Growing our network of progressive leaders in Washington

In partnership with Local Progress, Sage Leaders launched a dual-track Progressive Governance Lab (PGL) and Local Elected Leadership Institute (LELI) for Washington, which brought together local elected officials from across the state to strengthen shared values, develop governing skills, and deepen an organizing-centered approach to leadership.

From January through June, participants engaged in the six-month Progressive Governance Lab, which included twice-monthly sessions and an in-depth, two-day Progressive Governance Academy. The curriculum emphasized collaborative and inclusive governance, power mapping, coalition building, budgeting, policy development, media engagement, housing and land use, climate justice, public safety, and economic development. Sage Leaders and Local Progress facilitated five core sessions. After graduation, the cohort of elected leaders continued to receive six months of confidential peer support, mentorship, and real-time policy troubleshooting rooted in lived experience and accountability.

Through this combined model we strengthened a statewide network of values-aligned local leaders, connected Washington elected officials to national Local Progress cohorts, and helped advance a shared regional framework for collaborative governance and justice-centered leadership across the state. We look forward to welcoming the next cohort of elected leaders in January 2026!