May 19, 2017 – Washington Co., WI – Washington County Administrator Joshua Schoemann has been named one of a select group of 24 leaders in county government from across the country to participate in the 14th Annual County Leadership Institute (CLI), a rigorous program developed by the National Association of Counties (NACo) and Cambridge Leadership Associates.
“Josh is one of Wisconsin’s brightest and most innovative local government officials.  WCA embraces the opportunity for one of our state’s best to further develop leadership skills through NACo.  Josh is highly regarded and very well respected in Wisconsin’s public policy arena.
Continued refinement of his leadership skills will not only help Washington County but all of Wisconsin.  We look forward to great things from Josh,” said Mark O’Connell, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Counties Association.”
Schoemann is a two time winner of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs Lloyd D. Gladfelter Award for Government Innovation, most recently for his work creating a regional health department between Ozaukee and Washington Counties.
Last October Schoemann was a finalist for the Route Fifty Navigator Award in the State and Executive Leadership category for the implementation of Priority Based Budgeting.  Earlier this year, he was recognized on a national “top 100 list” for local government influencers by Emerging Local Government Leaders (ELGL) noting him as “the new face of local government.”
“With the impending challenges facing us in the next decade, we are embracing Josh’s strategic approach to addressing unchartered waters in Washington Counties,” said County Board Chair Rick Gundrum. “It’s no surprise that he has been chosen as the sole representative for Wisconsin as his future in problem solving for local government is bright.”
The institute, held June 4-8, 2017 in Washington, D.C., presses county officials to consider innovative approaches to address key issues facing their counties and constituents. The program is designed to help county leaders further develop their approaches toward solving complex challenges. It provides tools to encourage innovation and creativity; resources for invigorating organizational culture; and best practices in effective communication, collaboration and decision-making.
“We have a lot of ambitious goals in Washington County. I look forward to having a hands-on experience that will help us accomplish these goals over the next 18 months,” said Schoemann. “This is a unique opportunity to learn from experts and work with other county leaders as we strengthen our skills to tackle public sector challenges.”
Matthew Chase, NACo’s executive director, said, “County officials often address similar issues and can learn a great deal from one another. The County Leadership Institute fosters peer-to-peer learning and encourages common-sense solutions to challenges that counties and residents face every day.”
Since its inception, the Institute, known for enhancing the capacity of county officials to identify and implement innovative solutions to complex challenges, has graduated nearly 300 leaders from 172 counties across 45 states. This year’s program will focus on the demands of personal leadership in the modern era of government, once characterized as a “permanent crisis” by Cambridge Leadership co-founder Marty Linsky.
The program is made possible with the support of IBM, NACo’s Financial Services Center and the National Council of County Association Executives.
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