Washington, DC – The National League of Cities (NLC) elected Mayor-Elect David Sander of Rancho Cordova, California as its new president. He stepped into his new role at NLC’s 2023 City Summit held this week in Atlanta, Georgia. Sander will serve a one-year term with a special focus on city efforts in driving innovation, as NLC recognizes its 100th anniversary over 2024. The organization kicked off its year-long celebration of its centennial on Saturday.
“I am honored to be elected President of the National League of Cities at such an important time in our organization’s history,” said NLC President David Sander, Mayor-Elect of Rancho Cordova, California. “As long as they’ve existed, the laboratories of democracy that we call cities, towns and villages have been essential in building partnerships and driving innovation in our country. I look forward to working closely with the incredible group of local leaders that make up our Board of Directors and our NLC membership as we envision what’s possible for our communities over the next 100 years.”
Sander has served in the roles of mayor, vice mayor and city councilmember on a rotating basis since the founding of the City of Rancho Cordova in 2003. He has been deeply involved in community engagement efforts in his city and has been recognized for his service with several awards – including being named to the National Academy of Public Administration in 2012, being recognized as the Sacramento Region’s Elected Official of the Year in 2006, and being named Volunteer of the Year by both the Rancho Cordova Chamber of Commerce and the Cordova Community Council in 2002. He is also formally trained as a virologist and is the Principal and Founder of Sander and Associates, a scientific consulting firm.
In addition to Mayor-Elect Sander, Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome of Baton Rouge, Louisiana was elected to serve as First Vice President, and Mayor Steve Patterson of Athens, Ohio was elected Second Vice President.
Along with officers, NLC members also elected new members to its Board of Directors and appointed chairs for its Federal Advocacy Committees.
The following individuals were appointed to the NLC Board of Directors for a two-year term:
- Andreas Addison, Councilmember, Richmond, Virginia
- Aaron Banks, Council President, Jackson, Mississippi
- Michael Blake, Mayor, Cocoa, Florida
- Nathaniel Booker, Mayor, Maywood, Illinois
- Travis Bruton, Councilmember, Glenn Heights, Texas
- Cindy Dyballa, Councilmember, Takoma Park, Maryland
- Doreen Garlid, Councilmember, Tempe, Arizona
- Christina Hobbs, Mayor Pro Tem, Union City, Georgia
- Emmett Jordan, Mayor, Greenbelt, Maryland
- Jodi Miller, Mayor, Freeport, Illinois
- Denise Mitchell, Mayor Pro Tem, College Park, Maryland
- Bianca Motley Broom, Mayor, College Park, Georgia
- Darrell O’Quinn, Councilmember, Birmingham, Alabama
- Jaime Patiño, Councilmember, Union City, California
- Emmanuel Remy, Councilmember, Columbus, Ohio
- Christopher Roberts, Councilmember, Shoreline, Washington
- Chalice Savage, Councilmember, Cottage Grove, Oregon
- Mark Shepherd, Mayor, Clearfield, Utah
- Joshua Simmons, Commissioner, Coral Springs, Florida
- Doug Sprouse, Mayor, Springdale, Arkansas
- Ty Stober, Mayor Pro Tem, Vancouver, Washington
- Brian Traugott, Mayor, Versailles, Kentucky
- Ashley Vanorny, Councilmember, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- Laura Weinberg, Mayor, Golden, Colorado
- Jeff Weisensel, Mayor, Rosemont, Minnesota
- Janice Zahn, Councilmember, Bellevue, Washington
The following individuals were appointed to serve a one-year term on the NLC Board of Directors:
- Gyna Bivens, Mayor Pro Tem, Fort Worth, Texas
The following State Municipal League Executive Directors were appointed to the NLC Board of Directors:
- Tom Belshe, Executive Director, League of Arizona Cities and Towns
- Ted Brady, Executive Director, Vermont League of Cities and Towns
- Michelle Gowdy, Executive Director, Virginia Municipal League
- Kelly Lynch, Executive Director, Montana League of Cities and Towns
NLC also appointed chairs of its seven policy committees for a one-year term. The new Federal Advocacy Committee chairs are:
- Kristopher Dahir, Councilmember, Sparks, Nevada — Community and Economic Development
- Mark Freeman, Councilmember, Mesa, Arizona — Public Safety and Crime Prevention
- Ruth Grendahl, Councilmember, Apple Valley, Minnesota — Energy, Environment and Natural Resources
- Blaine Griffin, Council President, Cleveland, Ohio, — Finance, Administration and Intergovernmental Relations
- Dan Kealey, Councilmember, Burnsville, Minnesota — Transportation and Infrastructure Services
- Kevin Kramer, Councilmember, Louisville, Kentucky — Information Technology and Communications
- Adriana Rocha Garcia, Councilmember, San Antonio, Texas — Human Development
Finally, NLC also elected 2024 leadership for its six constituency groups. The 2023-2024 officers for each constituency group are:
Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials (APAMO)
- President: Frank Aurelio Yokoyama, Councilmember, Cerritos, California
- Vice President: Mario Benavente, Councilmember, Fayetteville, North Carolina
Hispanic Elected Local Officials (HELO)
- President: Yolanda Trout-Manuel, Councilmember, Auburn, Washington
- First Vice President: Jaime Patiño, Vice Mayor, Union City, California
- Second Vice President: Adam Bazaldua, Councilmember, Dallas, Texas
LGBTQ+ Local Officials (LGBTQ+LO)
- President: Victor Aguilar, Jr., Councilmember, San Leandro, California
- First Vice President: Ty Stober, Mayor Pro Tem, Vancouver, Washington
- Second Vice President: Jennifer Adams, Vice Mayor, Tempe, Arizona
National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (NBC-LEO)
- President: Denise Mitchell, Mayor Pro Tem, College Park, Maryland
- Second Vice President: Nathaniel George Booker, Mayor, Maywood, Illinois
Women in Municipal Government (WIMG)
- President: Yvette Colbourne, Commissioner, Miramar, Florida
- First Vice President: Adriana Rocha Garcia, Councilmember, San Antonio, Texas
- Second Vice President: Lisa Ford, Councilor, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Local Indigenous Leaders (LIL)
- Leadership Circle Liaison: Chris Roberts, Councilmember, Shoreline, Washington
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The National League of Cities (NLC) is the voice of America’s cities, towns and villages, representing more than 200 million people across the country. NLC works to strengthen local leadership, influence federal policy and drive innovative solutions. Stay connected with NLC on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.