Legislative Committee
As the National Special Districts Coalition has focused on federal legislative advocacy, the Legislative Committee has become the centerpiece of NSDC programming. The Committee's virtual monthly meetings offers NSDC Members direct monthly engagement with NSDC's Advocacy Team and a voice in the direction of the Coalition's policy engagement.
NSDC Regular Members are eligible for Legislative Committee membership with the ability to cast one vote on Committee activities.
Each regular NSDC Legislative Committee meeting consists of the latest news out of Washington and developments on policies of special districts’ interest and interface with the NSDC Legislative Team. During Legislative Committee meetings, members may consider positions on federal legisation and authorize adovacy action on topics of concern for special districts.
All NSDC Members are welcome to attend Legislative Committee meetings, request items for consideration, and participate in Committee discourse.
NSDC Members may access full Legislative Committee information including Committee documents, agendas, by logging into the NSDC Portal.
NSDC Legislative Committee Members and Representatives
Primary Legislative Committee Members are expected to participate in legislative discussion and represent the seated association with one vote.
- California – Neil McCormick, CEO, California Special Districts Association
- Colorado – [Chair] Ann Terry, Executive Director, Special Districts Association of Colorado
- Florida – David Ramba, Executive Director, Florida Association of Special Districts
- Oregon - [Vice-Chair] Frank Stratton, Executive Director, Special Districts Association of Oregon
- South Carolina – Amber Barnes, Vice President of Government Affairs, South Carolina Association of Special Purpose Districts
- Utah – LeGrand Bitter, Executive Director, Utah Association of Special Districts
- Wyoming – Craig Haslam, President, Wyoming Association of Special Districts
Secondary Legislative Committee Members are encouraged to participate in legislative discussion and represent the seated association in the event the Primary Committee Member is absent.
- California – Kyle Packham, Advocacy and Public Affairs Director, California Special Districts Association
- Colorado – Michael Valdez, Director of Policy, Special Districts Association of Colorado
- Florida – Chief Jim Millican, President, Florida Association of Special Districts
- Oregon – Jennifer Quisenberry, Director of Member Services, Special Districts Association of Oregon
- South Carolina – Chief Charles P. Jolley, South Carolina Association of Special Purpose Districts
- Utah – Heather Anderson, Director of Government Relations, Utah Association of Special Districts
- Wyoming – Lindsey Woodward, Secretary, Wyoming Association of Special Districts
Policy Advisory Groups
NSDC's Policy Advisory Groups faciliate partipation from different types of special districts in the national Coalition, afford more opportunities for grassroots engagement in Coalition advocacy and across the country, and strengthen the special districts advocacy network.
Each group is comprised of NSDC Regular and Associate Member-appointed special district leaders. Advisory groups act as forums throughout the year for special district leaders to provide perspective on current events and policies impacting their type of special districts' ability to robustly fulfill their responsbility and mission in their communities. Further, group members share during meetings the latest legislative and policy trends in their states, discuss pertinent industry trends, and share expereinced-based best practices. Policy advisory groups also play a significant role in the Coalition's biennial review and revisision of its Federal Advocacy Platform.
The NSDC Legislative Committee first authorized policy advisory groups in late 2022 for park/recreation and health/healthcare districts to provide input on revisions to NSDC’s Federal Advocacy Platform. These groups' success led to the establishment of the NSDC Policy Advisory Group program. In 2023, the policy advisory group program was expanded to provide forums additional special district stakeholder and experts. Information on each active advisory group and their membership is listed below. Additional policy groups will continue to be established in the time ahead.
Click here for the Advisory Group Memo
Members
- California – Ida Chan; Chief Executive Officer, Soledad Community Healthcare District
- California – Jon Cowan; Senior Director, Government Affairs and Community Partnerships, El Camino Healthcare District
- California – Christian Wallis; Chief Executive Officer, Grossmont Healthcare District
- Colorado – Jodi Docheff; Board Member, Kremmling Memorial Hospital District
- Oregon – Charlie Tviet; Chief Executive Officer, Lake Health District
- Washington – Matt Ellsworth; Executive Directorm Association of Washington Public Hospital Districts
- Washington – Phil Hardy; President, Collective Strategies & Communications
Click here to read the Advisory Group background memo.
Members
- California - Dmitry Semenov; Ridgeline Strategies
- Oregon - David Ulbricht; Director, Special Districts Association of Oregon Advisory Services
Click here to read the Advisory Group memo.
Members
- California - Jeanette Contreras; Library Director, Placentia Library District
- California - Jennifer Addington; District Director, Palos Verdes Library District
- Colorado - Polly Gallagher; Executive Director, Grand County Library District
- Colorado - Sharon Morris; Colorado State Librarian
- Oregon - MaryKay Dahlgreen; Retired Director; Lincoln County Library District
- Texas - Erica Richardson; District Manager, Benbrook Library District
- Texas - Michael Hardrick; District Manager, Forest Hills Library District
- Associate - Timothy Cherubini; EveryLibrary Institute
Click here to view the Advisory Group memo.
Members
- California - Ryan Clausnitzer; General Manager, Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District
- California - Peter Bonkrude; General Manager, Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District
- Florida - Dr. Lee Hoel; Executive Director, Lee County Mosqutio Control District
Click here to view the Advisory Group memo.
Members
- California - Stephanie Thisius-Sanders; Director of Planning and Construction, North of the River Recreation and Park District
- California - Emily Ballus; General Manager, Fulton-El Camino Recreation and Park District
- Colorado - Scott Ledin; Executive Director, Fraser Valley Metropolitan Recreation District
- Colorado - Yvonne Fischbach; Executive Director, Hyland Hills Park and Recreation District
- Oregon - Aisha Panas; Park Services Director, Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District
- Oregon - Skyler Archibald; Director, Sunset Empire Park & Recreation District
- Oregon - Don Horton; Executive Director, Bend Park & Recreation District
- Utah - Ben Hill; Executive Director, Cottonwood Heights Parks and Recreation District
- Wyoming - Lori Ibarra; Administrator, Tri-Cities Parks and Recreation District