.”
– Councilmember Annie Kurtz, Liberty Lake

Session dates and locations

WA-CELI will host six sessions and one post-session capstone. The sessions are a combination of in-person and virtual.

Note: Each team member must commit to attending all sessions, including the four in-person sessions and post-session capstone at locations around the state.

Cost

• The program fee is $500 for each participant (due after teams have been selected).
• There may be costs associated with travel and lodging for the in-person sessions.

Our goal is to ensure that no one is unable to participate due to financial need.

• Scholarship funds are available to help cover the program fee and any travel and lodging expenses for the in-person sessions for participants whose cities are unable to cover these costs.

How to apply

• The application period for the 2025 WA-CELI cohort is April 7 – May 12.
• Elected officials from Washington cities and towns are eligible to apply to the program.
• Apply as a team of two to four elected officials, either from the same city or from neighboring cities.
• Up to 14 teams will be selected to participate (one from each AWC Board district). 
• Decisions on which teams have been selected for the 2025 cohort will be announced in early June.

Questions?

Contact Deanna Dawson, AWC Chief Executive Officer

More information

Learning outcomes

Under the guidance of expert facilitators, teams learn and practice a broad range of collaborative leadership skills:

• Examine how to move from hierarchical to collaborative leadership
• Understand how to manage collaborative dynamics and embrace conflict as a tool for change
• Practice framing discussions around interests instead of positions
• Explore ways to engage the public and communicate compromise to your constituents
• Discover strategies for evaluating collaborative process and outcomes
• Learn how to maintain collaborative relationships over time

About the facilitators

Dr. Julia Carboni

Julia is Director of the William D Ruckelshaus Center, a joint effort between Washington State University and the University of Washington that assists stakeholders with developing collaborative, durable, and effective solutions for complex policy challenges. She is also a full professor in the Washington State University School of Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs and a distinguished scholar at the University of Washington Evans School of Public Policy and Governance. Dr. Carboni is an award-winning community engaged scholar and leader with expertise in using collaboration and asset-based community development to improve the lives and wellbeing of communities. She serves or has served on the Board of Directors for international, national, and local organizations, has extensive community-based volunteer experience, and also regularly mentors fellow BIPOC and female scholars and community leaders.

 

Jed Chalupa

Jed is a lead facilitator at the Ruckelshaus Center. He focuses on collaborative capacity-building efforts throughout Washington and the Pacific Northwest. Jed brings over eight years of experience in facilitation, engagement, conflict management, and training/teaching. He holds certifications in both Mediation and Women and Gender Studies. His work has regularly focused on issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion within public engagement efforts. Jed completed his bachelor’s degree in communication studies with a minor in peace and reconciliation, and his master’s in communication studies with a specialization in deliberative processes from Colorado State University in 2015 and 2018, respectively. He is currently completing the final stages of his Ph.D. in Communication Studies with focuses on engagement and conflict management from Texas A&M University.

 

Becky Corriell

Becky is the Assistant Dean of Students & Learning Innovation for the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance. Becky's work focuses on the creation of professional learning opportunities that are intentionally co-designed to advance personal, organizational, and collective learning. She has more than fifteen years of experience in teaching and training, program design and implementation, and organizational development. Becky also brings a deep commitment towards anti-racism, equity, and inclusion to all facets of her work. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international studies and a Master of Education in Educational Leadership & Policy from the University of Washington. She is currently finalizing her doctoral dissertation in Education Policy, Organizations, & Leadership, also at UW.

 

AK Sterling

AK is an innovation & engagement manager within the Evans Policy Innovation Collaborative, a policy lab embedded at the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance. His work focuses on providing project management and internal & external engagement support. He has eight years of experience working in communications, community engagement, partnership development, and project management in higher education, focusing on building deep relationships with stakeholders, students, and community members to advance access to higher education and close opportunity gaps. AK holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from Washington State University and a Master of Communication in Communities & Networks from the University of Washington.

 

About the partners

AWC Center for Quality Communities

The WA-CELI program is administered by the AWC Center for Quality Communities (CQC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization associated with the Association of Washington Cities. The CQC promotes municipal leadership development and civic engagement in pursuit of building healthy, resilient, quality communities.

Association of Washington Cities

The Association of Washington Cities (AWC) was founded in 1933 and is the nonprofit corporation that represents the 281 cities and towns in Washington. 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.

William D. Ruckelshaus Center

The Ruckelshaus Center is a joint effort of Washington State University and the University of Washington, created to foster collaborative public policy in Washington state and the Pacific Northwest. The Center is hosted and administered at WSU by the Office of the Provost and hosted at UW by the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy and Governance. The Center’s Advisory Board includes prominent local, state, and regional leaders representing a broad range of constituencies across Washington state. The core faculty and staff consist of experienced facilitators and project managers, along with communication, development, and operations professionals.

Evans School of Public Policy & Governance, University of Washington

For more than 60 years, the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy & Governance has built a reputation as one of the top public policy schools in the nation. The school is defined by its shared purpose: to inspire public service and to democratize public policy. Curricular and hosting support for WA-CELI will be provided by the Evans School’s Professional Learning Programs staff and the Evans Policy Innovation Center, a policy lab that applies insights from science and human-centered design methodology to policy and management challenges, helping organizations adapt to the needs of the communities they serve and embrace change.