Now Accepting Applications for the 2024 Western Governors’ Leadership Institute
The Western Governors’ Foundation (WGF), the philanthropic arm of the Western Governors’ Association (WGA), is proud to announce the launch of the 2024 Western Governors’ Leadership Institute. This program is designed to recognize, reward, and promote the effective exercise of leadership by young adults across the West.
This year’s 2024 WGLI Leadership Forum will be held in Tahoe, California, on June 9, 2024. Delegates will also attend the Annual Meeting of the Western Governors’ Association as guests of the foundation on June 10-12, 2024.
Every year the foundation selects young adults to represent their states, territories, and tribes as institute delegates. Delegates attend the Annual Meeting of the Western Governors’ Association, as well as a one-day leadership development forum featuring Governors and other national thought leaders. The foundation covers all expenses associated with delegate participation.
Applicants for the institute must be between the ages of 21 and 26 years old on June 9, 2023. They must also be permanent residents of western states or territories whose Governor is an active member of WGA:
Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming
To request an application, email athielen@westgov.org.
“I truly believe that in 25 years from now, we will be talking about the hundreds of Western Governors’ Leadership Institute alumni who will be leading the region.”
-- Hon. David Ige, Chair of the Western Governors’ Foundation and former Governor of Hawai’i
"The moment that stood out to me most was getting to talk to former Governor Matt Mead. It was definitely a little intimidating because I had never met a current or former Governor before, but he was just so friendly and down to earth and talkative and just so excited that I was here.”
-- Grant Dillivan, 2023 Delegate from Wyoming
Hear from previous year’s delegates and learn more about the program by listening to WGA’s “Out West” podcast, or by watching these short videos.
View last year's Leadership Forum agenda here.
For questions or for more information about the program, see the 2024 informational flyer, or email athielen@westgov.org.
For sponsorship and partnership opportunities, contact Jim Ogsbury at jogsbury@westgov.org.
Please direct any questions or inquiries about the Western Governors’ Leadership Institute to Anna Thielen at athielen@westgov.org or 720.897.4539
To learn more about partnership opportunities, and to financially support the Western Governors’ Leadership Institute, please contact Sarah Olsen at solsen@westgov.org or 720.897.4540.
The Western Governors’ Association represents the Governors of the 22 westernmost states and territories. The Association is an instrument for bipartisan policy development, information exchange and collective action on issues of critical importance to the Western United States. The Western Governors’ Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Association. Guided by a bipartisan board of directors, the Foundation pursues charitable causes to promote the well-being of Western residents.
