Among its efforts to keep the state’s economy strong, the Association of Washington Business (AWB) works with elected officials, policymakers, and business leaders to ensure Washingtonians have access to educational programs tailored to key, workforce needs.
And leading those efforts: Amy Anderson, a Director of Government Affairs for the AWB and the latest inductee into WGU Washington’s Sage Society.
The university welcomed Amy into its Sage Society during the recent Community of Scholars event in downtown Olympia. Like a hall of fame, the Sage Society honors and celebrates individuals committed to high-quality education and the pursuit of learning opportunities for others – and Amy is certainly a worthy inductee.
“Our state’s economy is among the most advanced and diverse in the nation, providing incredible opportunity for Washington workers,” said Dr. Tonya Drake, Chancellor at WGU Washington.
“Amy is a leader in that area, working hard to align visions and guide decisions that smooth the pathway for students to great, in-demand jobs across the state. Her achievements exemplify the spirit of WGU Washington’s Sage Society, and I’m delighted the university has honored her in this way.”
As a Government Affairs Director, Amy’s areas of expertise include education and workforce development. She fosters collaboration between lawmakers, postsecondary institutions and local businesses. Her efforts have led to the establishment of internships and job shadowing opportunities for students, externships for instructors, and procurement of state-of-the art training equipment for schools.
Anderson has served as Director of the AWB Institute, a nonprofit organization pursuing, among other objectives, high-quality, job-skills training and career-advancement opportunities for Washington workers. From 2015-2018, she led Leadership Washington, the state’s premier, nine-month development program for emerging leaders across many, important industries.
Prior to joining the AWB, Anderson spent seven years heading the policy and workforce efforts at Greater Spokane Incorporated. While there, she developed the Career Awareness Program, an initiative creating understanding of career and training opportunities in the Inland Northwest. It is regarded nationally as a model for expanding on-the-job learning and collaboration between education and industry.
