National Convening Program Books 2014 YEO National Convening Program Book | Page 75

Jason West

Kelly Westlund

City Council Member
Ashland, Wisconsin
Kelly Westlund serves on the Ashland, Wisconsin City Council. She settled
in northern Wisconsin after earning a degree from Northland College in
Ashland. Westlund went on to work with a local nonprofit organization
focused on sustainable community and economic development where she
coordinated projects related to energy efficiency and renewable energy. As
a small business owner, she has spent the last few years working with a cooperative of area
producers to build a strong local food system that will support family farms for generations to
come. @westlund4wi

Alan Williams

State Representative
Tallahassee, Florida
State Representative Alan B. Williams is a fifth generation Floridian
and a recipient of both a BS and an MBA from Florida Agricultural and
Mechanical University. Upon graduation, Alan worked in the private
sector until Tallahassee Mayor John Marks recruited him as an aide. In that
role, Williams served as liaison between the community and the Office of the
Mayor. In 2006, he founded MW Land & Investments, a Florida-based property management and
business development firm. As president and CEO, Alan promotes business ownership and drives
business back into the local community. Williams ran for the Florida House of Representatives to
represent District 8 and was elected in November 2008. A leader among his colleagues, Williams
serves as the Democratic Whip, a pivotal position that ensures his caucus’s agenda is enforced
and that legislative votes are protected. @Alan4Florida

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75

YOUNG ELECTED O FFICIALS

Mayor
New Paltz, New York
Jason West was first elected as mayor of New Paltz, New York in 2003.
West is frequently acknowledged for his courageous persistence in
performing same-sex weddings despite significant legal barriers. Mayor
West was named the best new mayor of 2003 by Hudson Valley magazine
and has been honored by organizations including the New York State Senate
Democratic Conference, the California State Legislature, and several others. As mayor, West
took part in the creation of the United Nations Urban Environmental Accords in San Francisco
and was one of sixty mayors from around the world who signed the original Accords. He is a
founding member and serves on the steering committee of the Young Elected Officials Network.