Redmond Mayor and AWC Board Member Angela Birney prioritizes finding common ground with leaders across the state and celebrating the vibrancy of her multicultural city.
Interview by Jennifer Krazit
Mayor Angela Birney outside Redmond City Hall (Photography by Shauna Bittle)
How did you come to live in Redmond?
I was born in Western Washington, but I grew up in the Tri-Cities, in Richland. I moved to Redmond because my husband worked at Microsoft, and I’ve been here for almost 28 years. I love the trees here and all the activities you can do. There’s walking, hiking, beautiful parks, and an enormous amount of culture. It’s a growing, dynamic region, and the influx of different cultures from around the world makes it really fun and interesting to be a part of.
Before joining the Redmond City Council in 2015, you were a middle school science teacher, then a stay-at-home mom. What prompted you to run for office?
I had been on the Redmond Parks and Trails Commission, and I had not really thought about running for office before a council seat opened up and someone approached me about running. At the time, the city council had seven members and only one was a woman. I was raising three daughters, and I thought it was really important to have representation and ensure that the council became more balanced over time.
You were elected mayor in 2019. Why run for mayor?
I could see the opportunities that Redmond had into the future. We were growing. Light rail was coming. We had this amazing thing in front of us, and Redmond was at an inflection point; there were still community members who were not interested in growth and wanted to stop things from changing. I saw the opportunity for what lay ahead, and I felt it was important for me to lead that vision of Redmond and keep us moving in that direction.
Mayor Angela Birney outside Redmond Town Center. (Photography by Shauna Bittle)
How did you get involved with AWC?
Like many people, I attended AWC’s Elected Officials Essentials Workshop when I was first elected to council. Then, as a city council member and mayor, I would go to Olympia for City Action Days, and I saw even more of the educational opportunities AWC provided.
You were elected to the AWC Board of Directors in 2025. What are your priorities as an AWC Board member?
I bring a strong sense of regionalism. I want to represent not just Redmond, but all of the cities in my district at the state level. I’m very interested in nonpartisan cooperation and ensuring that we, as a state, work together on common goals. Having lived in Eastern Washington and now in Western Washington, I know we have a lot of differences. But I think we have much more in common than not, and cities have an opportunity to work in a nonpartisan fashion and get things done for local communities. My goal is always to get us to a point where we find agreement and work for the betterment of cities throughout the state.
Mayor Birney in her City Hall office. (Photography by Shauna Bittle)
Redmond has two signature events—Derby Days in July and Redmond Lights in December. What does Derby Days bring to the city?
Derby Days is a two-day event that includes a craft fair, booths for community organizations and businesses, bike races at the velodrome in Marymoor Park, and the popular Kids Bike Parade. It ends with what was one of the first drone shows in the region. Because it’s not on the Fourth of July weekend, when most cities have something going on, it ends up drawing people from all over the region. The cycling element shows off how bike-friendly Redmond is. We have great bike trails and bike-friendly streets.
What’s special about Redmond Lights?
Redmond Lights starts in early December with a big kickoff featuring local performers and marching bands. We have light installations developed by regional artists on display in two of our parks through early January. The goal is just to celebrate winter. We’re a really multicultural city, so we have people celebrating different winter holidays. Even in the darkest months, Redmond Lights gives people a reason to get out, explore parts of the city, and enjoy some beautiful art.
Why do you think city-sponsored events like these are important?
They give cities a sense of vibrancy. If you look around the state, you could probably fill up your calendar with ways to explore different cities, get a little bit of their vibe, and see what kinds of cool things they offer. They give each city some personality and show the rest of the region or state the fun things they have going on and why they’re such a great city.
