Friends, colleagues and members, this is my last update for you all as WSEMA President and I wanted to take a moment to reiterate what I said from the podium at conference. I feel a deep sense of gratitude—for the trust placed in me, for the lessons learned, and most importantly, for the opportunity to serve this incredible association. Leadership is never about perfection, it’s about progress, purpose, and people. Over the past year, we’ve worked hard to raise standards and build something meaningful together. And while I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished, I know the journey of excellence is never finished.
As I transition out of this role with WSEMA, I want to share something that’s become deeply clear to me over the course of my term: The presidency isn’t about status. It’s not about the spotlight. It’s about service. True leadership isn’t driven by ego—it’s driven by purpose. It’s about showing up, not for recognition and being celebrated, but for the people we serve and making a difference. It’s about listening more than speaking and keeping the mission at the center of every decision. Lead with humility, be willing and committed to doing what needs to be done and staying grounded in the “why.” And always remember that the title means far less than the trust of the community you serve.
My encouragement to you is simple: never stop striving for excellence. Not perfection—but excellence. Keep raising the bar, not for recognition, but for the impact we can make when we aim higher, push further, and care deeply. Lead boldly, listen often, and trust your instincts. You don’t walk this path alone, you walk it with a community
Thank you all—and here’s to what’s next.
Alysha
WSEMA Updates
The WSEMA 2025 Conference was fantastic! It was great to see so many old friends and new faces. The presentations, videos and pictures will all be on the website in the next week or so. Here’s a link to the conference photo upload if you have any pictures you want to add. The conference photo upload will only be available until Sep 29th. Photos on this link will be available for viewing until of November.
Silent Auction and Challenge Coin Scholarship Fundraisers – We raised over $5000.00 with these 2 events! Your support will allow us to continue WSEMA’s efforts to develop future emergency managers.
We are beyond thrilled to announce that the WSEMA gained 8 new members during the conference. We are officially 308 members! This momentous occasion in WSEMA’s history represents an over 215% increase in members this year.
WSEMA Board Elections – Please welcome Nick Bacon, Asotin County as President-Elect and Katy Wolf, Cowlitz Tribe as Tribal Liaison to the WSEMA Executive Board! Will Lugo, City of SeaTac and Hannah Cleverly will be serving another term on board in their current roles. Congrats to Will & Hannah and Welcome Nick & Katy!!!!
Membership renewals reminder – Don’t forget to renew your membership. Your membership will expire on Sep 30th!