AWC Annual Conference
AWC’s Annual Conference is the premier training event for mayors, councilmembers, city managers and administrators, and other senior-level municipal staff in Washington state.
The conference agenda is designed to equip city officials with the tools they need to address complex issues back home, ranging from affordable housing strategies, public safety, and infrastructure funding, to AI at city hall, parliamentary procedure, youth engagement, collaborative leadership, and much more. City-focused sessions provide an opportunity for municipal officials to engage with statewide leaders, share ideas and successes among peers, and return home with innovative ideas and valuable contacts.
Dealine extended: Register by June 3 to save with early bird pricing!
Join us in Kennewick for AWC's Annual Conference!
Featured speakers
Kate O’Neill
Kate is a digital innovator, chief executive, business writer, and globally recognized speaker widely known as the “Tech Humanist.” She is the founder and CEO of KO Insights, a strategic advisory firm that enhances human experiences at scale through data-driven and AI-led interactions. Kate has worked with prestigious clients like Google, IBM, Microsoft, and the United Nations, and she was one of the first 100 employees at Netflix. Her groundbreaking insights have been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and WIRED, and she has shared her expertise on NPR and the BBC. Kate has been honored with numerous awards, including “Technology Entrepreneur of the Year” and a spot on Thinkers50’s list of the World’s Management Thinkers to Watch. With six influential books under her belt, including Tech Humanist and A Future So Bright, as well as her latest, released January 2025, What Matters Next.
Chris Mefford
Chris founded Community Attributes Inc. in Seattle in 2005 as a planning and economics consulting firm. CAI produces strategies, research, and data-driven technology tools for planning and economic development. The firm’s work is rooted in the Pacific Northwest, now with offices in Denver and Memphis. CAI works throughout Washington state, with growing experience nationwide. In addition to his work as an economist and strategic facilitator, Chris is highly lauded as an expert in quantitative communications. Chris holds an MBA. from the University of Washington; an MS in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Iowa; and a BA in Math and Economics from the University of Northern Iowa.
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.
Ann Macfarlane
Ann is a former diplomat and Russian translator who loves helping elected officials use Robert’s Rules of Order to manage the occasionally chaotic reality of local government meetings. She has been presenting at AWC for 18 years. Ann has trained thousands of elected officials in Washington state and across the nation. She is a Professional Registered Parliamentarian and, with Andrew Estep, is the author of Mastering Council Meetings: A Guidebook for Elected Officials and Local Governments.
What does Annual Conference offer?
Inspiring sessions
Dive into the basics, be inspired by new ideas, and learn how to innovate at city hall.
Valuable networking
Connect and collaborate with city colleagues from across the state.
AWC Annual Meeting
The AWC Annual Meeting brings together hundreds of city leaders to consider proposed resolutions and elect the AWC Board of Directors.
Certificate of Municipal Leadership credits
Elected officials earn 10 CML credits for attending Annual Conference.
Who should attend?
- City councilmembers, mayors, managers and administrators, and department heads
- State agency, nonprofit, and business personnel with a close working relationship to city decision-makers
Check out photos from the 2024 AWC Annual Conference!
Mark your calendar now for future AWC Annual Conference dates!
- June 23-26, 2026 – Spokane
In the event Annual Conference is cancelled, or any portion of the event is cancelled, we will make every attempt to notify you. However, AWC will not be held responsible for any travel or lodging costs related to such cancellation.
Questions?
For questions about the conference, please contact registration@awcnet.org.
Registration or cancellation questions and special accommodations
registration@awcnet.org
Please contact us at least seven business days prior to the workshop if any disability accommodations are needed. For TDD users, please use the state’s toll-free relay service, (800) 833-6388, and ask the operator to dial the AWC number.
Conference and event code of conduct
AWC events are intended to provide a productive and safe environment for learning and networking for attendees and other participants.
AWC is committed to creating an inclusive environment that is free from discrimination or harassment, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, transgender status, age, disability, veteran or marital status, or any other protected categories under applicable law. All participants must agree to and abide by the policies outlined in this code of conduct. This includes registered attendees, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, staff, and vendors.
Please carefully review our full event code of conduct.