Recruitment Information 

Members of the 2025-26 NWWLA class will benefit from an outstanding program that is designed to: 

• Engender confidence in each individual participant to move forward with their local government leadership career including the CEO position. 

• Create an environment that supports cohort bonding and a long-lasting support network among female local government leaders across Washington State and the region. 

• Match small groups of participants with a leader who will mentor and support their group through their cohort experience. 

• Teach tangible skills in each session that will lead to an increase in self-assurance, knowledge, and ability. 

• Connect each participant with resources and supports to grow in their career during their cohort year and after leaving the Academy. 

• Provide an opportunity to develop and pitch a conference session and, if selected, be part of a group presentation at an upcoming WCMA conference. 

Topics may include the following (subject to change):  

• Topic 1: Know Thy Self 

• Topic 2: Know Your Community 

• Topic 3: Know Your Money 

• Topic 4: Breakdown of Barriers 

• Topic 5: Build Confidence 

• Topic 6: Get THE Job 

• Final Session: Graduation  

 
Each topic consists of three days – learning, application, and small group facilitated discussion. 

Session 1: Kick-Off Overnight Retreat will be held in person October 2025 (more details to come), Debrief: November 2025

Session 2: November

Session 3: December

Session 4: January

Session 5: January

Session 6:  February

Graduation:  In person, March 2026

Virtual Sessions will be scheduled every Friday, October to March, from 8:30 AM-12:00 PM 

No sessions scheduled for weeks of Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. 

Cohort members should place a hold on all Friday mornings from the start to the end of the course. Our schedule may change slightly due to availability of speakers. If this occurs, we will update our schedule as soon as possible.    

Session dates are subject to change with as much notice as possible.  Members are asked to hold every Friday morning for a four hours between 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM w/ some exceptions which are noted below:

● Thanksgiving holiday, no class (Holiday break)

● Winter holiday, no class (Holiday break)

● January, HOLD for flex in schedule

Apply through a portal during our recruitment period.  Raftelis, a consulting company that specializes in supporting local governments with recruitments, strategic planning and other services, continues to support the NWWLA by providing access to their recruiting platform. Candidates will need to apply on the platform to be considered. The application asks for current contact and position information, education level, some demographic information, and four short—300 characters or less—essay questions. The essays touch on your interest in the NWWLA, where you envision your career in the future, and about the biggest professional challenges you face.  

This Selection Committee, is comprised of women leaders from various cities, will be looking to select a cohort that is racially and geographically diverse, with representation from public agencies across Washington state, and whose members work in a wide variety of positions and disciplines. The committee will be looking for women who are both early- and mid-career, who work in large as well as small jurisdictions, who support other women and their growth, and who demonstrate a strong commitment to public service. Non-binary applicants are also welcome to apply.    

As a part of the application process, you will be asked to film a 30-second elevator speech using the Raftelis software. The software provides opportunities to practice before you submit your final version. You will receive an email containing the video questionnaire after submitting your online application materials and will need to record and submit your video during the recruitment window which will be between April and May. Do not wait until the last minute to submit your video! Late submissions will receive an automatic point deduction in the scoring, and every point counts in this competitive process.    

The selection process will be completed by the end of June and admitted applicants will be expected to make a commitment to participating in the program by the end of July. In order to graduate in March 2026 with their class, the NWWLA expects all cohort participants to fulfill their commitment to attend all sessions and participate fully in the experience.  

The cost of participation in the Academy is $1,200 and a limited number of partial and full scholarships are available for applicants whose agencies are unable to cover the cost of the training.  Applicants are asked to indicate their possible need for a scholarship when they submit their application. 

The competitive application process will open in April 2026 and completed applications are May 2026. The official recruitment dates will be announced by February 2026. Stay tuned for updates!