Yelm councilor Kangiser completes AWC Municipal Leadership certification, honored at meeting

Yelm City Councilor Stephanie Kangiser has constantly displayed her commitment to going above and beyond for the city, and once again showed her dedication to the region by completing her Associated Washington Cities (AWC) Certificate of Municipal Leadership.

She was honored for this achievement during a Yelm City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 28. Mayor Joe DePinto led the celebration for Kangiser’s AWC Certification of Municipal Leadership, and spoke on the lengthy process that Kangiser had to fulfill in order to receive the honor. He noted it took the councilor over 30 hours of training to earn this distinction.

“She is only the second councilmember, third elected official in Yelm, to ever receive the distinction. Congratulations Stephanie,” DePinto said. “The AWC Certificate of Municipal Leadership Program recognizes city and town elected officials who are accomplishing training in five core areas: legal requirements, roles, responsibilities and ethics; budgeting and financial management; infrastructure and transportation land use; building safe, healthy and thriving communities; and effective leadership.”

DePinto added that Deanna Dawson, AWC CEO, wrote that being a city leader in Washington state is a “complex job.” Dawson noted, with the certification program, AWC is providing elected officials with “the knowledge to effectively operate within the law, plan for the future, secure and manage funds, foster strong relationships and work to build more equitable communities.”

Following the meeting, Kangiser told the Nisqually Valley News that she is “truly proud” to have accomplished this milestone.

The process has given me a deeper understanding of how our local government functions and the many moving parts involved in serving our community,” Kangiser said. “I am honored to have earned this Certificate of Municipal Leadership. This achievement reflects not only my commitment to fulfilling my responsibilities as a Councilor, but also my dedication to continued growth through education.”

According to Kangiser, in order to earn the certification, she completed a minimum of 30 credits across key areas like legal principals, land use, community development, budgeting and leadership.

“I have utilized trainings that have been made possible through AWC, Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC), and Jurassic Parliament,” Kangiser said. “I remain committed to ongoing learning so I can serve our community to the very best of my ability. Thank you for celebrating this milestone with me.”