Our profession is a calling and our impact is felt in the communities we serve. Sometimes overlooked is the powerful opportunity to make a difference through service on the board of your ICMA affiliate organization.

Serving as president of the Washington City/County Management Association (WCMA), our ICMA affiliate in Washington State, was one of the most impactful roles in my career. I was elected to the board of directors on a platform of increasing the number of women and people of color in our association and am very proud of the board’s work over the last few years. I hope some of these ideas might be replicated in other affiliate organizations in the United States and around the globe. Here are some key ingredients to our success:

Build a Board of Visionary Doers

Just like on our leadership teams, it’s essential to assemble a board of doers who share the vision and are willing to do the work. This doesn’t happen by chance; my fellow board members and I recruited talented city and county leaders from across Washington into board service. Our efforts to recruit female leaders to run for board seats led to the WCMA board being majority female for the first time since 1960. I was the sixth female president in the association’s history; the seventh and eighth female presidents will follow me over the next two years.

Clearly Articulate Your Goals

The WCMA had challenges: membership was stagnant post-COVID, there were minimal reserves, and membership dues hadn’t been adjusted in 14 years. I formed and led a financial sustainability committee that pioneered membership packages to incentivize adding associate members. The year of our rollout, we hit record membership levels beyond anyone’s memory. Membership was 145% over the previous year. The board approved higher dues and future increases to account for inflation. We also added sponsorship levels and set (and met) bold sponsorship goals. All of these efforts helped build what is now a robust association reserve.

Mentor the Next Generation of Leaders

My mantra as WCMA President was a question— who are you mentoring? —and that year we launched a WCMA mentorship program to grow our profession into the future. The WCMA continued to support the Northwest Women’s Leadership Academy (NWWLA), which is developing the next generation of female and nonbinary leaders statewide with its seventh cohort this year. I am on the NWWLA board and serve as recruitment and selection committee chair.

Support Bold and Innovative Ideas and Seize Strategic Opportunities

During my presidency year, the board worked with a vendor to conduct the first-ever Census of the Profession in Washington State to better understand the local government management profession in our state. The census collected information that was collated into a report, establishing a baseline for future analysis.

In partnership with the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, the WCMA launched a new Building Resilient Local Governments Certificate Program for local government professionals.

The Importance and Impact of Board Service

In September 2024, we became the first state association to sign a pioneering affiliate agreement with the International Network of Asian Pacific Islander Public Administrators. We are implementing that important work now.

A Final Note: Consider Running for a Board Seat!

Board work has kept me busy on many evenings and weekends, but it is worth it. I’m grateful for the opportunity to make a statewide impact and for the incredible leaders in my expanded network. When elections come up for your local ICMA affiliate organization, I encourage you to consider running for a board seat. You won’t regret it!

STEPHANIE LUCASH is the deputy city manager for Kenmore, Washington, USA, and is the past president of the Washington City/County Management Association. (slucash@kenmorewa.gov)