For decades, the number of women in city manager and administrator roles has remained flat at a national level, hovering at around 13%. The Northwest Women’s Leadership Academy (NWWLA), sponsored by the Washington City/County Management Association, was created to improve on this mark in Washington state.
Since launching its first cohort in 2017, the NWWLA has trained 168 individuals in the core skills necessary to move into local government leadership roles, while also providing them with a network of peers and mentors to expand their professional connections. Thirty-six more participants are currently enrolled and will graduate in Spring 2025.
Last summer, the NWWLA conducted a study in conjunction with the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington to evaluate the success of the program. At a recent forum hosted by AWC, NWWLA leaders shared what they’ve learned from surveying Academy graduates, outlined how they plan to continue to improve the program, and led a discussion on what’s needed to increase gender parity in senior leadership.
The study’s findings show that participants in the six-month program grew their professional networks and improved upon their skills and confidence. More than half received promotions, and one-third reported increased salaries since their graduation from the program.
The Academy is currently offered mostly online, making it broadly accessible, but many potential participants don’t yet know about the program.
Key findings and discussion points shared during the Expanding opportunity for women in city leadership online forum include:
Build your network. Networking is one of the strongest benefits of NWWLA participation. 86% of survey respondents saw their professional network grow. Many survey respondents also shared positive outcomes from gaining a mentor or expressed satisfaction with mentoring others.
Spread the word. Most graduates learned about the Academy via word of mouth, with supervisors or program alumni being the most common sources. Personal or professional connections were very influential in encouraging applications to the program.
Culture matters. Forum participants noted the importance of building a workplace culture that encourages people to lead and treats all people with the same respect. When a workplace culture directs people to “stay in your lane,” individuals don’t have the opportunity to learn new skills or prove the ones they already possess.
The work is paying off. Many of the graduates surveyed were motivated to join the program to gain leadership skills for a management position, and 82% of graduates reported that the NWWLA has helped them achieve personal or career goals.
Building on the success of the Academy. Priority recommendations from the Evans/NWWLA study include systematically creating mentor/mentee pairings and hosting lunch and learn events to expand the circle and extend the learning. Both of these recommendations are being put into action by NWWLA. Additional recommendations involve exploring a paid alumni membership, constructing diverse small groups, hosting alumni engagement events, and creating a more robust website.
Learn more about the Academy or contact the leadership team on the NWWLA website. View the forum presentations:
Special thanks to our presenters: Stephanie Lucash, Deputy City Manager, Kenmore; and, Julie Underwood, Deputy City Manager of Operations, Kirkland.