The Council of State Governments benefits from the experience and expertise of state leaders who serve as national officers. Their leadership enriches the work of CSG in many ways: they serve on boards and committees; advise on business and policy priorities; help plan conferences and events; and build relationships in their home states. More importantly, the leadership of national officers reinforces the CSG mission of serving the states as a member-led organization — an extension of the states, responding to the needs of state officials.
National officers include the national president, national chair, national chair-elect, national vice chair and immediate past national chair. Many of their general responsibilities overlap, including ensuring CSG operates in accordance with its Articles of Organization and adheres to the highest ethical standards; reaching potential partners and sponsors; serving as ambassadors for CSG with other state officials; recruiting talented individuals to participate as leaders of CSG and in the Henry Toll Fellowship; and providing leadership and direction to the organization.
National officer responsibilities are many and varied, but include:
The national president presides over the CSG Governing Board, attends meetings of the CSG Executive Committee and Leadership Council and helps develop public policy and business priorities.
The national chair presides over CSG Executive Committee and Leadership Council meetings; appoints members to serve on CSG committees; reports on committee progress to the Executive Committee and Leadership Council; and works closely with the executive director, general counsel and chief financial officer to be accountable for multiple areas of oversight.
The national chair-elect serves as chair and presiding officer of the CSG 21st Century Foundation and the CSG Associates Advisory Committee.
The national vice chair serves on the CSG Executive Committee, CSG Leadership Council and the CSG 21st Century Foundation and presides over meetings of the Executive Committee and Leadership Council in the absence of the national chair.
The immediate past national chair supports other CSG leaders and members in the fulfillment of their responsibilities. The immediate past national chair provides, with cooperation from the national chair-elect, leadership and direction to the Associates Advisory Committee as vice chair.
Nominees for national offices are drawn from the ranks of regional leadership. The division of responsibilities rotates annually, with this current configuration: National Chair – CSG West; National Chair-Elect – CSG South; National Vice Chair – CSG East; and Immediate Past National Chair – CSG Midwest. The appropriate region designates a qualified nominee from its member jurisdiction, and the designated nominee is then nominated by the CSG Leadership Council to the CSG Executive Committee.
HAWAII GOV. DAVID IGE | 2022 National President
Ige served in the Hawaii House of Representatives from 1985-1993 and Senate from 1994-2014. Elected governor in 2014 and re-elected in 2018, Ige is the first U.S. governor of Okinawan descent. Ige’s priorities have included increasing the availability of affordable housing and reducing the number of people experiencing homelessness, and he is working toward Hawaii’s 100%
renewable energy goal.
WASHINGTON SEN. SAM HUNT | 2022 National Chair
Hunt was elected to the Washington Senate in 2016 after serving 16 years in the state House of Representatives. He is chair of the State Government & Elections Committee and is a member of the Ways & Means and Early Learning & K-12 Education committees. He was the 2017 chair of CSG West,
a 2005 Toll Fellow and a 2002 graduate of the CSG Western Leadership Academy.
NORTH CAROLINA REP. JULIA HOWARD | 2022 National Chair-Elect
Howard was first elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 1988 and is currently in her 17th term. She serves as vice chair of the House Banking Committee. Howard was chair of the Southern Legislative Conference from 2007-08 and a 2008 Henry Toll Fellow.
CONNECTICUT REP. KEVIN RYAN | 2022 National Vice Chair
Ryan is a deputy speaker and currently serving his 13th term in the General Assembly. He is a member of the Appropriations, Environment and Public Safety committees. He was a 2008 Henry Toll Fellow and a 2009 graduate of the CSG Eastern Leadership Academy.
WISCONSIN SEN. JOAN BALLWEG | 2022 Immediate Past National Chair
Ballweg was elected to the Wisconsin Senate in 2020 after serving in the state House of Representatives since 2004. She serves as chair of the Committee on Agriculture & Tourism and vice chair of the Committee on Human Services, Children & Families. She was the 2016 chair of the Midwestern Legislative Conference and a 2007 Fellow of the Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development. She formerly served on the Markesan City Council and as mayor of the city for six years. During her time as CSG National Chair, Ballweg led an organization-wide strategic planning initiative.