Rutter, Schwab complete leadership training for elected officials

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, August 20, 2025

Sequim City Council member Harmony Rutter and Port Angeles City Council member Drew Schwab have completed the Washington Collaborative Elected Leaders Institute (WA-CELI).

The program is an immersive training program that equips city elected officials with the leadership skills to tackle real-world challenges collaboratively. Under the guidance of expert facilitators, teams learn to practice a broad range of strategies to engage with differing viewpoints and build consensus.

In addition to the training, participants have the opportunity to learn about challenges facing other communities and to build meaningful connections with peers from across the state.

“Participating in WA-CELI transformed how I approach leadership by sharpening my listening and collaboration skills and teaching me better ways to see beyond differences to focus on shared goals. It also allowed me to connect with council members from across the state to share knowledge and experiences,” Schwab said.

Rutter stated: “The WA-CELI program was an amazing opportunity to study public process and engagement in an academic setting. By looking at case studies and learning about best practices, one finds that by focusing on human connection and finding common ground, we can build a community that can explore issues together. The opportunity to connect with other Elected Officials across the State of Washington was an invaluable opportunity to build relationships and represent the Olympic Peninsula.”

Rutter and Schwab participated in the inaugural cohort of WA-CELI, which began in July 2024 and was completed in June 2025. Participants in the program continue to meet monthly.

The WA-CELI program is offered by the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) and the AWC Center for Quality Communities, in partnership with the William D. Ruckelshaus Center (a joint effort of Washington State University and the University of Washington) and the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy & Governance.