Councilmember Nancy Navarro was unanimously elected today as the new Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) Corporate Board President, according to her office.
MWCOG is a nonprofit organization with a membership of over 300 elected officials from 24 local governments, Maryland and Virginia state legislatures, and U.S. Congress. The association connects local leadership across the Metropolitan Washington area with the primary goal of bettering the region.
The first Latina to serve on the Montgomery County Council, Navarro currently represents District 4. She was first elected to serve in MWCOG in 2014. In 2019 and 2020, Navarro was elected vice president of MWCOG for her leadership in passing a resolution calling upon the Montgomery County government to work towards updated housing targets introduced by MWCOG.
Navarro spearheaded two resolutions supporting MWCOG on new regional concepts. One of the resolutions passed endorsed Equity Emphasis Areas, a two-phase plan that identified areas of significant concentrations of low-income or minority populations, and accessibility of these areas to jobs, schools, and hospitals. The other resolution Navarro led endorsed High-Capacity Transit areas, which improves accessibility to public transportation, and identifies areas where small capital investments, like sidewalks, are needed.
In October 2021, Navarro was selected by the National Academy of Public Administration for the 2021 Class of Academy Fellows, an honor awarded to those with significant contributions to public administration and policy works.
“I am proud of the work we have done, and how MWCOG has helped the region weather many storms in the past, while more recently making significant strides in addressing the twin pandemics of racial equity and COVID-19,” Navarro said in a Twitter thread. She cited her works in economic development, racial equity and social justice, education, and municipal government.
It is an honor and a privilege to have been selected to serve as @MWCOG Corporate President for the coming year. I want to thank my fellow MWCOG members for their confidence and support, I accept this assignment with great humility and excitement. pic.twitter.com/GmKwYfglmY
— Nancy Navarro (@nancy_navarro) December 8, 2021
Navarro will serve as the MWCOG Board of Directors President for the 2022 Fiscal Year. She also announced in October she joined the Rushern Baker 2022 Democratic ticket for Maryland Governor, serving as the Lt. Governor candidate.
