The Tempe City Council is showcasing a robust commitment to national advocacy and leadership, with every member engaging in at least one National League of Cities (NLC) committee. Their roles span a vast array of initiatives aimed to directly advocate for local interests at the federal level. The impressive list includes engagements in committees from community development to technology and infrastructure.
Vice Mayor Doreen Garlid marks a significant milestone as the first Native American to be elected as Second Vice President of the NLC. "I am deeply honored to serve as Second Vice President, and to be the first Native American to hold this role in the 101 years of NLC’s history," Garlid told Tempe's newsletter. Her portfolio comprises critical issues including community and economic development, environmental concerns, and public safety.
Garlid also champions Indigenous leadership through the Local Indigenous Leaders (LIL) constituency group and supports the advancement of women in municipal governance through the Women in Municipal Government (WIMG). Mayor Corey Woods co-chairs the Housing Supply Accelerator, a joint effort with the American Planning Association (APA), and plays a strategic role in the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (NBC-LEO).
Continuing the council's proactive engagement, Councilmember Jennifer Adams presides over the LGBTQ+ Local Officials Constituency Group, focusing on the challenges and policy debates surrounding sexual orientation and the pandemic's uneven impact on the LGBTQ+ community. In a significant effort to never split interruptions to their advocacy work, Adams is also a key participant in the Transportation and Infrastructure Services (TIS) Federal Advocacy Committee and WIMG.
Carrying similar levels of influence, Councilmember Nikki Amberg serves on the Community and Economic Development Federal Advocacy Committee and Councilmember Arlene Chin holds a vice-chair position on the University Communities Council, in addition to their collective work on environmental and policy development issues.
Councilmember Berdetta Hodge tackles social policy as the Vice Chair of the Human Development Federal Advocacy Committee and provides leadership within NBC-LEO. She also brings attention to youth and families as part of the Council on Youth, Education and Families.
Lastly, Councilmember Randy Keating advocates for military and veteran community interests via the Military Communities Council (MCC) and addresses essential tech policies on the Information Technology and Communications Federal Advocacy Committee, ensuring that pressing matters such as broadband access and cybersecurity are on the national agenda.
