City of Shelton Mayor Sharon Schirman recently earned a Certificate of Municipal Leadership from the Association of Washington Cities (AWC).
AWC’s Certificate of Municipal Leadership program recognizes city and town elected officials for accomplishing training in five core areas:
- Legal requirements, roles and responsibilities, and ethics
- Budgeting and financial management
- Infrastructure, transportation, and land use
- Building safe, healthy, and thriving communities
- Effective local leadership
“Being a city leader in Washington is a complex job,” said AWC CEO Deanna Dawson. “Through our CML program we are providing our elected officials with the knowledge they need to effectively operate within the law, plan for the future, secure and manage funds, foster strong relationships, and work to build more equitable communities.”
Schirman completed more than 30 hours of training to earn this distinction.
“Lifelong learning is essential to serving our community well,” said Schirman. “Every class and conversation has deepened my understanding of how we can strengthen Shelton together.”
Mayor Schirman was first elected to the City Council in November 2021 and began serving as Mayor in January 2026. She serves on several local boards and committees, including the Mason County Criminal Justice Working Team, Mason County Board of Health, the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, and the Shelton Metropolitan Park District Board. Schirman is also a small business owner in downtown Shelton.
AWC serves its members through advocacy, education, and services. Founded in 1933, AWC is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan corporation that represents Washington’s 281 cities and towns before the state legislature, the state executive branch, and with regulatory agencies. AWC also provides training, data and publications, and programs such as the AWC Employee Benefit Trust, AWC Risk Management Service Agency, AWC Workers’ Comp Retro, AWC Drug and Alcohol Consortium, and AWC GIS Consortium.